U3 Report
In 2022, in recognition of the growing amount of vacant commercial space downtown, the RDA took the lead in commissioning a business attraction/retention study to explore what steps could be taken in partnership with other local entities to fill approximately 84,000 sq ft of empty retail space.
With their attention focused on just new commercial space built within the last 5 years – space which is generally not fitted out enough to be affordable for small businesses to move in – the RDA wanted to explore what it would take to get these spaces to a point where they were also accessible to smaller retailers.
With the amount of change that has moved through Downtown State College in the past decade, and in the aftermath of the pandemic, it felt like the right time to take stock and look into some strategies that the private sector could implement to improve the downtown experience.
So, what exactly came from the study? And what is the RDA doing about it?
The first recommendation presented in the U3 report (named for the company that wrote it) was to hire a full time staff person at the Downtown State College Improvement District (DID) whose sole focus would be on acquisition and retention of businesses in the vacant commercial space. With funding provided almost entirely by the RDA, Kendra Kielbasa was hired in 2024 and hit the ground running as the DID’s new Retail and Commercial Business Advocate.
In her first 6 months, she consulted with more than 40 businesses, connecting them with resources and helping to remove roadblocks and promote growth. She also fostered hundreds of regional connections to strengthen our local business network and encourage collaboration. In the words of local business owner Tony Ghaffari, “Kendra Kielbasa has been an invaluable resource for businesses in downtown State College, including Your Cigar Den, where her guidance and connections directly contributed to increased revenue. Her support helped secure a grant for website improvements and boosted our community visibility through enhanced social media strategies. Kendra’s dedication and expertise have truly empowered local businesses like mine to thrive.”
The second recommendation of the study, which addresses helping small businesses fit out spaces which would generally be cost prohibitive, is the RDA’s next focus and wheels are in motion behind the scenes towards this goal.
Kendra Kielbasa
