Author Archives: Maddie Conley

Jewish Community Center’s upcoming show brings actors of all-ages to the stage, sparking creativity, fun

May 2, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Cast of “Once Upon a Mattress” during rehearsal. Photo courtesy of the Jewish Community Center.

A local theater is bringing a classic tale to life.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg’s community theater program is set to take the stage next weekend for a production of “Once Upon a Mattress,” the organization’s first all-ages performance in years.

The Jewish Community Center’s Ellie Goldenberg Theater Program will perform “Once Upon a Mattress,” a retelling of the “Princess and the Pea,” at Theatre Harrisburg’s Krevsky Production Center on May 8, 10 and 11.

“I am overjoyed to be able to present the first ‘all-ages’ theater production our program has offered in a decade,” said Macy Box, director/producer of the production and program director. “It’s a big ask to come sing and dance before your community–these performers have chosen to do this anyway.”

Box explained that she sees this show as a way for adults to “activate creativity” and spark their excitement for play, things that can often get lost in the transition from childhood to adulthood. For some of the actors, the show is a way to return to a former passion and, for others, a way to try something new, she said.

Performer Matt Maisel, who plays Prince Dauntless, hadn’t participated in a theater production since high school.

“The moment I auditioned, all the memories of why I love musicals came flooding back. The ability to bring emotions out of an audience, whether through laughter or tears, is so powerful,” Maisel said. “Since the last time I was on stage, I’ve started a family, and now I get to show this passion of mine to my wife and kids who have never seen it before. It’s very rewarding.”

For more information on the Harrisburg JCC’s Ellie Goldenberg Theater Program and for tickets to “Once Upon A Mattress,” visit their website.

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Mental health and music will take center stage at Jewish Family Service fundraiser

May 1, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Me2/ Orchestra

An upcoming event will feature a great musical performance—but, more importantly, the mission behind it.

Jewish Family Service will bring a string quartet from Me2/, an orchestra for musicians with mental illness, to perform at its fundraising event on June 29.

“I thought it really resonated with what we do and supported our mission,” said JFS CEO Kevin Keefer. “Mental health across the United States is a crisis situation. JFS has a long history of providing mental health services.”

The event will take place at the Rose Lehrman Arts Center at HACC and feature a musical performance and Q&A with conductor and founder Ronald Braunstein and the musicians. Additionally, guests will view clips from the award-winning documentary, “Orchestrating Change,” which showcases the orchestra.

Me2/ is the only orchestra in the world for people living with mental illness, Keefer said. He noted that Braunstein founded the organization after he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The organization is focused on eliminating the stigmas surrounding mental health and creating a safe space for musicians.

“My biggest hope is that people get inspired like I was,” Keefer said. “Mental health impacts so many lives.”

Keefer said that the fundraising event is also crucial in helping JFS continue its community services, such as mental health counseling, family crisis intervention, adoption and foster care, Kosher Meals on Wheels and a food pantry.

For more information about Jewish Family Service’s event and to purchase tickets, visit their website or call 717-233-1681.

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SoMa Block Parties set to return for the summer in May

April 29, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

A past SoMa Block Party. Photo by Michael Yatsko Photography.

Starting next month, a favorite Harrisburg neighborhood get-together returns for the season.

SoMa Block Parties will kick off for the summer on Thursday, May 29, bringing back music, food and community to the downtown block, announced Sara Bozich and Harristown Enterprises on Tuesday.

Each month, the block of S. 3^rd Street between Market and Chestnut streets will close to vehicle traffic, businesses will stay open late, and food and drink vendors will set up shop. Craft breweries and wineries, non-alcoholic drink vendors and food trucks will participate.

Additionally, each block party will feature live music and yard games.

This season’s musical lineup includes Mark DeRose & the Dreadnaughts (May), Cass and The Bailout Crew (June), Vivid Vinyl (July), Smokehouse 4 (August), and Oversoon with special guest Comb Over Here (September).

Block Parties run from 6 to 10 p.m. Parking is free for most of downtown after 5 p.m.

SoMa Block Party dates are as follows:

6-10 p.m. Thursday, May 29
5-9 p.m. Friday, June 20 – Juneteenth SoMa Block Party with YPOC and HYP
6-10 p.m. Thursday, June 26
6-10 p.m. Thursday, July 31
6-10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28
6-10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25

For more information, visit Sara Bozich’s website.

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Marley brothers will bring reggae to Riverfront Park in August

April 29, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Stephen Marley and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley

Summer vibes will be hard to beat at an upcoming Harrisburg concert.

The Dauphin County Live Concert Series just announced that Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Stephen Marley will perform in Riverfront Park on Sunday, Aug. 3, adding to their summer shows.

The reggae artists will be joined by special guest J Boog for an 8 p.m. show, presented by Harrisburg-based Grand Rising Curations.

The reggae lineup is the latest in a slate of concerts headed to the riverfront. Dauphin County has also recently announced that indie band The Head and The Heart will perform on Aug. 2 and country artist Russell Dickerson will come to Harrisburg on July 29.

Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley is a multi-Grammy-winning artist and the youngest son of Bob Marley. His music mixes reggae with hip-hop, R&B, and rock.

Stephen Marley, another son of Bob Marley, has also won his fair share of Grammy awards. He released his most recent album, “Old Soul,” in 2023 and served as the musical director for the movie “Bob Marley: One Love,” which premiered last year.

Tickets for the show go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 2.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Dauphin County Live Concert Series’ website.

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In Abundance: Some are embracing the notion of “more.” Harrisburg should jump on that train.

April 29, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck

Will America rediscover growth?

Recently, several books have been published (“Abundance,” “Stuck,” “Why Nothing Works”), advising the country to fight lethargy and re-engage its can-do spirit.

To which, I say: “Amen!”

For too long, these books argue, America has been stuck in a scarcity mentality, so that every major project gets bogged down in process—regulation, approvals, litigation, complexity—which leads to prolonged delays and escalating costs.

