Today we joined Chris and Jonathan Virgilio to celebrate the complete renovation and transformation of The Gamble Mill in Bellefonte, PA. The Gamble Mill dates back to 1786 and is an important chapter in the story of historic Bellefonte that has found a new life along their Downtown Riverwalk.
The Altoona Blair County Development (ABCD) Corp. provided vital financing for the program through our First Frontier 504 Program. ABCD Corp. is a private non-profit economic development corporation and Certified Development Company (CDC) that is licensed to facilitate the SBA 504 program throughout the state of Pennsylvania. We are Pennsylvania-Based lending and economic development professionals focused on helping our fellow Pennsylvania businesses.
Chris and Jon purchased the Gamble Mill in 2019 and have spent the last two years preserving and reestablishing this historic building. After five years of vacancy, extensive renovations were required to transform the property into a desirable mixed-use destination. During the multi-year renovation, the owners, local architects, engineers, and contractors worked tirelessly to ensure that both interior and exterior renovations protected the rich architectural features of the Mill.
To ensure that locals and visitors alike could experience the Mill, Chris and Jon focused on maximizing accessibility of this mixed-use building. This included the addition of the Inn at Gamble Mill that is a boutique inn and suites lodging on the previously underutilized upper floors. The Inn includes sixteen elegant guest rooms and suites that are sophisticated and timeless, yet family friendly providing the perfect refuge for business trips and family reunions alike. Equally important to the reestablishment of the Gamble Mill was the re-opening of the once beloved restaurant space the Creekside Restaurant providing fresh-from-farm cuisine from local chef and owner Michael Marx. The Mill also includes The Republic Bar for crafted cocktails, The Speakeasy event space, and
Smith + Front boutique.
Financing for the project was secured through Hometown Bank as well as utilization of an SBA 504 loan provide through the First Frontier 504 Program managed by the Altoona Blair County Development Corp. In addition, the Borough of Bellefonte was awarded a grant-to-loan from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to support the project. Assistance on the project’s business plan and partnership were provided by the Penn State Small Business Development Center.
To book a room or suite, reserve the event space, or learn more about the Gamble Mill and the other onsite businesses, please visit www.GambleMillBellefonte.com. The Gamble Mill is located at 160 Dunlop Street in Bellefonte, PA 814-470-8877.
