ClearWater Conservancy Hosts Groundbreaking Ceremony for Hamer Community Conservation Center
The new Hamer Community Conservation Center will become a vibrant hub for community engagement and the Conservancy’s first permanent headquarters.
“It is very special to have our very own harbor for the first time… It can facilitate a laboratory of ecology for our children to thrive, for our children to learn to live in harmony with their environment.”
ClearWater Conservancy, a nationally accredited land trust and conservation organization with a mission to ensure central Pennsylvania is beautiful, healthy, and vibrant, recently celebrated the start of construction on the Hamer Community Conservation Center. The new facility will welcome the community through a range of environmental education and conservation leadership initiatives. Donnan Stoicovy, president of ClearWater’s Board of Directors, welcomed guests, noting that “We’re so pleased to be able to share the construction of our new home that is about to become a reality right here across from Spring Creek, right in central Pennsylvania.” “This feels very personal,” added Sonia Kaufman, district office director for State Senator Paul Takac. “It is the culmination and celebration of a dream that so many of us have worked on for so long.”
Slated for completion in 2026, the new 10,392 square-foot Conservation Center will be located on a 10-acre site in the heart of the Spring Creek Watershed in State College, PA. The design intends to unify the landscape and incorporate salvaged materials from existing buildings, creating a cohesive campus environment while respecting the history and character of the site. Placed on the footprint of an original barn on the property, the Conservation Center honors the former building through its form, open interior, and heavy timber structure. The project will house new offices and a learning center, as well as workshops, program support spaces, and outdoor demonstration areas. Sustainability was a fundamental driver throughout the master planning process, and the project will feature solar panels and geothermal systems, in addition to the re-use of original materials. An accessible path from the project to the bank of Spring Creek will provide a new way for all to enjoy this natural resource.
The Hamer Community Conservation Center was named for the late Don Hamer, a former board president and longtime member of the Board of Directors of the Conservancy. The project team includes Alexander Building Construction. Learn more about the project and groundbreaking below.
