Officials cut the ribbon on new affordable housing development in Allison Hill

November 1, 2024 | by Maddie Gittens

TLC owner Tarik Casteel, along with local officials and community members, cut the ribbon on “The TLC Cornerstone Renewal.”

On Friday, developer Tarik Casteel stood on a once-blighted Allison Hill block that’s in the midst of a radical transformation.

Casteel, owner of Harrisburg-based TLC Construction and Renovations, cut the ribbon on his new affordable housing development, a years-long project in the making.

“Today is a day for new beginnings, a day where we take a step forward in building something that goes beyond just bricks and mortar,” he said. “We are building hope, opportunity and a future for so many people.”

“The TLC Cornerstone Renewal” project, located near N. 15^th and Walnut streets, features 50 one-, two- and three-bedroom units for lower-income residents. Several of the units are fully ADA-accessible and eight units are reserved for formerly incarcerated renters to assist them in re-entering society.

Casteel’s project is one of several affordable housing developments that have recently finished or are close to completion in Harrisburg.

The TLC Cornerstone Renewal

Harrisburg City Council initially approved the project plan in 2020, however, the pandemic and construction costs delayed the groundbreaking until 2023.

Casteel also purchased the Allison Hill Community Center as part of his development in the neighborhood and plans to continue updates there.

“My aim is to transform this neighborhood one block at a time,” Casteel said.

He shared that he plans to complete additional phases of this project in the future.

“These homes are a wonderful addition to the city of Harrisburg as we understand and prioritize the fact that everyone deserves a comfortable, functional and safe place to live,” Mayor Wanda Williams said.

For more information on TLC Construction and Renovations, visit their website.

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Several Harrisburg projects chosen for state redevelopment grants

November 1, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda

Rendering of “Harrisburg Plaza” (credit: McKissick Associates Architects)

Three Harrisburg projects have been selected to receive redevelopment grants, in the latest round of funding by the commonwealth.

On Friday, state Rep. Patty Kim (D-103) announced recipients of Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program (RACP) grants, an annual funding program run by the state Office of the Budget and targeted to acquiring and redeveloping “significant” projects.

According to Kim, the 2024 recipients include:

The Bridge HBG, $3 million: This project proposes redeveloping the former Bishop McDevitt High School on Market Street into a mixed-use eco-village. The grant is for infrastructure work, including demolition, waterproofing and restoration. The project, first announced in 2019, also received a $4 million RACP grant in 2022. The fate of the project, though, is uncertain as the property owner, Harrisburg-based William Penn Holdings, earlier this year stated that it’s trying to sell the 115,000-square-foot building. The Bridge had been leasing the property from William Penn.

Harrisburg Plaza, $1 million: This project proposes to redevelop the former Federal Building in downtown Harrisburg into a 162-unit apartment building with commercial retail spaces. The New Jersey-based owner, Yasser Hellel, has said he hoped to begin the project last summer, though no visible work has taken place.

Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg, $500,000. This project includes new construction of the “gymnatorium” at the Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life on N. Front Street. The two-story expansion of an existing building will include a pool, locker rooms, basketball court and kosher kitchen.

Kim also announced a $1 million grant for the Northeast Fire & Rescue Co.’s new fire station in Summerdale. The project is currently underway.

“These transformative projects will greatly enhance the quality of services available in our community,” said Kim, in a statement. “I’m proud to have assisted the recipients in securing this competitive funding and eagerly anticipate seeing these initiatives come to fruition.”

State RACP grants are reimbursement grants, meaning that recipients must first perform the work before being reimbursed for it, assuming the work meets the grant requirements.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

October 31, 2024 | by Sara Bozich

Plan your weekend with my weekly list of things to do around Harrisburg and central PA!

