Henry D. Sahakian, a prominent local businessman, philanthropist and one of the most influential figures in the State College area’s development over the past 60 years, died on Feb. 23 in State College at the age of 84.
Sahakian’s many residential and commercial building projects have played a major role in shaping downtown State College and the rest of Centre Region as Penn State and the surrounding community rapidly grew in the second half of the 20th century and into the 21st.
Though he made his home in Centre County beginning with his time as a Penn State student in the 1950s, he also made a mark well beyond central Pennsylvania as well, founding the Uni-Mart convenience store chain and developing hotels, medical buildings and shopping centers elsewhere.