According to the authors, the country should embrace an optimistic mindset, along with reforms, that will make it easier and less expensive to build housing, infrastructure, etc., and solve other difficult problems. One of the books, “Abundance,” explicitly counsels Democrats, wandering in the political wilderness and looking for a new, positive message, to lead the charge.

Last month, in this space, I wrote a column detailing four qualities that I’ll be looking for in candidates as I head out to vote in the municipal primary on May 20. These include two that are relevant to this discussion: pragmatism and vision.

In my mind, pragmatism speaks to the city’s ability to soberly assess and solve current problems, both large and small. Vision means imagining what this city can be longer-term—then assertively steering it in the direction of that potential.

Notably, this does not include getting mired in politics, process and personalities, things that Harrisburg excels at and that have impaired the progress of the city.

As leaders get elected this year, they should adopt a through-line of “abundance.” This means abandoning a zero-sum, us vs. them mentality, which sets people against each other, and aggressively working towards more—more housing, better infrastructure and more robust amenities.

Fortunately, Harrisburg is better positioned than many old industrial cities to embrace an abundant future.

First of all, Harrisburg has a ton of dormant, spare capacity in the form of empty land and empty (or nearly empty) office/commercial buildings, which can be used for housing. Moreover, the city’s residential rental and for-sale markets have been strong for years, indicating healthy demand for quality housing. The rub, though, is that building costs also have escalated, making ground-up projects tough to execute—but that’s where leadership steps in.

This year, the administration and City Council need to revisit Harrisburg’s tax abatement program, after extending it for a year just as it was about to expire in December. The current program has worked reasonably well for renovations, but not for new construction, as it includes additional restrictions so onerous that most developers took a pass—and very little new, unsubsidized housing was built. That’s the opposite of abundance.

City leaders also should comb through the city’s zoning code and historic preservation rules to see where changes can be made to encourage more housing. Greater density, fewer parking minimums and more flexibility on material use are just a few ideas to make projects more financially viable. A quick Google search or AI inquiry will result in many more ideas than I have room for here.

On the infrastructure side, the city should conduct a roads audit. A lot has changed in the capital city since the commonwealth rolled up the carpet and said, “good-bye and good luck” (though they didn’t wish us good luck either).

Harrisburg no longer needs three-lane, one-way mini-highways slashing through its neighborhoods and downtown. These streets should be narrowed, with a lane removed in each direction, improving walkability, livability and safety for the people who want to be here.

Speaking of vision, the city desperately needs to formulate an economic development plan, especially for downtown. As I just mentioned, Harrisburg has been kneecapped by its own state government, resulting in empty downtown storefronts, buildings and streets.

Over the past few years, some downtown stakeholders have tried to step up, but the city itself needs to take the lead in fielding ideas, herding the cats and formulating a long-term recovery plan. No other entity has the resources, stature and authority to do this.

Well, abundance can mean so many other things—more street art, more pocket parks, more small businesses, etc., etc. Harrisburg is a creative place, and I’m sure readers will have a million ideas.

Embracing abundance will require real leadership—people who are pragmatists short-term, visionaries long-term and hard-working, tenacious advocates all the time. I’m confident that Harrisburg’s people want a more prosperous, abundant future. But are its officials ready to drop the old, stagnant ways, the sluggish processes and the tired, predictable personal attacks—and do what needs to be done?

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

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May Publisher’s Note

April 29, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

Each month, readers pick up our monthly magazine for the locally focused stories, the art, the design and, of course, for our unique and creative covers.

Thanks so much!

But you want to know what I especially like hearing? Often, people compliment our ads, even tell me that they linger over them and—music to my ears—patronize our advertisers.

As it turns out, it’s not just our readers who think highly of our ads. Last month, TheBurg took a top prize in the annual “Advertising Contest” run by the state’s principal press organization—the PA NewsMedia Association Foundation.

In all, we won 22 awards across a myriad of categories, competing against some of the best news outlets in the commonwealth. And, for the third straight year, we won the coveted “Sweepstakes” award for best performance in our category.

For this, I want to recognize our amazing sales team—sales director Lauren Maurer and sales associate Natalie diSanto, with a big assist from our creative director Meg Caruso. At TheBurg, Lauren and Natalie operate a bit in the background, but, without them, our little news operation would not exist—no exaggeration!

You see, we make our money the old-fashioned way—mostly through display ads in our magazine. For us, this works better than chasing clicks or, egad, putting up a paywall. As a result, our magazine is well-curated, our stories uncluttered and our products and services all completely free.

Of course, I also need to thank our advertisers. We appreciate so much that they’ve chosen to do business with TheBurg, with the knowledge and confidence that their ads are appearing in one of the most highly regarded publications in the state.

So, please, flip ahead to see this month’s collection of beautiful, compelling ads. Along the way, you’ll also discover many interesting community stories, must-attend events, lovely art and so much more. Oh, did I mention that, like each May, we feature many stories, and a special advertising section, devoted to our area’s amazing dining scene? It’s all straight ahead!

Lawrance Binda

Publisher/Editor

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Planting Pride: Bill Gantt’s love of Allison Hill extended to his neighbors and his beautification efforts—and his legacy lives on

April 29, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Bill Gantt

Life on the quiet block of Sylvan Terrace in Allison Hill was reminiscent of an old-fashioned neighborhood—almost idyllic.

Neighbors became friends, and their children played tag on the sidewalk, caught fireflies in the summer, and built snow forts on days off from school. The adults lent a hand in each other’s gardens and shared plates of food. The elders and parents all kept a watchful eye on the kids from their front porches.

When a huge snowstorm hit the city one year and the plow couldn’t make it down their tight street, neighbors shoveled the road and dug out parking spots for those who had to work.

“That’s the kind of community we have,” said Deb Rodriguez. “Our neighbors look out for each other.”

Bill and Deb Gantt’s house sits near the middle of the snug block, and neighbors attributed much of the camaraderie on the block to the family.

Next door to their house is the late Eulalia “Lala” Rodriguez’s home, where the families have been neighbors since 1977. Several of Lala’s children and grandchildren have also lived in the neighborhood.

