Author Archives: Maddie Conley

Rock On: With lots of family time over the holidays, try out a craft that’s fun for all

November 25, 2025 | by Gina Napoli

Illustration by Aron Rook

If my first love language is quality time, then my second is handmade crafts.

Because my husband liked to have a child every nine years, and our grandchildren are arriving even more quickly, we entertain all age groups for the holidays. Finding activities to keep everyone simultaneously engaged has taken trial and error over the years.

Out of hundreds of crafts we’ve tried over the decades, only one appeals to everyone: rock painting.

Crafters can paint rock after rock, creating multiple free-form masterpieces. While a typical crafting session can last a few minutes, rock painting sessions can occupy all ages for days. And then the scavenger hunt afterward keeps the game and the conversation going.

For more free-form craft ideas, I consulted expert Karen Whiting, a prolific, award-winning author of craft books, whose professional credits tie her to Gettysburg, Montrose and western Pennsylvania. Whiting’s crowd-pleasers include paper crafts and greeting cards.

“To build kids’ confidence,” Whiting said, “choose projects with just a few steps where success is easy to achieve.”

With free-form art, all crafters need are a few beginning instructions. All results are successful, with no such thing as failure. If the craft allows self-expression, the bigger the chance is of it being a crowd-pleaser.

Hide & Seek

Rock painting has a little game and an entire community surrounding it.

The Kindness Rocks Project went viral during lockdown to remotely encourage strangers through found art. Once you have painted your rock masterpieces, you leave them somewhere for kids to find. The more sophisticated rock painters host social media sites for their painted rocks, with codes mapping back to the artist. It’s the most robust sort of scavenger hunt because you’re on both ends—both planting and finding—and your family is connecting to a larger community.

I learned about the Kindness Rocks Project from my mother. Mom still carries a few painted rocks in her gigantic purse for planting. She didn’t want me to tell this story, but I enjoy embarrassing her, so here we go.

Years ago, rather than purchase rocks from a hardware or crafting store, Mom stole rounded rocks from people’s landscaping, helping herself to dozens of perfectly shaped rocks with the smoothest finishes. When Mom told Nanny about harvesting rocks, Nanny encouraged Mom to get right with the Lord. To this day, Mom insists you cannot steal what nature already provides, and Nanny prays for Mom’s soul.

From whatever location you source your rocks, I won’t judge. I’ve “borrowed” from neighbors, too, but I’m not telling Nanny. Porous rocks soak up paint unevenly, and they tend to have duller finishes. Paint will adhere predictably to rocks with smooth finishes. Whichever surface you prefer, be sure the rocks are clean and dry, and provide lots of them to your crafting crew.

Choose an area in your house where mess is allowed, grouping several tables and chairs together. Whiting recommends moving tables away from walls, spreading out a plastic sheet or thick tablecloth, and having plenty of wipes. Buffet wrap is available at restaurant supply stores or Costco, or even cheap tablecloths from dollar stores. I use old fitted twin sheets that naturally wrap around table corners.

When you set up workstations, keep the personalities of your crafters in mind. For little kids, Whiting recommends putting supplies in individual baggies. If each baggie has the same contents, this eliminates the inevitable complaints of comparisons, and fights over supply ownership. In our basement craft room, we craft family-style, encroaching on each other’s spaces at our oversized table.

Keep a snack station nearby. Serve hearty finger foods that kids can eat with one hand, like chicken nuggets, tater tots, pre-sliced fruits and vegetables, pretzels and drinks with lids.

Acrylic paint works best for painted rocks. I don’t allow glitter, but you can find glitter paint already mixed. Whether you bag supplies individually or spread them across tables, provide paintbrushes, water cups, paper towels and a separate area for drying finished projects. We use our bar because it’s high up, away from curious dogs and kids.

For Everyone

In understanding children’s personalities in group dynamics, Whiting said, “Some are introverted and want to watch before they start, and they want their own space. Others are impulsive and want to start without listening or understanding the process. They make the biggest mess and take the most space.” I felt that.

Having one adult “floater” keeps littles of all personalities on track. A good floater will allow kids to go at their own pace, to make their own choices, to interact nicely with fellow crafters, and to make mistakes gracefully. Most importantly, a good floater must be encouraging no matter what that rock looks like when kids yell, “I’m done!”

