News Around The Burg
Two More Nominees to the Harrisburg Authority
Aug. 20 -- Mayor Linda Thompson today put forth two more names for appointment to the Harrisburg Authority, nominations that the City Council will consider at its Tuesday meeting.
The latest nominees are former council member Reizdan Moore and Westburn Majors, who works for a local lobbying firm. The authority, which oversees city waste and water utilities, has been without a quorum since May, when the state Supreme Court nullified the existing board. Since then, potential board appointees have been at the center of a power struggle between Thompson and a council majority. Moore and Majors are the ninth and tenth nominees to the board, but the council has approved just two, leaving the five-member authority board without a quorum.In other developments:* A Dauphin County judge today ruled that authority members Bill Cluck and J. Marc Kurowski could bind over the authority's professional liability insurance even though the board lacks a quorum. The insurance coverage was set to expire this weekend.* Thompson has submitted a resolution to council that asks for state assistance in paying for a financial adviser. At its Tuesday meeting, the council will consider the application request to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Earlier this week, the administration hired Chicago-based Scott Balice Strategies to serve as financial advisers, a move several council members claimed was improper because they said they were not advised nor involved in the selection. Thompson has insisted that the selection process was fair and open. Council Majority Decries Selection of Financial Consultants
Aug. 18 -- A City Council majority today accused Mayor Linda Thompson of acting inappropriately in selecting a financial consulting firm for the city.
Council members Eugenia Smith, Wanda Williams, Susan Brown Wilson and Brad Koplinski charged that Thompson had violated a resolution passed earlier this year when her administration, yesterday, selected Chicago-based Scott Balice Strategies to advise the city on how to handle its financial crisis. The resolution in question states the council must be involved in decisions designed "to bring Harrisburg to a condition of financial stability." While Council President Gloria Martin-Roberts participated in the selection process, the rest of the council was shut out, according to a letter that the council members sent to Scott Balice Senior Vice President Phoebe Selden. That letter called for the selection process to be re-opened so that the entire council could be included. Until then, the four council members would refuse to meet with Scott Balice, the letter said.Thompson refuted the notion that the Scott Balice selection was secretive or in violation of the law. She said that Scott Balice was selected from among 16 firms that responded to a publicly issued request for qualifications and by the same procedure used to select the city's previous financial consultant, Management Partners Inc."The process we used to obtain their services was the same process we used to obtain Scott Balice services," she said.City Names Financial Adviser to Deal with Debt Crisis
Aug. 17 -- Harrisburg will retain Scott Balice Strategies, a Chicago-based financial advisory firm, to help the city dig out of its deep financial crisis, Mayor Linda Thompson announced today.
Scott Balice is expected to play a key role as Harrisburg develops a plan that will allow it to overcome a crippling debt burden of about $288 million, nearly all of it resulting from a series of retrofits, some botched, over many years to the city incinerator. "They [Scott Balice] have a reputation for being able to solve complex financial challenges," said Thompson. "We believe they're the right people for the job."In addition, Scott Balice has assembled a team that includes the Bracewell & Giuliani law firm, the Government Finance Officers Association and the Jones Lang LaSalle real estate firm. For these services, the city will be billed $20,000 a month for up to 65 hours of work, which averages $307 per hour. Work in excess of 65 hours a month will be billed on an hourly basis. These fees include $225 per hour for work by Government Finance Officers Association; $275 per hour for work by both Scott Balice and Jones Lang LaSalle; and $600 per hour for work by Bracewell & Giuliani.In June, the city, seeking a financial adviser, issued a request for qualifications. Sixteen firms responded, and six were chosen to complete a request for proposal. Scott Balice was selected based upon a scoring procedure and a final interview process, said Brian Hudson, an official with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency who is assisting the city in its efforts to manage the crisis. Scott Balice expects to start work by the end of August, once its final contract is signed. It will begin by conducting a comprehensive review of the situation, said Phoebe Selden, a senior vice president with the firm. "We will start with due diligence and hope to bring forth ideas the city may not have explored," she said.Negotiation of a forbearance agreement, which will stave off creditors while the city develops a long-term solution, is one of the first steps the city must take. Moving forward, other key steps include negotiating with creditors, negotiating with Dauphin County, appraising city assets and formulating ways to raise revenue and restructure debt. The hiring of Scott Balice appeared to provide more fodder in the ongoing feud between Thompson and a majority on the City Council. While Council President Gloria Martin-Roberts, a frequent Thompson ally, supported the mayor's decision, Councilman Brad Koplinski said the council had been shut out from the selection process. In fact, he questioned the need for an outside, out-of-state firm to advise the city."There are very well-qualified people in the city who can make these decisions," he said.He also was concerned that Scott Balice would not put the interests of residents first, particularly after the city's previous consultants, Management Partners Inc., suggested, as part of its emergency financial plan, that the city could substantially raise city property taxes and water and sewer rates."These people [Scott Balice] are not beholden to the citizens of Harrisburg," Koplinski said.The ongoing split between the mayor and council could prove troublesome, as the council must approve many parts of a final plan. Council Rejects Latest Nominees to Harrisburg Authority
Aug. 16 -- The staring contest over the Harrisburg Authority resumed tonight, as the City Council refused to confirm the latest nominees of Mayor Linda Thompson.