Nearly 10 members of the Rodriguez and Gantt families gathered in the home this spring to reminisce on the neighborhood and share Bill’s story with me—a story that is deeply bound to their own, and their neighborhood’s.

Over the decades, the families’ lives became entwined. Bill was known to casually walk in the front door with a tin of home baked cookies or cake and leave with some of Lala’s signature rice and beans.

When Bill wasn’t baking, he was working on his home, which he restored and designed himself, tending to his garden or helping his neighbors with projects.

“He was like the glue that held the block together,” said Gloria Montalvo, one of the nine children of Lala.

Bill passed away in December from health complications, leaving a hole in the community that he deeply loved. Harrisburg was his home, and the community his passion. And his impact reached beyond Sylvan Terrace, to all of Allison Hill, where he would regularly take on beautification projects and frequent the local watering holes to meet people and make new friends.

Possibly his longest, most dedicated project was planting flowers annually in the historic horse watering trough at Mulberry and Derry streets. Every spring, for 50 years, Bill planted the flowers on his own dime.

“Spring’s coming up, so this is when he’d always be out, so it’s going to be sad,” Montalvo said.

However, the family and neighbors won’t let the watering trough sit empty. They’ve already come together, with help from local organizations, to fill it with flowers in Bill’s honor—fulfilling a final request of his.

“This man devoted his life to that,” said Deb Rodriguez, who married into the Rodriguez family and lives on the block. “There are a lot of people in our community that really do care—Bill was at the pinnacle. He was our go-to guy.”

Preservation Pioneer

Gantt moved to Harrisburg in 1970 for a job downtown at the old Pomeroy’s department store. Living in the same city apartment building, young Bill met Deb, who thought he was handsome. Like the start of a rom-com movie (Bill brought the comedy—his friends and family described him as a jokester) the couple started dating, later married, and bought their Sylvan Terrace home.

The couple fell in love with the city and enjoyed raising their son Julian in such a family-friendly and diverse neighborhood.

The neighbors represented various cultures and races—the Rodriguez’s being Puerto Rican, the Gantts white, and other neighbors were Asian, Greek, Black and Latino—and they celebrated their differences. Although, mostly, they didn’t really think about them, the neighbors shared, as they saw each other as family.

“You didn’t really experience differences,” said Andrea Taylor, Deb and Angelo Rodriguez’s daughter who grew up playing with Julian and the neighborhood kids. “You never thought about it.”

Julian believes that was part of why Bill appreciated his community so much. It was different from his upbringing at his family’s small dairy farm in West Virginia.

“He loved getting to know people from different backgrounds and different cultures,” Julian said. “He was very curious and open and wanted to learn more. He loved the diversity, loved the community.”

Bill wanted his neighborhood to take pride in where they lived, which drove his community and historical work on Allison Hill. He started the South Allison Hill Civic Association and the Allison Hill Municipal Historic District, served on the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board and worked closely with the Historic Harrisburg Association.

“He was really a history preservation pioneer in Allison Hill,” said David Morrison, executive director of HHA. “He was certainly one of the major leaders. His impact on that neighborhood was huge.”

Morrison described his preservation work as “contagious,” and Bill helped neighbors with home projects, while also restoring several houses that he owned.

Bill was an artist and a master of interior design, even crafting curtains for and wallpapering the city’s historic John Harris Mansion, and eventually opening his own storefront.

He loved to use his many talents to help his neighbors. That included hand-crafting a bassinet for a new baby, teaching neighbors some of his skills, and, lovingly, telling a neighbor that if they adjusted their Christmas decorations, the display would look better.

“He would say, ‘I don’t know what you did there, but I would take all of that down. It doesn’t even match.’ I’d say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. We’re Puerto Rican so it doesn’t have to match,’” Diana Rodriguez said jokingly.

Neighborhood Guy

When Andre Butts opened his restaurant, Uncle Dre’s Café on Vernon Street four years ago, Bill quickly became a regular—and a friend.

He came to the café dressed for Halloween, was a judge for the Superbowl hot wing eating contest and would often engage in long conversations with Butts.

“He was a neighborhood guy,” Butts said. “Everybody knew him. He was all about the community.”

Bill’s wife Deb said that he loved going to the local bars to meet people and have conversations about life and Allison Hill. And while people knew he was involved, he never made a show of it, but worked quietly and committedly behind the scenes.

“He just loved it here. He loved his neighbors, and he tried to do whatever he could to improve the neighborhood,” Deb Rodriguez said. “He was so instrumental in all the good things that happened in this neighborhood.”

To continue his legacy, the family will organize the flower planting at the historic watering trough, with aid from local organizations. Historic Harrisburg Association has offered its Community Historic Preservation Fund to collect donations to maintain the trough in Bill’s honor. The Latino Hispanic American Community Center, located near the structure, will also pitch in by using a stipend of the donated funds to pay someone to care for the plants.

Julian believes his dad would’ve loved to see how people have come together to continue beautifying his beloved Allison Hill. Because to Bill, his community was really his world. He wanted others to feel pride in where they lived because that was unapologetically how he felt.

And so, the story of Bill’s life and that of his neighborhood are so tied up that one couldn’t be told without the other.

“It was totally intertwined with his identity—living in Allison Hill,” Julian said. “It was who he was. He chose to live there. He set up his life there after leaving the farm. It was totally part of his soul—living in that neighborhood.”

To donate to Historic Harrisburg Association’s fund for the historic watering trough, visit www.historicharrisburg.org/getinvovled/donate and note that the donation is for the “Bill Gantt Fund.”

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May News Digest

April 29, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Uptown Apartment Project Proposed

A former Harrisburg hospital complex may be adaptively reused for apartments, according to a newly released proposal.

At a community meeting last month, a developer announced plans to construct housing and retail at the former Polyclinic Hospital in Uptown Harrisburg.

In March 2024, Pennmark Harrisburg Holdings, an affiliate of Montgomery County-based Pennmark Management Co., purchased the sprawling campus, located on N. 3rd Street. The property stretches over six acres from Polyclinic Avenue to Wiconisco Street and consists of three buildings totaling over 271,000 square feet.