To help inspire ideas, provide worksheets of simple line patterns or templates. Either print from an online source, or find coloring books at dollar stores. I like themed sticker books. The cartoonish line figures are easy to copy, or kids may opt to stick them on the rocks, paper, my fitted sheet, whatever.

When the paint is dry, have an adult take the rocks outside, place them on a tarp, and apply a clear coat of epoxy spray. (Take extra care if that rock is double-sided.) When the clear coat dries, you can enjoy being on both ends of the painted rock scavenger hunt.

Rock painting has something for everyone. Even my husband, who does not care for the actual painting part, has a more action-oriented role before and after everyone else paints. Beforehand, he gets to visit the hardware store for a bag of rounded river stones. And later, he walks the gang around the neighborhood to help plant the rocks for other kids to find.

Find out more about The Kindness Rocks Project at www.thekindnessrocksproject.com or on social media.

For more painted rocks inspiration, visit www.paintedrocksapp.com and www.ilovepaintedrocks.com.

Find out more about Karen Whiting at www.karenwhiting.com.

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Adventure Together: Watch the moon, DIY a suncatcher and find light in the winter months

November 25, 2025 | by Natalie diSanto

DIY sun catcher

This month, we experience the shortest day of the year during the winter solstice.

With parents almost always feeling short on time, this measly stretch of daylight can suck the wind from even the most determinedly optimistic caregiver’s wings. So, let’s seek advice from those who came before us in the cultures of the past, where people celebrated displays of light as darkness lay heavy on the year.

Dancing Lights

While researching the moon schedule this month, I learned that the Geminid meteor shower will be visible in Pennsylvania, peaking around Dec. 13 and 14. Meteor showers are best viewed away from light pollution, so head into the woods with snacks and hot chocolate for a night full of wishes. The full moon will occur on Dec. 4, and what better way to celebrate light than the celestial options found in the night sky?

If you’re more into city lights, Negley Park in Lemoyne offers a view of the illuminated Harrisburg skyline. For those who don’t enjoy being outside at nighttime, you can see the skyline at Negley Park from the safety of your car. If you will be outside, hit up the dollar store for some glowsticks before your nighttime adventure so children stay visible while they run around. We divided into neon color coded teams and had a wild game of flashlight tag that had everyone sweating and laughing. For even more glowstick fun, tape them to your clothes in line with your arm and leg bones to make a glow-in-the-dark skeleton illusion. I cannot recommend enough recording your family doing a glowing skeleton choreographed dance. If you’ve never choreographed a dance before, just turn on a video from KPop Demon Hunters and rehearse some of the simpler moves, then bump the soundtrack while your family recreates the dances. In the dark, no one notices imperfections, so just have fun!

Gift of Giving

On the tune of music, the Susquehanna Folk Music Society is hosting the band Windborne at the Unitarian Church in Harrisburg on Dec. 9. Windborne is a folk band that stands out with their engaging four-part harmonies, mystifying young and old alike with masterful, old timey performances. Volunteer with SFMS to earn free tickets to their events. Volunteers help with set up/tear down of chairs and tables, greeting patrons to hand out flyers, selling merchandise before/after the show and other tasks.

Another way to volunteer this holiday season is to get involved with The Brethren Housing Association in Harrisburg. They offer Adopt-A-Family programs where folks are matched with those in need to provide holiday gifts for a whole family. This is a wonderful option for kids to get involved, selecting items that will be celebrated by another person their age. Families can provide holiday meals by donating food items listed on the BHA website. BHA is in need of household items like toilet paper, paper towels, dish soap and other items that can be found on their website.

Catching Rays

Inspired by the spirit of celebrating unique forms of light, we made upcycled suncatchers this month. Suncatchers require a flat or semi-flat translucent surface to decorate, so we cut off the top of a plastic strawberry container and used that. We chose to make our suncatcher square, but they can be circles, stars or any shape that feels right.

There are endless options to decorate your suncatcher. For a classic look, cut up crepe or tissue paper and glue it in a pattern, then draw lines of black with marker for a stained-glass effect. For a natural alternative, use dried flowers or leaves that are coated with Mod Podge. Paint is an easy option for decorating a suncatcher. Just remember that light moving through the paint will show your brush strokes, so watch out for globs. Markers are another tried-and-true method that allow for a lot of detail and easily let light pass through. Make your suncatcher extra exciting by combining art supplies for a mixed media creation. We added tassels to ours that went with our “Wicked” theme, but feel free to add gemstones, glitter, beads or any other treasures that will look pretty in a window.