The council rejected both Jennifer Smallwood and Darnell Williams by 4-3 votes, meaning that the five-member body still lacks a quorum to conduct business. In late May, the state Supreme Court nullified the existing authority's board and, since then, the council has confirmed just two of Thompson's nominees.Without a quorum, the authority, which operates the city's waste and water utilities, has been unable to conduct much of its business, ranging from paying vendors to continuing an investigation into past authority practices.The council wants Thompson to reinstate all the members who lost their seats when the court ruled that the mayor, not the council, has the authority to appoint board members, subject to council approval. Since then, Thompson has reappointed Bill Cluck and J. Marc Kurowski, but no one else from the prior board. As a result, the council now has rejected four board nominees, and two others have withdrawn their names before a council vote.Within a week, the crisis at the authority could reach a new stage, as the board's professional liability insurance is due to expire on Aug. 23. The board must have a quorum in order to vote to continue the insurance, which helps protect members from lawsuits.Several city residents last night urged the council to approve at least one of Thompson's nominees so that the authority could resume work. Thompson, however, has only two fairly reliable allies on the seven-member council. In addition, a council majority, after years of feeling sidelined by former Mayor Stephen Reed, seems intent on asserting itself as an equal branch of government. New Manager Announced for Broad Street Market
Aug. 11 -- Jennifer Sim has been named the new manager of the Broad Street Market, the first permanent manager the Market has had since January.
Sim has a food industry background and has most recently headed the marketing department for a regional food distributor, according to John Campbell, executive director of Historic Harrisburg Association. She also has experience in food safety regulations, marketing, food vendor support, event planning and grant writing, said Campbell.“Fresh homegrown food was always on the table during my childhood, and I want to support the future availability of locally grown farm products in our community,” said Sim.Sim replaces Rafiyqa Muhammad, who served as acting manager until taking a position last month managing Market vendor Shady Nook Farm. Two New Nominees for Harrisburg Authority
Aug. 9 -- Mayor Linda Thompson today tapped two new nominees to sit on the Harrisburg Authority, refusing to give in to a City Council majority that wants to reconstitute the previous authority board.
Thompson nominated Jennifer L. Smallwood, a manager with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority, and Darnell L. Williams, a programmer analyst with the Pennsylvania state police. The nominations now go to the council for approval. Since the state Supreme Court nullified the authority's board in May, Thompson has nominated six people to sit on a new board, which oversees the city's waste and water systems. The council has confirmed only two of her nominees, J. Marc Kurowski and William Cluck, both of whom served on the prior board. It rejected two others who did not sit on the nullified board, and two nominees withdrew their names before a council vote.For nearly three months, much of the work of the authority has come to a halt, as the five-member body has lacked a quorum to conduct business. Some vendors have complained of non-payment, and the board's investigation into how the authority accumulated $288 million in debt due to incinerator upgrades is at a standstill.Former Rendell Aide Appointed New City Spokesman
Aug. 5 -- Chuck Ardo has been named the city’s new communications director, the third person to hold that post under Mayor Linda Thompson.
