The Federal Building in downtown Harrisburg
Maybe the second time will be the charm?
Next month, the Federal Building in downtown Harrisburg once again will head to auction, according to a listing from the real estate broker, the Dunkle-Vartanian Group of Marcus & Millichap.
The online auction is slated to take place Nov. 14 to 17 at a starting bid of $4 million, according to the auction listing.
Last February, the federal government sold the 251,000-square-foot downtown building at auction for $10 million to Justin Etzin, a diplomat and businessman from the Seychelles, an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa.
At the time, Etzin, CEO of a development company called Global Ocean Investments, told TheBurg that he intended to convert the boxy, glass-walled, 1966-era building into a 288-unit “luxury” apartment building with several restaurants, bars and other amenities, including a rooftop pool.
In June, he updated his plan to include 200 apartment units, an 8,000-square-foot addition for two rooftop restaurants, a movie theater, a fitness center and a salon. He stated that he intended to begin construction in early 2023, once the federal government entirely vacated the 11-story building, envisioning a two-year build-out.
Etzin did not respond to an email, sent yesterday, inquiring about the auction and if it meant that he is abandoning his redevelopment plan.
Since his purchase, Etzin has listed the building back on the market at least twice, once for $22 million and again for $18 million. However, he previously characterized the re-listings as standard practice in the industry and said he intended to carry out the redevelopment project.
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is putting the finishing touches on a new federal courthouse at N. 6th and Reily streets in Harrisburg, eliminating the need for its downtown building. It also plans to move employees from other federal agencies who currently work in the building to other locations.
GSA had hoped to substantially complete the new Sylvia H. Rambo U.S. Courthouse in Midtown over the summer, but now has moved the timeline to sometime this winter.
Click here to view the auction listing for the Federal Building.
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