Originally home to the Polyclinic Hospital, the property sold in 2004 to Penn Center Harrisburg, which utilized it as office space until selling it to Pennmark two decades later.

Now, Pennmark is proposing a $45 million project that would include renovating all three buildings and constructing 250 to 300 apartment units and retail shops.

“We saw this as a really good opportunity,” said Greg Hallquist, director of Pennmark. “We love the city of Harrisburg.”

At the community meeting, Hallquist shared that the project would work in three phases. First, developers would renovate the vacant building closest to Wiconisco Street, which historically housed nurses’ residences, to create about 100 apartments.

In a second phase, the company would renovate the former hospital building closest to Polyclinic Avenue, creating another 150 apartments, along with retail and amenities, such as a gym, for tenants. Hallquist proposed commercial space along N. 4th Street, including a grocery store, coffee shop and restaurant. Currently, the building houses a few offices, such as the state Department of Drug and Alcohol.

In the third phase, Pennmark would renovate the middle building, formerly office space, as offices for staff.

All apartments would be market-rate and include studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, Hallquist said.

The project still must go through the city’s approval process before it can begin.

Hallquist hopes to break ground on the project in the fall and said that he expects phase one to take around a year and phase two to take 18 months to complete.

Eden Village Gets Go-Ahead

A local group’s plans to build housing for the homeless can move forward.

Eden Village of Harrisburg is slated to bring tiny homes to South Harrisburg, having received City Council approval.

“I love the project,” said council member Jocelyn Rawls. “This is one of our most vulnerable populations, so to give them housing, like you said, that’s step one.”

The project was proposed by a group of area residents who have partnered with Missouri-based Eden Village to bring 32 tiny homes and a community center to 1103 S. Front St.

The community will be built near the PennDOT building near Veteran’s Grove, a tiny house community for veterans, and Tunnel to Towers, another housing facility for veterans slated for construction.

Eden Village plans to build 400-square-foot units that include a bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen. Units will offer long-term housing.

Additionally, Eden Village will provide access to other resource providers to address issues such as mental health and substance abuse.

“If we can get them into a house, we can work on everything else,” said Robert Lawson, an Eden Village board member. “So, if we start with the house that’s affordable and that’s safe, we can take care of all of those other issues.”

People will need to apply to be considered for a home in Eden Village and are expected to pay $300 in rent each month.

Council member Crystal Davis expressed concern over the rent, saying that she believes some unhoused people won’t be able to afford it.

However, Khary Lane, board president of Eden Village, said that many unhoused people receive disability and Social Security benefits and have access to housing vouchers. Despite her concern, Davis, along with all other council members, voted in favor of the project.

Police Plan Halted

A plan to bring police officers into Harrisburg schools has been halted.

At a board meeting last month, the Harrisburg School District announced that it would hold off on a previous plan to establish a school police department, as it prepares to potentially exit state receivership.

“This is not a retreat from our commitment to safety,” Superintendent Dr. Benjamin Henry said. “Instead, it is a calculated decision to ensure we can responsibly fund such an initiative over a sustainable five-year period.”

In November, district receiver Dr. Lori Suski approved a safety plan that included hiring four police officers and creating a police station at the Harrisburg High School-John Harris campus, following a significant increase in violent incidents.

However, last month, district officials said that they would back off that plan for now, as they need to be cautious with their finances, as the district could exit state receivership in the coming months.

Suski said that she is making the recommendation to exit receivership and is working on the petition to the state Department of Education. The district is “on a trajectory” to argue for exiting, she said. The receivership is set to expire on June 17.

Riverboat Plans June Launch

The Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat will hit the water this year following an extended hiatus, according to its operator.

The distinctive red-and-white paddlewheel boat is expected to launch in mid-June once repairs are complete, stated the Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society.

The Pride missed the entire 2024 sailing season due to renovations that were more extensive than first thought. It has been in operation, plying the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, since 1988.

Dr. Catherine Bene, president of the Riverboat Society, stated that the board has been actively pursuing grants to support much-needed renovations and is working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard to fulfill all operating requirements.

The society is planning a “Keep Our Paddles Turning” benefit concert to support the renovation efforts. The May 31 concert, at the Forum in Harrisburg, will feature five rock musicians, including Tommy Conwell from Tommy Conwell and the Rumblers, Quinton Jones, Daryl Davis and Leroy Hawkes.

The VIP reception is from 5 to 6 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the concert will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are available at www.hbgriverboat.org.

Once the riverboat launches, patrons can expect both public cruises and themed parties, including a bourbon night, costume themes, family/children events, worship services, live music and more, according to the society.

Bene added that boat-riders will see significant improvements this year, including brand-new carpet, drapes and chairs, in addition to structural improvements.

Home Sales, Prices Steady

Harrisburg-area home sales and prices were largely flat in March compared to the prior year, according to the latest market report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, 442 homes sold, a drop from 466 home sales in March 2024, as the median sales price inched up to $275,300 from $272,750, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 237 houses sold versus 226 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price dipped to $240,000 from $245,000, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County had 179 home sales, a decrease from 213 in March 2024, as the median sales price was almost unchanged at $322,250, GHAR said.

In Perry County, 19 houses exchanged hands versus 28 a year ago, as the median sales price slid to $234,500 compared to $245,000 the prior March, according to GHAR.

The pace of home sales was relatively steady, as “average days on market” totaled 32 days in March versus 33 days the year before, GHAR stated in its report.

So Noted

Capital City Music Hall anticipates a mid-summer opening in the downtown Harrisburg location that formerly housed the Federal Taphouse. Owner Justin Browning told TheBurg that he plans to book a wide range of acts across many different musical genres for the open, two-story space at 234 N. 2nd St.

Cheranda “Cherri” Parks-Taylor last month was named the new manager of the Broad Street Market. Harrisburg’s historic market has been without a full-time manager for over a year, with market board members taking on many of the manager’s duties in the interim.

Cody Balmer of Penbrook was charged last month with attempted murder and arson following an early-morning fire at the PA Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg. Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were asleep when Balmer allegedly broke into a portion of the mansion and set it ablaze. No one was injured in the fire, but the building’s south side suffered extensive damage.