Ardo is a former press secretary for Gov. Ed Rendell and previously served in communications roles in several other states.“I am excited to have Chuck on board,” said Thompson. ”He is already familiar with most of the issues and has an established relationship with key players as well as the press.”Since Thompson’s inauguration in January, Joyce Davis and James Penna both have served briefly as administration spokespeople before leaving.Planning Board OKs New Zoning Code, Office Building
Aug. 4 -- The Harrisburg Planning Commission tonight unanimously gave its nod to two major items on its agenda: the city's new zoning code and WCI Partners' proposed five-story building at the corner of N. 2nd and State streets.
With the commission's stamp of approval, both issues now go to the City Council for additional consideration and, probably, final action this fall.The effort to revamp the city's zoning code began about a year ago to try to streamline and simplify a code that had become overly complex and even obsolete. Over the years, the code, originally passed in 1950, had grown to include 29 base zoning districts and six overlay districts. The new code includes just 11 base districts and three overlay districts.The newly named "riverfront district," which spans the length of Front Street, garnered the most discussion among commissioners during the final two meetings before they approved the code resolution. In the end, they decided to include the largely undeveloped area south of Shipoke within this district, even though it's quite distinct from the densely developed riverfront neighborhoods to the north. To preserve Front Street's historic character, they also decided to limit building height in the district to 45 feet, as opposed to a previous height proposal of 75 feet.At the same meeting, the commissioners approved a new, mixed-use building at N. 2nd and State streets proposed by WCI Partners. The five-story, 54,000-square-foot building will include four floors of offices, with a restaurant and retail space on the ground floor. The matter now goes before the City Council, which must approve WCI's land development plan."Our hope is, given the merits of the project, the City Council will be in favor of it," said WCI President David Butcher.If all goes according to plan, WCI expects to break ground on the project in April, with completion slated for August 2012. Midtown Arts Center Gets Approval for Bond Offering
July 30 -- The Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center is another step closer to completing work on its sprawling facility at N. 3rd and Herr streets, as it has secured final county approval to offer $3.2 million in tax-exempt bonds.
Dauphin County is not lending HMAC the money, but has endorsed the project as worthwhile, enabling HMAC to float bonds on the open market that carry tax-exempt status. This incentive significantly increases investor interest in the bonds. In addition, HMAC will sell another $1.1 million in taxable bonds, said HMAC co-owner John Traynor. “We’re moving forward,” Traynor said. “We have an underwriter for our bonds, and we’re starting the application process.”Traynor believes that HMAC will successfully sell out the offering, enabling it to resume work on the center sometime this fall. With the county’s imprimatur, HMAC can access the bond market like a municipality would, offering tax-exempt bonds to investors, confirmed August Memmi, executive director of the county’s economic development office. No tax dollars are being used, he said. Under the agreement, HMAC’s owners must use part of the bond money for reserves equaling two years of bond payments. The bonds are for 30 years, but the owners can buy them back after five years. Once the bonds are sold on the market, Wohlsen Construction, which has an office in Midtown, will finish the uncompleted center, which will have a restaurant, pool, classrooms and a large auditorium with capacity for about 800 people, Traynor said.New Condo Building about to Rise in Midtown
July 26 -- Midtown is set to get its second major condominium building, as the Vartan Group will break ground in months on The 1500 Project, a five-story building at N. 6th and Reily streets, across from the federal courthouse site.
On July 20, the Vartan Group filed condominium papers with Dauphin County and immediately began taking pre-sales reservations for the 43 studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and loft units. A restaurant and/or retailer will occupy the ground floor, and 47 parking spaces will be below ground, said H. Ralph Vartan, company chairman. The project has been on the drawing board for years, but the time seemed right to proceed, Vartan said, adding that demand for condo space in Harrisburg was a far more important factor in the decision to build now than the pending courthouse. “There is latent demand for this type of living in the city,” he said. Construction is expected to begin in late autumn and should take 10 to 14 months, said Vartan. The building’s architecture will be somewhat different for Harrisburg—a modern take on art deco design, with sleek lines, lots of glass, a rooftop garden, private terraces, loft spaces and green-friendly features. Owners will qualify for a 10-year property tax abatement.“We wanted to provide something a little edgy,” Vartan said. “Architecturally, it’s very stunning.” The 1500 Project follows the success of Riverview Manor, a 76-unit condominium conversion on N. Front and Harris streets that has largely sold out.New Intercity Bus Service Rolls into Harrisburg
July 21 -- Megabus.com has added Harrisburg to the cities it serves with its nonstop, inexpensive bus service.