They say that it is not the lantern that illuminates a path, but the light inside. The solstice is the day my kiddo came into the world, bringing with him an inextinguishable brightness. Each year, we find new ways to celebrate the light that can be found on even the darkest days. As we move into this winter season, focus on the people who bring you warmth and the moments that glow.

Negley Park is located at 210 Cumberland Rd., Lemoyne.

For more information on Susquehanna Folk Music Society, visit www.sfmsfolk.org.

For more information on Brethren Housing Association, visit www.bha-pa.org.

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The Lowengard Building: A Blueprint and Call to Action for Harrisburg

November 24, 2025 | by Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson (middle), his employees, family and local officials cut the ribbon on the Lowengard building in October.

What needs to be done to bring back Harrisburg’s thriving downtown?

Harrisburg is a beautiful, vibrant city that isn’t living up to its full potential, and reinvigorating the downtown would go a long way towards making Pennsylvania’s Capital City what it can and should be.

I have spent the past 16 years building a design-driven architectural firm, Chris Dawson Architect (CDA), based downtown, with a staff of 15. We have worked on many projects in the downtown area, ranging from remodeling portions of the Capitol Complex to reimagining the iconic Chockablock Clock in Strawberry Square as the new ClockBox Stage and Lounge to creating Zeroday’s Taproom on 3rd Street, Elementary Coffee on North Street, and, most recently, the Lowengard building, a formerly elegant architectural gem that had fallen into disrepair. I am fully invested in the success of the city and believe firmly in its potential.

While every redevelopment project is meaningful, the renovation of the Lowengard building was personal—a watershed moment for me and my firm. The Lowengard building was built in 1917 to house The Courier newspaper printing operations and was the first location of the iconic Mary Sachs department store in 1918.

As my firm continued to grow, we would eventually need more space, and I had had my eye on the building for years. When I purchased the building three years ago, I knew it would take a lot of work, but, as with all renovation projects of historic buildings, unforeseen challenges were in store.

Government resources proved to be critical in enabling us to complete this project. We received funding from Dauphin County via a gaming grant and the County Land Bank via a demolition grant. In retrospect, we would not have been able to complete the project without these grants.

There were also governmental hurdles related to building code interpretations, transferring the building permit when the initial general contractor went bankrupt, and a fluid list of inspector whims to satisfy to get to the final elevator, electrical, and occupancy certificates.

It would have been easier to leave the city and build a new office for ourselves in the suburbs, but that was never an option for us. We value Harrisburg city for what it is —a walkable, visually rich urban setting where I bump into clients in coffee shops and restaurants, and home to a vibrant arts scene. CDA is committed to doing our part to make it better, as evidenced by our investment in renovating the Lowengard building. Architects believe that improving the built environment is critical to creating true community. City density enables building community at scale, and that density is lacking in the suburbs.

It was with tremendous pride and gratitude that we were able to cut the ribbon on the Lowengard renovation project earlier this month. The revamped building is a mixed-use development with two apartments, office space for my firm, a retail space on the ground floor, and a rooftop deck amenity for all the building occupants. It was incredibly challenging to get to this point, but it was genuinely worth it, and we are proud to be doing our part to improve Harrisburg.

There is no silver bullet that will save downtown. It won’t be easy, but it absolutely can be done, and this project’s success is concrete proof that a better future for Harrisburg is possible. We need the cooperation of elected officials, architects, real estate developers and contractors, and a shared sense of urgency to start making progress.

The good news is, we are not starting from scratch. Harrisburg has plenty of underdeveloped assets that we can build on. There are plenty of people, like me, who are committed to making it a better place, but we need to continue to grow that community and increase collaboration across sectors in deliberate, strategic ways.

We know that cities are the future—urban offices are 6 to 8 times more energy-efficient than remote work from home, and 21st-century work is rooted in collaboration. Quality of life is higher in cities, and more than half the world’s population currently lives in cities, with that growing to 70% by 2050.

Architects are detail-oriented planners, but we are also creative thinkers who can look at a space, imagine what it could be, and help put that vision into practice. However, we can’t do it alone. I never would have been able to complete this project without help from elected officials, my contractors, my bankers, my family and my incredible staff.

There is a blueprint for revitalizing the city we are proud to call home if we can all pull together as a community to build a better Harrisburg for everyone.

Chris Dawson is the owner of Harrisburg-based Chris Dawson Architects.