What you’ll find ⤵️

For something new: Taste of the Season Fall Food Tasting at one good woman on Saturday; Swine & Dine 4-Course Beer Dinner at Wolf Brewing Worth noting: Walk to End Alzheimers. I’m walking in honor of my dad. If you’re so inclined, you can access my fundraiser here. Saturday is LGBT CENTER GALA AND KARMA AFTERPARTY <– KARMA is all-new!! Things on my agenda this weekend: more bday celebrations; Soups, Stews n’ Brews! Charitable Soup Cook-Off! on Sunday (Bo and I are judging!)

For your weekend planning

Calling my local business friends! My Holiday Gift Guide comes out next week! Contact me if you’d like to be included.
See what else you missed on the blog

Below are more options for your weekend.

A Look Ahead

You can now sponsor the Weekend Roundup! Ask me how!
Are you on my email list?
Submit your events for the Weekend Roundup

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As Harris comes to Harrisburg for rally, local supporters line up, share feelings, opinions

October 30, 2024 | by Maddie Gittens

Rally attendees lined up outside the PA Farm Show Complex on Wednesday.

The sun was shining Wednesday as people lined up outside the PA Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg for a rally to support U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’s bid for president.

Around noon, shortly before doors officially opened to the venue, supporters lined up outside, many sporting “Harris Walz” T-shirts and gear, waiting to hear Harris speak.

TheBurg spoke with Pennsylvania voters of varying ages, races and genders as they waited in line. Most expressed nervousness over the tight race, stressing the importance they know the commonwealth will have in selecting their next president in less than a week.

Lori Saulisbury, event volunteer

Adrian Robinson, 61, of Harrisburg, said that he has been spreading the word about the importance of voting. Specifically, he feels that Harris is best suited to assist the middle class.

“I’ve been calling people, calling my friends, my family; everybody in my house is voting,” he said. “It’s the most important state. This is the one she has to have.”

College students Erin Fitzpatrick, 19, and Soames Rummler, 20, said that this would be their first time voting in a presidential election.

“Voter turnout looks to be like the most important factor in this election. Otherwise, it’s split, almost scarily split,” Rummler said.

Rummler said that there wasn’t necessarily one issue that drew him to Harris, but rather a “vibe.”

“Trump is like old and I’m pretty young, and I’d rather be represented by someone younger and more like quick on their feet,” he said. “It’s more about how people show themselves to other nations. I want to be proud to be an American, and Harris definitely makes me feel like that.”

Fitzpatrick shared that women’s rights issues were of top priority to her.

Justin Warren, 55, of Harrisburg stood out in his “Republicans for Harris” shirt and said that he wasn’t ashamed to speak out against his party’s candidate.

Justin Warren, attendee

“I’ve seen the destruction and the division that’s happened with Trump and it’s just got to end,” he said. “We’ve got to get civility. We’ve got to get back to working together, and it can’t be us versus them, and I won’t support it any longer. Silently, there are a lot of Republicans that feel the same way. There are people that are afraid to speak out because they don’t want to deal with the consequences.”

Father and daughter duo, Carlos and Mya Bruno, came from York, excited about the significance of potentially seeing the first woman become president.

“It gives me a chance to be like, you know what, my daughter could actually believe that she could be president,” Carlos said. “Right now, you can’t really say that. I could look at my son and say he could be president because there has been a Black man that was president. […] But there’s never been a woman. They say America is a place where you can be whatever you want, and I want this to prove it.”

Mya is too young to vote yet, but is already thinking about her future.

“I’m worried about my future, and I’m only 16 and I just really want to see how much she’ll impact my future,” she said.

Greg Stewart and grandson, attendees

Laurie Smith, 68, of Carlisle is also worried. She’s nervous to see where the votes will go on Tuesday.

“This whole election is so crazy,” she said. “Personally, to me, anyone who’s undecided, how could you possibly be undecided? It’s so night and day, black and white.”

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November Publisher’s Note

October 30, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda

November is a tale of two months.

Early on, there’s Election Day, which is supposed to unite us as a country, but often has the opposite effect, as crass politicians try to win power by setting us against each other.

