The Market Street Bridge in Harrisburg (file photo)
A Harrisburg-based historic preservation group has released its annual list of endangered and threatened area landmarks, and, this year, a century-old bridge tops the list.
Earlier this week, Historic Harrisburg Association (HHA) officials announced that its top “preservation priority” for 2023 is the Market Street Bridge, a 95-year-old stone arch structure that spans the Susquehanna River.
Last year, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation unveiled a multi-year plan to restore the bridge, which includes constructing a separate utility bridge along the bridge’s southern façade.
Sara Sweeney, chair of HHA’s preservation committee, said that the organization has been in discussions with PennDOT regarding this proposal.
“We continue to applaud PennDOT for its plan to restore the bridge and hope that, in the process, the original design and features are maintained,” said Sweeney, during a Facebook Live presentation outlining HHA’s 2023 “preservation priorities.” “We will continue to monitor progress as the design progresses.”
A PennDOT rendering of the south facade of the Market Street Bridge, showing the proposed utility bridge addition
This is the first year that the Market Street Bridge has been a top priority for HHA. In 2022, the list was headed by Balsley House, a 2,590-square-foot building located at 220 N. 2nd St. According to HHA, the Federal-style building, one of the oldest structures in Harrisburg, continues to be threatened and, this year, is ranked second on the list.
However, according to HHA, there may be hope for the long-vacant, blighted structure in the heart of downtown.
“We have heard that there is actually some interest in the property by a private party, and we are hopeful for movement in 2023,” Sweeney said.
Balsley House in downtown Harrisburg
The remaining three “preservation priorities” also made last year’s top-five list. They are:
- The former William Penn High School at Italian Lake
- The former Harrisburg State Hospital complex
- Prospect Hill Cemetery Gatehouse near the city line
Balsley House has been on the list since 2018, William Penn since 2017, and the former state hospital since 2014. The Prospect Hill Cemetery Gatehouse went on the list in 2021 after a car hit the structure, severely damaging it.
In the presentation, Sweeney also noted several recent preservation “successes” and two preservation “losses.”
The successes include:
- The former Lemoyne Middle School, which has been renovated and converted into an apartment building
- The former Gerber’s Department Store, also known as the “Carpets and Draperies building,” which was renovated into a mixed-used structure in Midtown Harrisburg
- The former Milestone Inn, which now serves as headquarters for Dilks Properties in Uptown Harrisburg
- The Harrisburg History Project, a series of historical markers in Harrisburg that needed replacement and updating
A win: The restored Carpets and Draperies building in Harrisburg
Sweeney also noted two recent “preservation losses”:
- Beidleman House, an Allison Hill structure on Market Street that was razed last year
- The Jackson Hotel on N. 6th Street in Harrisburg, which collapsed in early 2021
Moreover, HHA put about 30 structures in and around Harrisburg on its “watch list,” meaning that they’re historic properties of concern. These range widely, but include such landmark buildings as the Broad Street Market, the former Coca-Cola bottling works on Allison Hill, the Riverside firehouse and even HHA’s own Historic Harrisburg Resource Center.
Two new properties were added to the watch list this year.
The first, Myers House, at 213 N. Front St. in Harrisburg, made the watch list as the owner, the Dauphin County Bar Association, may no longer need such a large space, said David Morrison, HHA’s executive director. The second “watch list” addition this year is Buck’s Tavern, a nearly three-century-old structure located in West Hanover Township, which is threatened by blight and possible demolition.
HHA’s board is expected to approve the preservation priority list at its February meeting.
Historic Harrisburg Association is located at 1230 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. To view the entire presentation, visit https://www.facebook.com/HistoricHarrisburgAssociation. For more information on Historic Harrisburg Association, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, visit www.historicharrisburg.org.
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