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Bellefonte Gazette March 5 2005, page 17
M&T Bank Building
By Steve Dersham
"It has been almost a year since the Commissioners purchased the former M&T Bank building in Bellefonte. Initially, volumes of thought and discussion went into the purchase and creative reuse of the historic downtown landmark. It was scrutinized by the media, long-time Borough residents and even the Court Administration. How to make best use of a structure that for over a century has been a staple in the community.
The purchase price was a bargain, $240,000, especially considering the almost half-million dollars spent on renovations just years before.
It would make the perfect complement to the adjacent Courthouse and could house another courtroom and the incoming fourth judge's chambers. In fact, the architects designed the second floor mezzanine level to handle two judges' chambers and a law library.
From its new slate and copper roof to the bone-dry concrete foundation, the bank building stands as an icon of the glory days of Bellefonte, when seemingly everyone in the town either banked there as Mid-State or Bellefonte Bank and Trust. The place still smells of money! For a hundred years, the painting of Jackson Spangler has overseen business, just a stone's throw from the County Courthouse. Now, the bank's journey has ended and a new one is about to begin. Soon, a newly-elected fourth judge will occupy their bench and dispense( justice in front of the vault that, over the course of tithe has dispensed millions of dollars into the community Creative reuse of buildings like this, despite the obvious regrets, keeps our downtowns strong in the face of change.
On the subject of change, a few changes will be immediately apparent on the building's exterior. The new doorway will have handicap access; a slight repositioning of the front Palladian windows; and, perhaps some may even miss the ATM machine. The inside, however, will be a little more obvious. The first floor will house the courtroom and will seat almost one hundred people. The side vault will transform into an elevator. A $70,000 technology grant will provide computer internet access and state-of-the-art evidence display. A new jury room, client-attorney conference areas and compliant lavatories are also' slated changes. On the second floor, along with the judge's chambers and library there will be access to two stairwells, an elevator and administrative area. The third floor, however, will not enjoy the extreme changes of the first two levels. The top floor, once a Masonic Lodge, has been sealed off for decades and will undergo a more historic restoration.
The grand ballroom will serve as a public meeting hall and there will be plenty of space for special events. Plaster repairs, millwork refinishing and handicap compliance will comprise much of the work performed. The third floor completion date will be several months behind the November 2005 date projected for the rest of the building. A future article will go into greater depth about the history architecture and future of the third floor.
Centre County has enjoyed a great partnership with the town of Bellefonte and the acquisition of the bank building should only reinforce that bond. Stay tuned for more updates on the progress of the construction process."
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