David Fitzkee has been named the new executive director of the Caring Cupboard, a Palmyra-based nonprofit that provides food and other essential services to those in need. Fitzkee brings nearly 20 years in nonprofit management to the position, according to the organization.

Denim Coffee last month opened its second Harrisburg location in the atrium kiosk in Strawberry Square. The location was previously occupied by Little Amps Coffee Roasters, which closed in December. Denim also operates a shop at Walnut and N. 4th streets and is planning another for Market Square, which is expected to open this summer.

HACC passed a 2025-26 budget last month that will raise tuition for most students by $22 per credit to $288.50 a credit. The tuition hike is part of the $124 million budget approved by the college’s board of trustees. According to HACC, trustees needed to increase tuition to offset a projected $275,000 deficit.

Sandy and Gary Lockerman last month were named as Ned Smith Center “Visionaries.” The long-time volunteers were chosen for the annual award due to their longstanding support for the center and its vision.

Sonya McKnight last month was convicted of attempted homicide in the shooting of her former boyfriend, who survived being shot in the head as he slept. McKnight, a suspended Harrisburg magisterial district judge, was convicted on one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count of aggravated assault, decided after less than two hours of jury deliberation.

TheBurg won 22 awards in the 2025 Advertising Contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation. The honors included the Sweepstakes Award for best performance in its category, the third year in a row TheBurg has won this top award.

Tunnel to Towers last month broke ground on an affordable housing complex for veterans in south Harrisburg. The New York-based nonprofit plans to construct a 64-unit apartment building and 20 small “comfort homes” along the Susquehanna River, near the PennDOT building.

Changing Hands

Apricot St., 1729: D. Bernard to BAH Equities LLC, $76,666

Apricot St., 1731: D. Bernard to BAH Equities LLC, $76,666

Apricot St., 1733: D. Bernard to 1733 Apricot St LLC, $76,666

Balm St., 30: JOG Investments LLC to 30 Balm St LLC, $73,000

Balm St., 113 & 115: B. Yanes to BSM HSH LLC, $50,000

Bellevue Rd., 1815: M. Hines to Numbee Realty LLC, $80,000

Bellevue Rd., 1946: BCR-2 Properties LLC to L. Santana, $170,000

Benton St., 704: V. Okuneye to Stately Renovations LLC, $118,000

Berryhill St., 1319: J. Stoncius to S. Graybill, $90,000

Berryhill St., 1403: A. Johnson to Leonards Real Estate LLC, $124,000

Berryhill St., 2228: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to New Ventures Investments LLC, $102,500

Berryhill St., 2247: Normans Realty Services Inc. to PACC Homes & Development LLC, $95,000

Berryhill St., 2360: H. Nguyen & H. Tran to W. Yap, $117,000

Boas St., 1614: M. Morgan to M. & R. Espinal, $275,000

Boas St., 1713: Ebersole & McCorkel REI LLC to Sunrise River Investments Inc., $70,000

Brookwood St., 1938: Sunrise River Investments Inc. to G. Tirado, $143,000

Camp St., 635: 635 Camp St LLC to T. Kea, $130,000

Carnation St., 1613: A. Pachero to Numbee Realty LLC, $85,500

Chestnut St., 2021: Normans Realty Services Inc. to Three Stevens & Lou LLC, $160,000

Chestnut St., 2037: Q. Demiri to F. Molina, $150,000

Croyden Rd., 2832: PHH Mortgage Corp. to W. Acevedo, $102,000

Derry St., 1248: E. Kelly & M. Alarcon to J&A One Realty LLC, $101,000

Derry St., 2705: T. Kim to E. Beiler, $125,000

Forster St., 1713: K. Gonzalez to L. Rodriguez, $192,000

Green St., 1621: Empower Estate Properties LLC to B. & W. Bechtel, $256,000

Green St., 2230: Y. & R. Corniell to M. & A. Dundore, $165,000

Harris St., 235: T. Kline to D. Edwards, $235,240

Herr St., 2027: J. & J. Greene to T. Bajwa & S. Tehseen, $220,000

Holly St., 1944: J. & B. Readinger to S. Rubinstein & H. Choi, $150,000

Jefferson St., 2434: L. Henry to Alvarez Investment Properties LLC, $102,000

Jefferson St., 2436: L. Henry to Alvarez Investment Properties LLC, $93,000

Kensington St., 2033: JHC Property Investments to T. Ngo, $120,000

Kensington St., 2147: J. Gaidos to Wright Restoration Properties LLC, $105,000

Lexington St., 2528: M. & A. Reuveni to B. Jarkow, $125,000

Lexington St., 2614: G&W Rentals LLC to C. Jones, $114,900

Lexington St., 2629: G. Neff to Echo Propco I LLC, $90,000

Market St., 1504: E. Saenz & M. Rodriguez to 1504 Market Street LLC, $105,000

Mercer St., 2458: K. Hallman to Y. Lozada, $138,000

Moore St., 2122A: Harrisburg Homes Investment LLC to Penn RM Properties LLC, $77,000

