Those who have been to Richard Avenue have likely seen the large parking lot and adjacent overgrown lot on North Queen Street. That property, which contains the G-1 general parking lot, has been listed for sale by its owner, the Shippensburg University Foundation. 

The 14.59-acre property, which is adjacent to the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail, Richard Avenue and Wibs, has been listed for $2.3 million. Made up of two parcels, the property was once the site of Shippensburg Domestic Castings, previously known as Domestic Engine and Pump Co., which closed permanently in 2015.

The parcel, which is now the G-1 lot, was purchased by the foundation several years ago at the request of the university to address a shortage of student parking, according to foundation president Leslie Folmer Clinton. 

Folmer Clinton said the other property was later acquired to “make certain that any contamination from the prior owner’s use of the property was cleaned up and that its future use would align with the adjacent university and foundation properties.” 

The listing describes the property as a “golden opportunity” for developers but notably says “ABSOLUTELY NO STUDENT HOUSING.” 

Folmer Clinton explained that this phrase was included because the foundation owns student housing, including Stone Ridge and College Park Commons, and the Shippensburg community “has an oversupply of student housing.”

The G-1 lot is currently leased to Shippensburg University Student Services Inc. (SUSSI) for student parking. After construction, it was added to a preexisting lease for the L-2 storage lot. However, “while the L-2 lot is at capacity for student parking, the demand no longer exists for the G-1 lot,” Folmer Clinton said. 

Once the property is sold, SUSSI has expressed interest in continuing to lease the L-2 lot, according to Folmer Clinton. The current lease expires in Aug. 2025. “The property listing has no direct impact to the space that we currently utilize for L-2 parking access and ability for student parking,” SUSSI executive director Kimberly Rockwell said. 

Folmer Clinton and Rockwell both said in statements to The Slate that SUSSI, the foundation and the university are on the same page regarding this matter and maintain open lines of communication.

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