Later in the month, there’s Thanksgiving, when we come together both as individual families and as an American family. I can’t think of another occasion when most Americans are doing, essentially, the same thing, on the same day.

On Nov. 28, in almost any neighborhood, you could go from house to house and witness an uncannily similar scene: a family gathering, a huge turkey dinner, football. When you think about it, it’s both kind of weird and incredibly wonderful.

You might think that TheBurg, as a news organization, would prefer the Election Day vibe—the drama, the dispute, the division. But, nope, that’s not our jam. We’re not in the conflict-for-clicks game and never will be.

We prefer the Thanksgiving sensibility of people uniting and cooperating for a common cause, whether that cause is politics or poultry. Sure, disputes arise, but we believe those can be, and should be, settled in a civilized, cooperative and honest way, without burning down the family house or the national house.

Do we often feel like we’re screaming into the void? Yup, but so be it. These principles guide us personally, so they also guide our approach to our business and to the news.

In that spirit, our November issue continues our long tradition of choosing community over conflict. In it, you’ll find a variety of news, features and events, with an expanded section devoted to local business. As you begin your holiday gift-buying, we hope you’ll choose to “Shop Local,” as locally owned, independent businesses are a vital part of the fabric of our community in south-central Pa.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Lawrance Binda

Publisher/Editor

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November News Digest

October 30, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Housing Project Gets Key Approval

A proposed veterans housing project in south Harrisburg has been given a key approval, though a disagreement over the future route of the Capital Area Greenbelt remains unresolved.

By unanimous vote, the Harrisburg Planning Commission last month approved the land development plan by New York-based Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which proposes building a 64-unit building, along with 20 small, detached “comfort homes,” for homeless veterans and first responders along the Susquehanna River near the PennDOT building.

However, against the wishes of the foundation, the commission retained a city Planning Bureau condition that the project accommodate a “relocated footprint” for the Greenbelt along the southern boundary of the property.

“I am not hearing a solution or a resolution to address that condition otherwise,” said commissioner Anne Marek. “I’m also not hearing a solution to move forward with that condition. I understand there have been conversations, which is great, but I do not hear what we are requesting out of this evening.”

In September, the foundation presented its land development plan to the commission. That meeting was continued to October so that the foundation could conduct “stakeholders” meetings both with residents of the nearby Shipoke neighborhood and members of Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA).

Both were held and, at the October commission meeting, CAGA’s board President Doug Hill told members that his group would abandon its effort to retain a path through the future Tunnel to Towers site. Instead, they would try to find an alternative route.

“We appear to be at a place where we cannot reach an accommodation on working the trail through the Tunnel to Towers property,” he said. “In a different place and time, we may have been able to work that out. Maybe sometime in the future that may be something that is workable, once they’re in and established and it becomes a neighborhood again instead of a construction site. But that does not seem to be something for the immediate future.”

Hill added that CAGA has retained an engineering firm to explore options for re-routing the trail. Currently, the trail is routed around the site, but that alternative includes several heavily traveled city streets, so is not considered a viable long-term solution.

Hill told commission members that CAGA had “commitments” from Tunnel to Towers and the city for assistance in its relocation effort.

“Very candidly, some of the alternatives we’re looking at will be considerably more expensive than if we were able to use some of the existing trail system historically in south Harrisburg, but those are simply hurdles we will have to overcome in the short term,” said Hill, who added that CAGA is supportive of the Tunnel to Towers project.

City Solicitor Neil Grover affirmed that the city would help CAGA seek another route, but emphasized that it would not be done quickly, as alternatives traverse numerous different properties and owners, including land owned both by the commonwealth and Dauphin County.

“I would suggest there’s not just one path,” he said. “There are alternatives available. It’ll just take time.”

This response, though, did not satisfy commission members, who hoped to resolve the issue as part of the project approval process. Marek asked if a formal cooperation agreement had been signed, and Grover responded that there was no written agreement.