Mulberry St., 1807: R. Bobb to G. Perrier, $166,000

Mulberry St., 1943: L. Dunbar to T. Hardison, $80,000

Nagle St., 121: P. Donohoe & J. Augustine to M. Marie, $245,000

North St., 216: R. Lamberson to J. Beck, $145,000

North St., 231, 233, 235: Murphy & Laus Real Estate LLC to RNM Group, $670,000

N. 2nd St., 1910: Gaudenzia Foundation to Sarah Jane Bentley Holdings LLC, $250,000

N. 2nd St., 3109: C. Hand & Michele M. Manning Trust to R. Sprout, $129,000

N. 3rd St., 1122: Heartshine to Scholars Inc., $60,000

N. 3rd St., 1205: S. & D. Rooney to D. Kulp, $235,000

N. 3rd St., 1323: 1307 Assoc LP to Kingkey Realty LLC, $1,405,000

N. 3rd St., 1905: M. Luckett to C. Lewis, $70,512

N. 3rd St., 3300: Robbins House Associates c/o Richard Reynolds to Vaughn Terrace LLC, $1,550,000

N. 4th St., 1326: A Murphy Investment Inc. to DKH Homes LLC, $88,000

N. 4th St., 2603: Top Cash Paid LLC to T. Anderson, $97,000

N. 4th St., 2635: Pennymac Loan Services LLC to Beta One LLC, $98,200

N. 5th St., 1619: R. Par to K. Plasencia, $220,000

N. 5th St., 2701: V. & C. House to Ross Properties 717 LLC, $176,500

N. 5th St., 3136: A. Burno to W. Reyes, $200,000

N. 5th St., 3205: J. Rodriguez & I. Ramos to T. Belizaire, $252,000

N. 6th St., 1725: R. Stoughton to E. Stoute, $150,000

N. 6th St., 2523: R&K Realty Group LP to Turner Associates Inc., $125,500

N. 7th St., 2217: P. & S. Goldberg to YMCM LLC, $120,000

N. 14th St., 1313: P. Brisneo to P. & E. Briseno, $132,132

N. 15th St., 2: D&F Realty Holdings LP to Aaysha Convenience Store LLC, $100,000

N. 15th St., 1337: 1337 North 15th LLC to S. Herrera, $130,000

N. 17th St., 1105: T. Poole to A. Burman, $165,000

N. 19th St., 33: D. Pittman to S. & L. Lapp, $160,000

N. 19th St., 49: 49 N 19th Street LLC to S. Geiger, $140,000

N. Cameron St., 1745: 12th Indiana Associates to 1745 SPE LLC, $1,505,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 508: R. Shenoy to J. Sharpe & R. Redulla, $208,000

N. Front St., 2609: A. Hartzler to Microwaved Success Investments LLC, $500,000

Park St., 1847: Val de Vie Estate Investments LLC to D. Doughty, $158,000

Park St., 1919: 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC to L. & C. Leon, $60,000

Peffer St., 219: D. Wendt & S. Shultz to K. Liddick, $222,500

Peffer St., 276: R. & M. Wickham to S. Daniels, $225,000

Penn St., 2131: J. Martinez to A. Rasheed, $95,000

Penn St., 2238: D. Stuart & J. Nuciglio to S. Lapp, $125,000

Radnor St., 625: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to New Ventures Investments LLC, $100,000

Reel St., 2628: G. Monroe to Sunnyside RE Enterprises LLC, $130,000

Reel St., 2719: E. Tilahun to Sunnyside RE Enterprise LLC, $129,900

Regina St., 1440: CTD Group to W. Guevara, $95,000

Regina St., 1606: Y. Tejada to R. & C. Vargas, $100,000

Regina St., 1718 & 2461 Reel St.: Community Investment & Development LLC and HBG Rental Group LLC to HBG Rental Group LLC, $168,000

Schuylkill St., 419: R. Hess & City Limits Realty to J. Escoto, $165,000

S. 14th St., 336: US Bank Trust & Selene Finance LP to D. Reyes, $60,850

S. 15th St., 29: W. White to Sunnyside RE Enterprises LLC, $125,000

S. 16th St., 322: Iron Dome Legal Advocacy Group LLC to S. Revolorio, $84,000

S. 17th St., 314: GCA & BN Real Estate Holdings LLC to E. Rodriguez, $350,000

S. 19th St., 12: J. Serrano to D. & V. Craig, $183,900

S. 19th St., 1117: F. Payero to M. Torres, $194,000

S. 21st St., 918: M. Gonzalez to L. Tarraga, $165,000

S. 21st St., 957: Normans Realty Services Inc. to PACC Homes & Development LLC, $80,000

S. Summit St., 29: Ingle Services LLC to Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC, $75,000

S. Summit St., 31: Ingle Services LLC to Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC, $65,000

Susquehanna St., 1618: M. Bekelja to A. & A. Murray, $245,000

Susquehanna St., 2206: N. Grant to R. Murray, $78,000

Swatara St., 1224: Falcao Group Consulting & Service Corp. Inc. to PR&J Properties LLC, $65,000

Swatara St., 2005: J. Torres to S. Mejia & W. Guzman, $175,000

Sycamore St., 1809: Jhon Leo Home Renovations LLC to C. Abikarram, $215,000

Taylor Blvd., 50: J. Collins to Biyaki Enterprises LLC, $90,000

Thompson St., 1419: Bridger Investments LLC to K&M Home Investment LLC, $55,000

Zarker St., 1412: Community Investment & Development LLC to Zarker Rental Group LLC, $84,000

Zarker St., 1823: L. Neely to J. Reynolds, $60,000

Harrisburg property sales, March 2025, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Marking Miles: Greenbelt Association celebrates 25 years of Tour de Belt cycling through the city

April 29, 2025 | by Deborah Lynch

Bicyclists ride along the Susquehanna River during a past Tour de Belt.

Neither a long period of dormancy nor wind and rain were able to halt completion and maintenance of the Capital Area Greenbelt over the past several decades.

The Greenbelt’s annual bike ride, the Tour de Belt, has kept peddling forward as well, this June reaching a new milestone—its 25th anniversary.

City Beautiful planners first conceived of the Greenbelt trail in 1900, but it wasn’t completed until 1999. Designed by Warren Manning, the Greenbelt began in fits and starts and then lay dormant for many years. The Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA) formed in 1990 and stepped in to help complete the over 20-mile loop through Harrisburg, as well as Swatara, Paxtang, Penbrook and Susquehanna Township.

In 2001, CAGA began hosting the Tour de Belt to showcase the trail and raise funds for its upkeep. Despite storms that have knocked trees and limbs across the route several times, CAGA volunteer Becky Schuchert said that she and her crews were always able to clean things up to ensure the tour would go on.

Schuchert, a former CAGA board member and trail maintenance manager, spun the idea for the Tour de Belt after participating in New York City’s Five Boro Bike Tour. She liked that “you don’t have to know a thing about New York. If you show up at the right place, you’re not going to get lost.”