Leaving from the southeast corner of the Harrisburg Mall parking lot, buses serve State College, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh daily for as little as $1 per trip. There are four departures a day to Philadelphia and two each to Pittsburgh and State College.Prices depend upon seat availability and change often. A recent search of fares to Philadelphia showed one-way prices that ranged from $1 to $10, depending upon time of departure. Fares ranged from $8 to $12 to Pittsburgh and were $3 to State College.Megabus.com, based in the United Kingdom, is part of a growing trend of comfortable, inexpensive bus service in the congested northeast and mid-Atlantic. Go to us.megabus.com for details. CAT Part of 9-County Transit Study
July 20 -- Six transit agencies and three regional planning organizations from nine counties in central Pennsylvania are participating in a Regional Transit Coordination Study to determine region-wide transit service and other options.
Capital Area Transit, serving Harrisburg, Dauphin and Cumberland counties, is among the agencies involved. “This type of regional cooperation will pave the way for better transportation options for all the citizens of the region,” said Jim Hoffer, CAT’s executive director. The benefits anticipated from a regional system include reduced congestion, air quality improvement, greater transit access for area residents, increased ridership and an increase in mobility options that could provide quality-of-life benefits for all who live and work in the region. Transit and local officials said the region’s expanding metropolitan areas have made coordination critical. Transportation demand now stretches beyond traditional county boundaries, which is often the same boundary for its associated transit service. The study, expected to conclude in May 2011, is only focused on bus services. Regional commuter rail or light rail is not under consideration, said Brandy Heilman, executive director of York-based Commuter Services of Pennsylvania. “That’s not part of the scope of this work,” Heilman said. As part of the study, business, environmental and community stakeholders will be interviewed and invited to participate in two transit roundtables. Other public outreach will include surveys of existing transit riders, a website and public meetings. A speaker’s bureau also will be formed. Interested residents and businesses should contact Commuter Services, www.pacommuterservices.com to request a presentation to their group.For information on CAT, visit www.cattransit.com.Midtown on Brink of Another Convenience Store
July 19--Midtown appears set to get yet another convenience store, as the Harrisburg Zoning Board tonight granted conditional approval for a 1,200-square-foot store at 1727 N. 2nd St.
The store, to be operated by Ying Chen, will be in the same building that houses Classic Drycleaners at the corner of Kelker and N. 2nd streets. Chen needed a variance to open the store because the property is not zoned for that use.The zoning board voted 3-0 to approve the variance as long as five conditions were met. The store must keep its hours to 8 a.m.-8 p.m. each day; must not offer prepared foods; must keep trash inside the building until pickup day; must not have soda dispensing machines; and must submit a parking plan to the city. These conditions were prompted by the concerns of nearby residents over issues related to trash, traffic and parking.Chen said he plans to offer typical convenience store items in his market, such as soda, cigarettes, chips, lottery tickets and some groceries.At the same meeting, the zoning board unanimously granted several special exceptions to WCI Partners LP related to the firm's plan to build a five-story office building at the corner of State and N. 2nd streets. The exceptions were for such matters as building height, building coverage, setbacks and off-street parking. WCI expects to break ground on the building in spring 2011. Harrisburg Mayor Responds Critically to Controller's Plan
July 16 -- Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson responded mostly negatively to the recent plan proposed by city Controller Dan Miller to pay off the overwhelming $288 million debt related to a series of upgrades, some botched, to the city incinerator.
In a prepared statement, Thompson criticized Miller's plan as having "unrealistic expectations" and said it contains "holes.""While the administration genuinely welcomes Mr. Miller's ideas to help steer Harrisburg toward fiscal stability, his plan has various holes and some unrealistic expectations, not the least of which suggests that Dauphin County assume 100 percent of control of the incinerator and its finances," she stated.Earlier in the week, Miller proposed a 20-year plan that would pay off the debt, in part, by turning over control of the incinerator to the county, which would use revenue from the facility to pay a portion of the debt burden. The plan also proposed that the city dedicate fees from public parking for debt payments, that the city cut spending significantly and that debt holders offer some relief, such as a reduced interest rate on the municipal bonds they hold. Thompson has said that she has been talking to the parties involved to resolve the financial crisis, although she has not said publicly what her plan might be.In her statement, Thompson did say that she was glad that Miller had de-emphasized declaring Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy, which the controller has said repeatedly is a viable option to relieve the city of some of its enormous debt load. "The administration is pleased to note that Mr. Miller's plan recognizes the administration's wisdom in considering Chapter 9 bankruptcy as the LAST of various options to achieve manageable debt service levels and future fiscal stability, not the ONLY option as he previously publicly prescribed,” she wrote.County Commissioner DiFrancesco Will Step Down
July 15 -- After serving office the past six years, Dauphin County Commissioner Nick DiFrancesco has accepted a position in the private sector and will vacate his seat as vice-chairman of the board of commissioners in September.