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Renovations, upgrades at several Harrisburg parks nearly done as grant deadline quickly approaches

November 21, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Construction in progress at Gorgas playground on the 2500 block of Jefferson Street

Harrisburg is on track to finish several major park upgrades in the coming weeks, but is up against the clock to complete renovations before grant funds expire.

In October 2022, the city was awarded a $13 million reimbursement grant by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for improvements at Reservoir, Wilson, 7^th & Radnor and Gorgas parks, with a deadline to spend the funds in the coming months.

Three of the parks, Wilson, off of Rumson Drive in Allison Hill, 7th & Radnor sports field in Uptown and Gorgas playground, adjacent to the sports field, seem to be on track for a December completion date. However, work to construct a “spray alley” at Reservoir Park in Allison Hill appears to have just started, as fencing was only recently installed around the construction site in the park.

According to the city’s contract with DCED for the grant money that’s funding all four park upgrades, all $13 million needs to be spent by Jan. 31, 2026 in order for Harrisburg to receive the full amount.

However, as of Nov. 14, Harrisburg had only submitted one invoice to DCED for $2,500, which is being processed, according to DCED.

The $13 million came from the state’s Community Development Block Grant-CARES Act (CDBG-CV) funding, money the state received from the federal government to address COVID.

Harrisburg Director of Communications Mischelle Moyer said that Wilson, 7^th & Radnor and Gorgas parks are currently under construction and slated to be completed by the end of the year. When visiting the construction site at 7th & Radnor park and Gorgas playground, construction workers told TheBurg that they would likely be done in early December.

New basketball courts and pavilion at 7th & Radnor sports park

Plans for 7th & Radnor included a complete overhaul. New basketball courts, a new pavilion, a dugout, a walking path and other features were already constructed. The contractors on site said that the park is about 80% complete, with mostly paving, concrete and electrical work yet to be done. Much of that is weather-dependent as winter months approach.

At Gorgas, new playground equipment has been installed. Paving work is still needed, as well as installing a rubber surface around the equipment and electrical work.

Contractors also estimated that Wilson was at about the same stage. Planned upgrades there include playground equipment, restrooms and pavilions as well, although none were visible on-site as of this week.

Parks and Recreation Director Sasha Ross previously told TheBurg that work at Reservoir Park would begin this past Monday and said that she was confident it would be completed by the grant deadline. When visiting the park on Thursday, fencing blocked off a large section, including grass and parking lot space and construction machinery was on site, although no construction work was visible at the time.

Plans for Reservoir Park include constructing a spray alley with water features, among other updates.

Fencing has gone up at Reservoir Park

According to DCED, the budget for each park is as follows:

7th and Radnor Park and Gorgas, $6,122,000
Reservoir Park – Spray Park Alley, $3,601,116
Wilson Playground, $3,001,116
Project administration, $281,499

According to the contract, the city must incur all of the funds by the end of the contract or unspent funds will be revoked. The contract states that the city has 30 days after the deadline to submit invoices. Moyer did not respond to questions about how much money has been spent so far.

DCED said that the city may reallocate funds among the approved CDBG-CV activities if requested and approved by DCED.

A DCED spokesperson confirmed that Harrisburg requested a 30-day extension from its previous Dec. 29, 2025 deadline. This is the third extension that Harrisburg has received for the grant, which originally would have expired at the end of 2023.

At a November 2024 City Council meeting, when discussing the grant money, city Solicitor Neil Grover stated that DCED had “insisted” that they could not change the Dec. 31, 2025 deadline to spend the money. However, they now have an additional 30 days.

DCED officials said that Harrisburg explained extension requests as due to “delays by COVID-related scarcity of design/engineering contractors and supply chain constraints,” as well as “the complexity of the parks project that extended the environmental review, design/engineering, and contracting for economies of scale aspects of the project.”

Construction in progress at Wilson Park

When initially awarded the money, the city had a fifth project that they were set to receive money for: improvements to Jackson Lick pool. However, the city in 2024 reallocated the $5 million that would’ve gone to the pool to the other four parks, saying that, because of legal issues with the pool, the project would not be able to be completed by the grant deadline. Harrisburg was facing legal negotiations around the pool’s ownership with the Harrisburg School District, which owns the property.

According to DCED, out of the grant awardees announced in October 2022, all have completed their projects except for Harrisburg and Tioga County – both of which are underway. Harrisburg received the largest grant award of all other projects awarded in the same funding round.