She decided CAGA should re-create that, on a smaller scale, along the newly completed Greenbelt. She was joined on that first committee by Lora Hirschhorn, as well as Shirley Disend and Tim Poole, both founding members of CAGA, along with Tim’s wife Meredith Poole.

The first tour attracted fewer than 100 riders, but the event was born at the perfect time—when American cyclist Lance Armstrong was winning seven consecutive Tour de France titles. The enthusiasm for bicycling was taking off.

The Tour de Belt now attracts close to 1,000 bicyclists and, on June 1, will return for its 25th anniversary ride.

Fuel for the Ride

Schuchert has volunteered for all 25 Tour de Belts.

She starts the day at 5 a.m., driving the route and putting out directional signage. “Anyone can ride it and not get lost,” she said.

Then she drives it again, making sure all volunteers are in place and know what they’re doing for the 9 a.m. start.

The Tour relies on a myriad of corporate sponsors, such as Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, as well as registration fees and the help of more than 140 volunteers. Volunteers are Greenbelt members, neighbors and friends recruited by Schuchert and Harrisburg Bicycle Club members. They do everything from helping with check-in, passing out T-shirts, lining the ride route, acting as marshals, and following in a support and gear wagon that helps bicyclists who might encounter issues. Some also pass out drinks and snacks at three rest stops—at PennDOT, the Five Senses Garden and Reservoir Park.

Dick Norford, the communications chair for CAGA, has been riding the trail and helping with the tour since 2004. He said the ride attracts many families and first-time trail riders, all of whom enjoy the Finish Line Fest on the campus of HACC, where the tour starts and finishes. More than 25 exhibitors will offer food, products, music and information.

Those who cannot make the event or prefer solo rides can also complete the Tour de Belt on their own time by walking, running or biking sometime between May 25 to 31. All participants can earn a newly designed Tour de Belt T-shirt.

“People love it,” Schuchert said. “You see the shirts around town. So many people know about it, you don’t have to explain it.”

Changing Trail

As with the first ride in 2001, the proceeds from this year’s ride will support trail maintenance and larger projects.

CAGA plans to complete a major restoration of the Greenbelt next year on the Paxtang section. The planned trail diet will shrink the width to support nature around it and remove the risks of trail deterioration, said Doug Knauss, Tour de Belt chair and parks and recreation director for Susquehanna Township. CAGA also has plans for a streambank restoration along the Spring Creek in that area. Other improvements near Veterans Park and by the Harrisburg East Cemetery have already been completed.

“The Tour de Belt is a mechanism for all of those kinds of things,” Knauss said. “It’s a great way to preserve the years of hard work put in to reestablish the Greenbelt and keep it established for years to come.”

Additionally, the construction of three housing developments to assist the homeless in South Harrisburg has detoured the trail, impacting the Tour de Belt route. A section of the Greenbelt that previously ran through the land near the PennDOT building has been temporarily rerouted to Sycamore Street and then onto Cameron Street where the trail picks up again. Eventually, CAGA hopes to establish a safer, permanent route for the section of the trail by working with surrounding property owners. Those plans and funding sources are not yet finalized.

Beyond raising funds, Tour de Belt is a fun way for the community to get out, explore the area and make connections.

The Pooles offer an example of the family nature of the ride. Tim and Meredith and their son, Chris, have been riding or volunteering for the tour every year. What began as Chris being towed along in a trailer is today a 26-year-old Harrisburg resident riding circles around his parents.

“That has been an amazing, very personal part of it for me,” Tim said. “For someone who participated in starting all of this, it helps to drive home the point that we really are creating something to ensure that these types of resources and amenities are still there for our children and our grandchildren to enjoy.”

The Tour de Belt takes place June 1, starting from the HACC campus, Harrisburg. For registration and other information, visit www.caga.org/tour-de-belt.

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Second Serving: The post-pandemic gut-punched downtown Harrisburg’s “Restaurant Row.” Can a group of business leaders spark a resurgence?

April 29, 2025 | by M. Diane McCormick

Rene Perez

The baked chicken at El Patio Dominican Restaurant is fall-off-the-bone delectable, but for the richer dining experience, come back for the pork, cooked for 11 hours.

“You gotta try the roasted pork,” said owner Rene Perez. “We do that in the Dominican every year for special celebrations, but we do it here every day, and people love it.”

This was a chilly Monday morning at El Patio, when the only breakfast customer was a parking enforcement officer. Perez is a newcomer to the stretch of downtown Harrisburg still known, despite its post-pandemic struggles, as “Restaurant Row.”

What will it take to revive the corridor? Restaurant and club owners hope the city will perk up the sagging streetscape, while they bootstrap their way to a new vision of 2nd Street, restored to its glory days of food, drink and more music than ever before.

Play Our Part

A restaurant was “always a dream for my wife and I,” Perez said. “Mostly for me.”

The native of the Dominican Republic has worked in fast food restaurants in Georgia, Florida and Harrisburg. Choosing the midstate as a nice place to raise their family, the faith-based couple felt guided toward the space familiar to earlier generations as the Sandwich Man. Here, they share their Dominican heritage.

“We know, it’s not the same in Harrisburg as it used to be before,” Perez said. “I think the Lord put us here to do the work. His plan is unique. No one knows what’s going to happen.”

As Perez notes, restaurants need traffic to survive. That traffic has scattered since COVID sent the state workforce and its ancillary lobbyists, consultants and petitioners to their homes.

Harristown Enterprises and other developers continue converting depleted offices into residences. Occupants are “absolutely” patronizing downtown amenities, and even the residents of a planned market-rate, senior independent living complex will “have their pick of places in the city” for spending their disposable income, said President and CEO Brad Jones.

Harristown’s corresponding events to liven up the scene for city residents and visitors include block parties and a free concert series.

“We’re really trying to play our part in enhancing the experience downtown,” Jones said.

Justin Browning, a Restaurant Row veteran and entrepreneur, lauded Harristown’s plan to continue to convert half-empty office buildings to residences. Going forward, Harristown may even weigh condos as a possibility.