“Since 2004, I’ve had the distinct honor of serving the citizens of Dauphin County,” said DiFrancesco. “I can’t begin to express my sincere appreciation to those who entrusted me with this position.” DiFrancesco, a Republican, has accepted a position as president and chief operating officer of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers in Harrisburg. Prior to assuming office as commissioner, he worked as the director of legislative services for the association. “He’ll be greatly missed,” said Jeff Haste, chairman of the board of commissioners. “His input is invaluable.”The county Court of Common Pleas now will appoint a successor of the same political party to serve out the remainder of DiFrancesco's four-year term, which expires in January 2012. Controller Outlines a Plan for City Debt Burden
July 14 -- Harrisburg could squeeze out of its crippling debt burden, while not selling city assets, not declaring bankruptcy and not raising taxes under a plan proposed today by City Controller Dan Miller.
Miller’s plan, however, does not come without pain, as it would require the city to cut spending significantly. In addition, the proposal is a long way from adoption, requiring cooperation and concessions from the city, Dauphin County, the Harrisburg Authority and bond holders.“The four parties have to work together,” he said. “If they do, it’s relatively easy to come to a solution.”The Harrisburg Authority is $288 million in debt—and in default—due to a series of fixes, many botched, to the city incinerator. The city and the county both have backed that debt.Miller’s plan foresees repaying about $20 million a year. In sum, the county would take control of the incinerator, including all finances, allowing it to pay at least $5.5 million each year in debt service payments. The city would pledge $4.5 million a year in parking revenue for debt payments.The remaining annual debt would be paid for by concessions from bond holders, increased fees county-wide for use of the incinerator and possible increases in parking fees. Under his plan, Miller said that the debt should be paid off in about 20 years. He said he’s already received interest in his plan from City Council members and representatives of Dauphin County. Previously, Miller had advocated declaring municipal bankruptcy to relieve the city of some debt burden. That remains a viable option, he said. Also, bankruptcy, he said, should be kept on the table to motivate all sides to reach an accord.Council Rejects Another Authority Nominee
July 13 -- A divided Harrisburg City Council refused to confirm Herbert "Corky" Goldstein to serve on the Harrisburg Authority, the second mayoral nominee to that body rejected by the council in a week.
The 5-2 vote leaves the five-member authority with just two sitting members, J. Marc Kurowski and William Cluck, both of whom served on the previous authority board. In addition, two of Mayor Linda Thompson's nominees withdrew their names before a council vote.A council majority seems intent on restoring all five members from the prior board. That board was vacated in May after the state Supreme Court ruled that the mayor, not the council, had the authority to appoint members. In 2006, the council stripped that power from former Mayor Stephen Reed and gave it to itself.Several council members said they wanted the previous board reinstated so that members could resume a thorough audit of the authority. However, Council President Gloria Martin- Roberts, who voted to confirm Goldstein, characterized the rift as a power struggle between the council and mayor."The excuse that you need to appoint the same three people as before is just a power play," she said to her fellow council members.Meanwhile, the three seats that remain vacant leave the authority without a quorum, which is necessary to take votes, pay vendors and begin to tackle the authority's overwhelming incinerator-related debt, which has plunged the city into a financial crisis.Due to summer recess, the council is not scheduled to meet again until Aug. 24. Martin-Roberts, though, said that she would call special sessions if Thompson makes additional nominations to the authority in the interim.In other action, the City Council:* Voted unanimously to repeal a requirement that certain daycare centers install sprinker systems. Many daycare centers operate out of private homes, making the requirement financially burdensome, said several council members.* By a 4-3 vote, denied a request by Penn National Insurance to extend, until Dec. 31, 2012, its commercial use of 175 parking spaces at the city-owned Penn National Garage at 22 N. 2nd St. Several council members said that the city currently has a glut of garage parking, making the special arrangement with Penn National no longer necessary.Schedule Changes to Keystone Line
July 12 -- Travelers using Amtrak's Keystone Line service between Harrisburg and Philadelphia face schedule changes starting today through late August because of track improvements being completed. Check the Keystone Line's website for changes. www.catchthekeystone.com
Cluck Appointed to Harrisburg Authority
July 9 -- The City Council has appointed two new members to the Harrisburg Authority's board, including attorney William Cluck and former acting Chairman J. Marc Kurowski. It refused to appoint Mayor Linda Thompson's third nominee, Cathy M. Hall. The fourth nominee, Barton A. Fields, withdrew his name before the council vote.