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Local program to offer Uber vouchers to prevent DUIs over Thanksgiving

November 19, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Officials announced the Sober Ride Home program in July 2024.

A local program will help people get home safely after a night out.

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission announced the re-launch of its Sober Ride Home program for the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend.

The initiative, which has been offered over several previous holiday weekends, provides free Uber vouchers to local bar and restaurant patrons in an effort to prevent DUIs.

“A lot of folks will be celebrating with family and friends this Thanksgiving, and we want everyone to get where they’re going safely,” said Andrew Bomberger, executive director of the TCRPC, which partners on Sober Ride Home with Uber and Commute PA. “Using a free Uber voucher is an easy, effective way to prevent a tragedy over the holiday weekend.”

The program will operate from 7 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 26-29, ending Sunday morning. Vouchers will be offered in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties.

Drivers who have consumed alcohol at bars and restaurants can visit the Sober Ride Home website, scan a QR code, and access a one-time, non-renewable Uber voucher for $20. Local bars and restaurants will also be promoting the effort.

Vouchers are available while supplies last.

Sober Ride Home is funded through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration and the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program.

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Harrisburg affordable housing project breaks ground, with vocal support from once-skeptical neighbors

November 18, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Latino Connection Foundation and local officials ceremonially broke ground on Woodward Lofts on Tuesday.

A housing project that began with skepticism from neighbors has now received support, and is moving forward.

Latino Connection Foundation, along with local officials, ceremonially broke ground on Tuesday on Woodward Lofts, an affordable housing building for seniors at 1001 N. 18^th St. in Harrisburg.

“Today isn’t just a groundbreaking. It’s proof of what can happen when community leads the way,” said George Fernandez, CEO of Latino Connection Foundation. “When we choose listening over assumptions, because I thought I knew what this community needed. I did not. It was the neighbors that taught me what the community wants.”

When the 48-unit development was first proposed to neighbors at a community meeting over two years ago, most in attendance were concerned that the project would increase traffic and crime and strain already limited parking.

However, two of those neighbors were at the groundbreaking and, years later, said their minds had changed.

“We had concerns, but we spoke, as George said, we met at my house,” said Karen Palmer, a longtime resident of the neighborhood. “He listened to our concerns and met the needs of the neighbors. Now we’re here and we’re happy to support him.”

1001 N. 18th St. Site of Woodward Lofts construction.

Originally, Fernandez’s proposal included first-floor commercial space with a potential daycare, pharmacy and food bank. However, he ended up removing all commercial space from the plans after hearing concerns from the neighbors.

“It feels good to have learned along the way, and it feels good to bring to life what the neighbors ultimately wanted,” Fernandez said.

The new building will occupy a long vacant lot that Woodward Elementary School occupied before it was demolished. Latino Connection Foundation purchased the land from the Harrisburg School District in July 2023 for $240,000.

Last January, City Council approved the land development plan for Woodward Lofts, which will cost the foundation about $15.2 million to build.

In addition to the 48 one-, two- and three-bedroom units, the development will include a community room, dog park and 47 off-street parking spots. There will also be on-site case management, job training and health resources.

“This is really nice; I can’t wait for it to be built,” said neighbor Nikki Black, gesturing to the rendering of the building. “I thank [Fernandez] for letting us be a part of the project as well because a lot of people, they forget about us.”

The project received Dauphin County gaming grant funds in May and additional money from Harrisburg in October.

Fernandez expects construction to last 14 months.

“Woodward Lofts is not just another development; it is 100% affordable housing,” said Mayor Wanda Williams at Tuesday’s ceremony. “That means that every single unit is designed for the people who need it the most.”

To learn more about Latino Connection Foundation, visit their website.

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Broad Street Market appoints five new board members, selects new food vendor

November 13, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Broad Street Market Alliance meeting on Wednesday at the Historic Harrisburg Association

The Broad Street Market Alliance has a handful of new members, as well as a new food vendor slated to join the stone building.

The board, at a Wednesday meeting, approved five new board members to fill as many vacant seats.

The new members are as follows:

Josh Heilman, a former Broad Street Market manager
Jamal Jones, manager of regional initiatives for the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
LaTasha Williams, newly elected Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas judge
Douglas Rickards
Julia Mallory, artist and owner of Ten Oh! Six Gallery

Additionally, Tito Tep, owner of Tep’s Fresh Seafood in the market, was appointed as the vendor representative for the board’s executive committee. Tep previously served as a vendor-appointed rep.

