Capital views from inside Lux apartments.
When I arrived in Harrisburg, I remember being surprised at all the underutilized, forlorn historic buildings, which often were in need of total renovation.
Five years have passed, and, just in this short period of time, many have found new uses as fully rehabbed apartments and offices.
One of the most prominent is about to spring back to life. Soon, the LUX condominium building will open directly across the street from the state Capitol, with many units offering stunning views of perhaps the country’s most beautiful statehouse.
“Our goal is for people to walk into this unit, see the view and just say, ‘Wow,’” said Pete Weigher, president of TeamPete Realty Services, as we looked out the sixth-floor window onto the Capitol dome directly in front of us.
The two buildings long have shared a history. They were completed just three years apart and now have faced one another for more than a century.
The difference: While the Capitol has been well maintained and cared for, the same cannot be said for the eight-story building across N. 3rd Street, which began life as a Masonic Temple before becoming the Barto office building. Over the years, it fell into disrepair and, after a serious flood, was almost completely abandoned.
In 2012, the last owner, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, sold it for $850,000 to Brickbox Enterprises, which, in recent years, has restored several other notable Harrisburg buildings, including Riverview Manor and the Kunkel building. The company is now ready to show off its work: 42 beautifully appointed one-bedroom condominiums within a structure that has been almost totally rebuilt.
“It’s all-new everything,” said Derek Dilks, vice president of property development for Brickbox. “There’s all-new plumbing, electricity, insulation, etc. You’re basically buying a new home inside an old building.”
This mix of historic and modern seems to be a strong selling point since, as of this writing, the company already had reservations for about half its units, which range from 525 to 900 square feet and cost $89,900 to $224,900. Each unit features high-end finishes such as granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, real-wood cabinets, solid wood doors, ceramic baths and high-speed Internet capability.
The condo fee will average $162 a month to pay for services such as water, sewer and trash. It also will cover access to common areas, including a fitness center, individual storage spaces, a community room and a rooftop deck with lofty views of the city and the river.
So far, interest has come from many quarters, not just those who work across the street, said Weigher. Younger people who like city life, retirees who want to downsize and downtown office workers are among those who have reserved units, he said.
Anyone who would like to see a unit need not wait long. Most construction, which was slowed over the winter due to delays in receiving the building’s custom-made windows, is expected to wrap up soon. An open house is slated for later this spring, and LUX also will be a stop on the annual Harrisburg Young Professionals Home Tour on May 10.
Brickbox President Dan Deitchman said he’s always been confident that the units would sell fast, as long as the prices made sense within the Harrisburg real estate market.
“How often can you own a unit in an historic building across from the Capitol, totally renovated, for a price that’s like renting?” he said. “It’s a no-brainer.”
LUX is located at 231 State St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.teampete.com or call 717-697-7383.