The makeup of the authority, however, remains up in the air. At issue: whether or not authority members unseated in 2006, when the council removed appointment power from the mayor and gave it to itself, have the right to return to their seats. After years of litigation, the state Supreme Court ruled that the mayor, not the council, has the right to appoint authority members.Since the Supreme Court's ruling in May, the authority's board has been vacant, causing much of the work of the embattled body to grind to a halt. The board must vote on such matters as paying vendors and, importantly, dealing with the authority's overwhelming debt resulting from past upgrades to the city's incinerator. New Hope for Midtown Landmark
July 1 -- The prospect of a vibrant, revitalized 3rd Street corridor in Midtown took a huge step forward last month, as an entire blighted block was bought at a tax sale by a Harrisburg resident known for rehabilitating historic buildings.
Philip Dobson, owner of the landmark J. Donald Cameron Mansion on Front and State streets, purchased the former Ronald H. Brown Charter School at N. 3rd and Boas streets, as well as three dilapidated rowhouses next door, also once owned by the school. In an astonishing deal, Dobson bought the entire property group, constituting almost 50,000 square feet of space and about 60 parking spaces, for about $188,000, including transfer taxes. The stately school building itself, which started life in 1924 as a Moose Temple lodge, was had for just $18,000, plus another $30,000 in transfer tax. It was designed in the Beaux Arts style by renowned Harrisburg architect Clayton J. Lappley.Dobson said he expects to take title to the properties within 60 days and then plans to restore them. The Moose lodge could become offices or another charter school, he said. “It’s such a great location,” he said. “I love Midtown, and this should be a big boon to the area.”Businesses nearby welcomed news of the purchase, as the empty properties have marred the 900-block of N. 3rd Street since the charter school closed.Randy Straub, owner of The Soup Spot a few doors down, said that the vacant block hasn’t attracted much trouble, but that it is an eyesore and an impediment to greater progress along the street.“This is an entire block that can be converted into something truly special,” said Straub. “So much can be done with it.” Citing many deficiencies, the city’s Board of Control refused to renew the school’s charter after the 2004–05 school year. Owed about $2.5 million, the receiving bank took control of the properties, but could not sell them, leading to the tax sale. Dobson would seem to be a good candidate to place the properties back into use. Over the years, he has bought numerous properties at tax sales and mounted many restorations. He has been painstakingly restoring the Donald Cameron mansion since buying it in January 2008.“I’m a big believer in the city, and a strong advocate of preservation,” he said. Seaplane Base Lands on the Market
July 1 -- About 1½ acres of riverfront land that includes the old Harrisburg Seaplane Base—now a retail center for Tracker Boats and Black Dog Motorcycles—is up for sale in Wormleysburg.
The owner, Mike Bowers, is looking to move the two businesses to other locations. He’s considering the north end of the borough for the motorcycle shop and possibly somewhere along Harrisburg’s Cameron Street for the boats.“We need more room,” said Bowers, who owns two other boat stores. “The boat store in particular needs more room.”The two businesses have access to a large stretch of riverfront that Bowers said would work well for a boat rental business. The property has an apartment house, the motorcycle shop—which is in a building that once served as a hangar for seaplanes that landed on the Susquehanna River there in the 1940s and ‘50s—and the boat store, a building with 10,500-square-feet of space that once housed the seaplane base offices.Bowers put the property up for sale in May and said he has had some inquiries.“It’s just a unique property with the waterfront,” he said.
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