“Condos means you’re making an investment in the city rather than renting,” Browning said. “You have a sense of ownership, so I hope that spills over to downtown.”

Joshua Stambaugh,, Loren Browning, Justin Browning, Michael McPhillips of JB Lovedrafts

Puzzle Pieces

At McGrath’s, a Restaurant Row mainstay, busy Friday lunchtimes have shifted to midweek, said owner Adam Sturges. His evening happy hours, dining and after-dinner drinks remain solid, especially when patrons come downtown for entertainment.

“You need it all to work together,” he said. “If there’s a good show at the Forum, then you’ll see a nice jump in business that day.”

Nightlife impresario Ron Kamionka is retiring and spinning off the properties that once attracted patrons to Harrisburg from throughout the region. In the years since the pandemic and internet matchmaking made traditional nightclubs “almost a thing of the past,” 2nd Street has grown visibly shabby, he said.

It’s not just the brown, kraft paper-covered windows but also the tired light posts and the curbs that have sagged to street level.

“It’s going to take, number one, the city showing commitment and doing improvements to the infrastructure to get people to want to risk their capital to come in with a new idea and try it,” Kamionka said.

Harrisburg’s interim director of Housing and Economic Development, Gloria Martin-Roberts, directed questions to the nonprofit Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID). Todd Vander Woude, HDID executive director, said that he hopes to see updated light poles and curbing, which would be “more of a city thing,” while HDID continues its focus on beautification, such as daily street cleaning and a summertime profusion of flowers.

Downtown business areas have their cyclical ups and downs, but Harrisburg remains well stocked with food and beverage options, plus a full slate of summertime events, Vander Woude said.

“It always takes time,” he said. The nationwide trend toward residential downtowns will “be good for everybody. Harrisburg is very walkable. Once we get the residents back into the apartments and other places, it’s going to help the restaurant scene, as we get more traffic down here for dinnertime.”

Harristown has a beautification plan to “tidy up” the corridor with lighting, curbs, planters, greenery and “all those things that set the table for a nice environment,” Jones said. He hopes to implement the plan and secure funding in collaboration with the HDID and state, city and county sources.

Crank It Up

The entertainment that brings dining and drinking patrons downtown—Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra concerts, plays at Gamut Theatre and Open Stage—is about to get a jolt.

Browning, co-owner of JB Lovedrafts and Nocturnal, and also reviver of Kamionka’s Sawyers, plans to transform the former Federal Taphouse into Capital City Music Hall. The space will complement other local venues, such as XL Live, and create a destination where patrons can bop to favorite acts while they drop their dollars on local restaurants, pubs, hotels and souvenirs.

“As we get older, we learn things,” Browning said. “It doesn’t have to be copy and paste. We can have some fun.”

Capital City Music Hall’s Head of Operations Michael McPhillips shared that they are “happy to bring a safe, reliable venue to 2nd Street.” As patrons streamed to their Mechanicsburg music spot, Lovedrafts Brewing Co., from different states, they realized that “it made much more sense to move that kind of tourism engine into the city we care about so much. We’re very, very happy to do that—not just for us but so everybody can see a large uptick.”

Safety First

Kamionka has intentionally sold many of his properties to Browning to help create a complementary set of businesses.

The area is “heading in the right direction,” Kamionka said, and fine and casual dining continues to grace Restaurant Row: Stock’s, Café Fresco, Carley’s Ristorante, Cork & Fork, Bacco, Burger Yum, to name a few. But the balance of nightclubbing to dining is tilting away from the days when restaurants hummed with Capitol-crowd customers.

“One thing I don’t want to have done is spend a career building all this and having downtown like it was in the ‘80s, when people went there for drugs or hookers,” Kamionka said. “It needs that synergy of places, and that’s not going to happen, adding on places to fill the empty buildings, until people feel comfortable enough to make the investment.”

The notion of “comfortable” encompasses the difficult realities of downtown city living.

Browning believes the city can continue to work with establishment owners “to help keep things safe down here, keep things well lit.”

“Let’s update the sidewalks, make things brighter and more uniform,” he said. “I could see more greenery down here—something that makes it nicer for walking, especially in the evening.”

For Sturges, streetscape upgrades, fewer panhandlers and more attractions would help dispel the city’s undeserved stigma as unsafe. He upholds strict standards of entry and serving at his three downtown and Midtown establishments—Mad Moose and Sturges Speakeasy as well as McGrath’s—and keeps regular hours, even during slow times, because businesses grow when they offer consistent hours and consistent products.

“There’s a lot of things that go into making a city a place that professional people want to move into, things like theaters and museums and encouraging an environment that isn’t just a mass amount of people living in one area,” he said. “I can only do so much to try to convince people that it’s not a dangerous city to be in.”

Adam Sturges

Turning a Corner

Sturges will never retire. This is a man who gets super-excited from contracting a vendor of better pepperoni—“just trying to make things better for tomorrow.”

“I make changes every day,” he said. “It’s those little things you keep progressing, and you keep trying to do the best you can.”

Browning’s clubs strive for an experience at every level—quite literally, from the first-floor rock venue of JB Lovedrafts to the third-floor country-western bar with saddle barstools at Nocturnal.

“Our goal is to help have a resurgence down here,” he said.

For his part, Jones has tallied $230 million in downtown residential projects possible within 10 years and feels they can help re-establish bustle to the dining and nightclub scene.

“You’re stabilizing everything with the addition of these customers,” he said. “You’re replacing essentially the office buildings with residential buildings. Those are strong customers. We’ve got a lot going on. A lot of good stuff, as always.”

El Patio owner Perez is grateful for the support of God, his landlord and the community, including high-level city and police officials who enjoy his food. Just as Sandwich Man provided a downtown anchor for decades from the cheery, comfortable space he now occupies, he hopes to provide leadership through “a Dominican place downtown that stays here for years.”

“We’re here to do what it takes and to improve every day, on a daily basis and a weekly basis,” he said. “We pray for everyone to have a good meal and leave blessed from here. No less than that. We’re always going to be here with a smile on our face to take care of the customers.”

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