The lanternflies mostly stayed away, predicted chaos on two-way 2nd Street never materialized, and, for yet another year, the legendary Harrisburg beaver hid from prying eyes. But a lot of stuff did happen in Harrisburg over the past year. In what has become an annual rite (at least for me), I offer my top 10 Harrisburg news stories of 2023.
10. Biz Buzz
Each year, I like to start my top-10 list with some good news before lowering the boom on readers. As a huge fan of small, locally owned business, I love that so many downtown storefronts, empty since the pandemic, found tenants over the course of 2023: shops, restaurants, salons, etc. The trend started with a trickle and then accelerated as the year progressed. Even better: nearly all of these new businesses are Black, brown and/or women-owned. Kudos to the robust entrepreneurial spirit of this city.
9. Finishing Touches
For years, Harrisburg has awaited the completion of three major building projects: the federal courthouse, the state Archives and Harrisburg University’s new academic tower. In 2023, they all opened. As a result, Harrisburg is now home to some 600,000 square feet of brand new office, educational and professional space. Two of these buildings, the courthouse and Archives, are along the rapidly reviving 6th Street corridor, which is slated for several more projects, including the in-progress Catherine Hershey School for Early Learning and several apartment buildings.
8. Petition Issues
It seems to happen every local election cycle—a would-be candidate is tossed off the ballot because of a challenge to his or her nominating petitions. In 2023, that fate befell Autumn Fair in her bid for an open magisterial district justice seat. She then undertook an unsuccessful write-in campaign against Matt Pianka, in the process accusing his family of being behind the disqualification effort. Another challenge was less successful. In July, a challenge was mounted against Harrisburg City Council nominee Lamont Jones, based on two-decade-old criminal convictions. Following a hearing, Jones prevailed in court and, in the November general election, secured his council seat.
7. Roads & Bridges
The PA Department of Transportation long has had an outsized presence in and around the state capital. Last year was no exception. In July, PennDOT announced its latest tweak to its Market Street Bridge rehab plan, adding a bike/ped crossing atop a planned utility bridge. Around the same time, the agency officially dropped its much-criticized proposal to toll the South Bridge as part of a replacement plan. It also kicked off years of construction on the long-anticipated I-83 expansion. I suppose Harrisburg should feel lucky/unlucky to be in PennDOT’s crosshairs, with so many major projects centered on a small stretch of the city’s waterfront and south end.
6. Federal Case
In my past top-10 lists, I’ve often reserved one entry for various development proposals in the city. In 2023, though, the development pipeline largely dried up. And then there was the major exception: a plan to redevelop the former Federal Building into a 162-unit apartment building. The project sailed through the city approval process, which, honestly, was surprising, though certainly welcome for a downtown struggling since COVID. The New Jersey-based developer said he expects to begin construction this year, which, if true, would be good news for a city where many planned projects have come to a screeching halt since interest rates and construction costs began soaring.
5. Debt Ditch
When I came to Harrisburg, I found a city mired in about half-a-billion dollars of debt, the result of failed projects and years of profligate spending. The medicine was tough to swallow: higher taxes, asset sales and the dreaded long-term lease of the city’s parking assets. In March, though, Harrisburg had cause to celebrate, as the Williams administration paid off the last chunk of general obligation bonds, fulfilling a promise to rid the city of enormously high debt loads dating back to the Reed era. Despite the payoff, Harrisburg remained in the state’s Act 47 program for financially distressed cities, due to unresolved litigation between the city and its former financial consultants.
4. Plan Penn-ding
A decade ago, the Harrisburg School District shuttered the much-loved William Penn High School. Unfortunately, as it pondered the building’s fate, it didn’t secure it very well, leaving it vulnerable to the elements, vandals and firebugs. Finally, in June, district receiver Lori Suski announced a “final” solution: the district would demo the building. She then quickly backed off in the face of opposition from alumni, preservationists and activists. Finally, she did what many a savvy official, faced with a tough decision, has done before—she appointed a task force. At press time, the task force was continuing to meet, with a report and recommendations expected this year.
3. Complex Problem
Two years ago, we wrote an award-winning feature story about the tangle of troubles at Governor’s Square, a sprawling, rundown affordable housing development in Uptown Harrisburg. We then closely followed the story into 2023, as much of Governor’s Square was condemned and its owner filed for bankruptcy. A few court dates later, the half-empty, 222-unit complex was put up for bid, a new owner sought. Here’s hoping, for 2024, that a responsible party steps up, one that has pockets deep enough to restore the buildings and offer its residents the quality living space they deserve.
2. Without a Home
For years, a homeless encampment had grown beneath the Mulberry Street Bridge near Cameron Street. In January, the city ordered the encampment cleared, saying it was a public health hazard. This set in motion a series of events and news stories as the tent camp dwellers moved from one spot to another to another. The net effect has been that the other large homeless encampment, near the PennDOT building in south Harrisburg, has ballooned in size, with tents also popping up in other parts of downtown and Riverfront Park.
1. From the Ashes
The text came in the middle of the night, followed by a shocking photo. No, it couldn’t be true—but it was. The Broad Street Market was on fire. Without question, the fire, which gutted much of the brick building, was the No. 1 Harrisburg news story of the year. Our months-long string of stories covered the fire, the immediate aftermath, the fate of the vendors, the construction of a temporary market and much more. As of this writing, the interim market still hasn’t opened, delays apparently caused by labor and parts issues. Meanwhile, vendors and city residents anxiously wait for work to begin on the actual building restoration, a process that likely will take two or more years.
So, there you have it—my take on the top Harrisburg news stories of 2023. I’d say it was a mixed year. There was some good news, but it was tough to get beyond the drag of the market fire, which, in my book, stained the entire year and bruised the psyche of the city.
Now, we look ahead to 2024. It’s my great hope that, a year from now, I can report 10 solid good news items. My wish list includes the start of the market restoration, a decrease in community violence, an improvement in the homeless situation, a couple of road diets and more new businesses, buildings and residents. A guy can dream, right?
Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.
Illustrations by Rich Hauck.
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