Also on Wednesday, the board approved a new vendor, Damion’s Fried Chicken, to fill a currently empty stall in the market’s stone building. The stand was previously occupied by Tri Asian Taste, which moved to a larger vacant stall in the center of the stone building.

According to Tep, who said that the vendors reviewed applicants and recommended Damion’s Fried Chicken, the vendor is a locally-owned startup, “mom and pop” run business.

Jesse Ebersole, a vendor representative, said that customers have often expressed a desire to have fried chicken in the market, which helped inform his decision to choose Damion’s.

For more information on the Broad Street Market Alliance, visit their website.

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Harrisburg says it’s working with PPL to fix downtown streetlight outages

November 12, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Streetlight on Market Street.

City officials say they are working to fix dozens of streetlights that are currently dark.

A press release on Wednesday stated that Harrisburg crews are working with PPL to address lighting issues in downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

The city said that a resident-conducted report showed that about 74 streetlights were non-functioning.

The release states that the issue is due to a “complex underground electrical issue,” requiring more work than a simple bulb change. Harrisburg said that their crews have been assisting PPL’s work on the lights for over a week and will continue through this week. However, the city emphasized that the problem is a utility issue, not a city infrastructure problem.

According to Traffic Signal and Streetlight Manager, Veronica Lefever, several areas have had light restored, including Market Street, from N. 2nd to N. 4th streets, and N. 3rd Street, from Walnut to Market streets.

Map showing downtown streetlight outages.

Crews will be back out at 3 a.m. on Friday to evaluate progress and address remaining problems immediately, into the early hours of Saturday.

To report lighting issues or request updates, Harrisburg recommends contacting PPL Electric Utilities directly at 1-800-342-5775 or by visiting their website.

“The City of Harrisburg appreciates the community’s cooperation as we work together to restore safe, well-lit streets for all,” the release said.

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Wind damages “deteriorating” Harrisburg firehouse; historic association urges sale before it’s “too late”

November 11, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Riverside Firehouse. The roof of the bell tower was removed after sustaining damage due to wind.

Local historians and community members are concerned about the state of a historic firehouse.

Harrisburg’s Riverside Firehouse suffered damage after a windstorm over the weekend, which David Morrison, executive director of Historic Harrisburg Association, says is only part of the deterioration of the historic building.

The firehouse, located at 3203 N. 4^th St., hasn’t been operational in decades, but has since served as a polling place and community gathering space for neighbors, although it has largely been vacant in recent years. Harrisburg owns the property.

“It is seriously deteriorating,” Morrison said of the building, constructed in 1923.

According to City Public Works Director Dave West, a small wooden roof detached from the building’s bell tower during the recent high winds. The city’s demolition crew removed the dry, rotted roof on Monday and plans to temporarily secure the brick portion of the bell tower on Wednesday. Eventually, West said he plans to have the brick tower repointed.

West assured that the building is not a public safety concern.

However, Morrison described the firehouse as in “precarious condition,” noting that it has been on HHA’s “Preservation Priorities” list for several years.

“It’s a beautiful historic building that could be repurposed,” he said. “The frustrating thing is that we know there are interested people that would buy it.”

The hold-up currently rests with the city, which has had plans to sell the building for as long as six years.

The property is actually comprised of two parcels, one which was historically owned by the city and one by Riverside Fire Co. No. 15, an inactive volunteer fire company in Harrisburg. In November 2019, City Council passed a resolution to transfer its parcel to the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and stated that the fire company would transfer its parcel to HRA as well. The plan was to have the parcels consolidated and then put on the market for sale.

However, that has not yet happened.

According to City Solicitor Neil Grover, the city’s parcel has not yet been transferred to HRA. The fire company’s parcel was sold to HRA in 2020, according to Dauphin County property tax information.

Grover said that the city’s holdup is due to his office’s budgetary and time constraints, citing the pandemic as a factor in the delay, as well.

Morrison said that, if sold, the firehouse could be beautifully restored, but worried that further delay would allow the building to continue to deteriorate. He cited the Allison Hook & Ladder Co. building on S. 14^th Street, which was fully renovated in 2019, as an example of what could be accomplished.

“We would love to see the same thing happen with Riverside, but it’s got to happen quickly or it’ll be too late,” Morrison said.

The firehouse has become somewhat of a gathering place for the Riverside United Neighbors (RUN) community group. It’s where they host their annual Halloween candy drop and have held yard sales, according to RUN board member Diane McCormick.

