Vice Capital and local officials ceremonially break ground on Savoy 48, an apartment project planned for Harrisburg.
Harrisburg is closer to seeing a new development project come to fruition.
The “Savoy 48,” an apartment building planned for the 1500-block of N. 6th St., ceremonially broke ground on Friday.
Harrisburg-based developer Vice Capital, owned by LeSean McCoy, former NFL running back and Harrisburg native, plans to construct a 48-unit apartment building with first-floor commercial space.
“I’m so excited,” said Mayor Wanda Williams. “Our greatest days are ahead of us. I support him [McCoy] through and through.”
The property, near the new federal courthouse building, formerly housed three rundown buildings, before developers demolished them recently to make room for new construction.
The four-story, 46,000-square-foot building will include studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, 10 of which will be affordable by federal standards. There will also be a rooftop deck and fitness center.
While developers do not yet have tenants lined up for the 6,000-square-foot commercial space, they plan to bring in several businesses, possibly including a restaurant or office space, according to Ryan Sanders of Vice Capital.
The total cost of the project is around $9.5 million, which includes funding from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and Dauphin County.
The project was approved by Harrisburg City Council in March.
“We are really looking forward to continuing to push development from downtown to Midtown to Uptown,” said Jonathan Bowser, founder and CEO of Wormleysburg-based Steel Works Construction, the general contractor on the project.
According to Bowser, construction will begin in the fall and is slated to be complete by the fall of 2024.
LeSean McCoy, owner of Vice Capital, speaks to the press during the ground breaking ceremony.
McCoy shared how his interest in giving back to his hometown led him to become involved in real estate.
“Now that I have the opportunity, with this platform, to make a difference, why wouldn’t I?” McCoy said. “I just want to try and bring the community together.”
He also said that he plans to hire local minority-owned and women-owned contractors and business owners to participate in the project.
Vice Capital has proposed another apartment project, JMB Gardens, on the 2200- and 2300-blocks of N. 6th Street. This would include the construction of five rowhome-style buildings, on several currently vacant lots, featuring a total of 41 affordable units and a community center.
According to Sanders, once the plans for JMB Gardens receive council approval, Vice Capital hopes to break ground in August.
“Leaving a legacy, being impactful—that’s something I really wanted to stamp my name on,” McCoy said.
Savoy 48 will be located near N. 6th and Harris streets in Harrisburg. For more information about Vice Capital, visit their website.
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