“That space has been the center of the community for decades,” McCormick said. “It’s really an anchor for the community.”

The neighborhood group hasn’t used the inside of the building for much more than storage in years, but uses the exterior lawn for events.

McCormick said that RUN members would like to see the building historically restored, no matter if it’s purchased for private or public use.

“It just needs to come back,” she said. “It’s a space that the community would like to see revitalized in some way.”

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Tradition Transition: St. Stephen’s Cathedral unveils new digital organ, with hopes to reach new audiences

November 11, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Sarah and Matt Topping with St. Stephen’s new Opus 19 organ.

At St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral, tradition fuses with the contemporary, and the sacred meets the culture.

In the sanctuary, light shines through stained glass windows onto wood pews and a crucifix hangs on the wall. Pipes for the church’s organ are affixed to the wall.

But what you may not realize is that the pipes are a façade and in the space behind them sit large speakers.

“This would be the swell division. In here, you can see all the speakers that are buried in here. Normally, this room would be packed to the inch with little pipes. You can see the big subwoofer speakers.”

On a sunny fall day, Matt Topping, St. Stephen’s choir director, showed off the church’s new “Opus 19” organ, opening sanctuary doors to reveal massive speakers where pipes were once housed. The digital organ was just recently installed, capping an extensive two-year process. The instrument is the only one of its kind in the area, according to Topping, and only the 19^th designed by Boston, Ma.-based Marshall & Ogletree, which specializes in digital organ building.

“This organ is built to do exactly what you’d expect from an organ,” Topping explained. “It doesn’t have big computer programs. It functions very much so like a physical organ.”

Topping and his wife, Sarah, the director of music at the church, are also new additions and represent the blend of new and old. The young Harrisburg couple, both in their 30s, have backgrounds rooted in traditional music, teach locally, and serve as advocates for keeping historic music styles and instruments, like the organ, alive. Topping hopes that their presence encourages younger people to experience the instrument.

And it is an experience.

Topping directed me to stand in the middle of the sanctuary while he played deep pedal sounds that thundered from the “swell” room behind the walls and shook the pews. Then he switched to lighter keys that emulated a flute, a French horn and a dainty piccolo. From the ceiling above me, an angelic “ethereal” sound twinkled.

When they all come together, you’re surrounded by music.

The organ offers over 100 types of sounds emanating from speakers strategically placed in seven spots around the sanctuary.

Opus 19

Topping explained how the digital organ allows for far more variety than a pipe organ would, especially in their sanctuary, which is limited by space. Another bonus—no time-consuming tuning and cleaning, which makes it more user-friendly and accessible.

But will the organ purists tell the difference? I asked Topping.

“To the trained ear, you could maybe hear some differences, but that’s the specialty of Marshall & Ogletree. They’re professional organists who are tuning the sound,” Topping said. “There are the purists who are kind of old school who will say there’s nothing quite like a physical pipe organ […] and I think in some ways there’s some logic to that. It’s a maintaining of history. But I would also say to them, they should come and have their minds changed.”

St. Stephen’s plans to put their new investment to heavy use. Topping said that the organ is used in every church service, as well as for choir performances and musical showcases. The cathedral also hosts a Music by the River concert series for the community, which will utilize the organ as well.

“This organ we are hoping brings people together,” Topping said. “It’s a huge investment in the church, but it’s an investment not just for the people that go to this church, but for Harrisburg and the community.”

St. Stephen’s is hosting an organ dedication concert on Nov. 23 at 4 p.m. for free and open to the community. Erik Meyer, an organist at the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, will play the new instrument.

While the church remains committed to tradition and history, approaching its 200^th anniversary in 2026, Topping also sees the advancements that St. Stephen’s is making. The church has the same cobblestone floors that it was built with, but is seeing a cohort of younger people attending on Sundays. The Toppings themselves are preserving the classic music style, but with a younger perspective.

Considering all of that, Topping sees the new “Opus 19” as a good example of what the church values.

“I think it’s very similar to what you would hear from the Episcopal Church about how they think about their faith,” he said. “They’re really big on maintaining tradition, but they like to let tradition inform their decisions now. So, I think this organ is a good analogy for that. It’s a futuristic instrument […]but it’s very much so rooted in the tradition and has the standard sounds that you would hear from an Episcopal church.”

For more information on St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral and its events, visit their website.

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