“If something is not put in writing, you’re forcing us to make a solution based on what’s being told,” Marek said.

In the end, the commission approved the land development plan but retained the condition that the Greenbelt be re-routed through the Tunnel to Towers site. The project, with that condition in place, now goes to Harrisburg City Council for another hearing and a final vote before it can break ground.

At the meeting, the planning commission considered two other projects.

The commission unanimously approved a zoning variance and special exception for Eden Village, a proposed, 32-unit tiny home village and community center designed to provide permanent housing and support services for homeless individuals. It would be located directly next to the proposed Tunnel to Towers project, just beyond the existing PennDOT building in south Harrisburg.

That project will need to return to the planning commission for consideration of the project’s land development plan.

In addition, the commission unanimously approved the land development plan for a mixed-used building consisting of nine affordable residential units and ground-floor commercial space at 1260-1270 Market St.

Harrisburg-based Wildheart Ministries is proposing to build The Gateway, two- and three-bedroom units on empty land now owned by the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority. Most recently, that land housed a community garden but currently is vacant and overgrown. The project now goes before City Council for final approval.

Ribbon Cut on Steele School

The Harrisburg School District celebrated a newly renovated and reopened “state-of-the-art” school last month.

At a ceremony, the district cut the ribbon on Steele Elementary School on the 2500-block of N. 5th St., which opened to students this fall.

“Today, we are gathered together to celebrate revitalization, not only the revitalization of the school building itself, but also revitalization of the educational opportunity and pride of this community,” said Dr. Marcia Stokes, acting superintendent.

The school was originally built in the 1930s and closed in 2011, remaining vacant until the district decided, two years ago, to renovate and reopen the building. At the time, officials said that reopening the building would help solve a capacity issue at the elementary level, as those schools got fuller after fifth graders were moved from the middle schools to elementary schools. Officials also were interested in having a neighborhood school in the Uptown area.

The district used Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), federal COVID relief funds, to support the $21.6 million renovation and expansion project.

The new building houses kindergarten through fifth grade and includes modern instructional classrooms, as well as art, music and special education classrooms. There is also a new kitchen and cafeteria, media center and playgrounds.

At the start of construction, the building was largely gutted, new windows and doors were installed, and an addition was constructed on the back of the building to house the cafeteria and classrooms.

Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates was the architect for the renovation, and Fidevia Construction Management & Consulting served as the contractor.

“They were absolutely starstruck,” said Steele Principal Frances Echevarria of the students on the first day of school. “My vision was always to have a school that was conducive to learning, and this fulfills my dream.”

Echevarria said that everything from the bright blue, green and orange wall colors to the furniture choices of comfortable stools and chairs helps students focus better and take pride in their environment.

“When they walk in here, this really feels like their home,” she said.

Catalyst Award Winners Announced

Seven people and organizations will receive one of the Harrisburg area’s most prestigious annual awards, as the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC announced its 2024 Catalyst Award winners.

Joe Massaro, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, won the Catalyst Award for his contributions to the area’s business and hospitality community. Massaro previously served as the long-time general manager of the Hilton Harrisburg.

The other award recipients are:

Athena Award: Barb Bowker, PSECU (retired)
Diversity Influencer of the Year: Dr. Kimeka Campbell, Young Professionals of Color of Greater Harrisburg
Entrepreneur of the Year: George Fernandez, Color & Culture/Latino Connection
Government Leader of the Year: Rep. Thomas Kutz (R-87) and Rep. Justin Fleming (D-105)
Small Business of The Year: Nothing Bundt Cakes
Volunteer of The Year: Josh Eisner, Penn State Health

Each year, the Catalyst Awards recognize recipients for their commitment to leading positive change in the region, creating more opportunities for business and building a brighter future in the region.

TheBurg received the Catalyst Award in 2018.

“We are thrilled to honor this remarkable group of leaders and businesses who have been at the forefront in driving positive change within our region,” said Ryan Unger, president & CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC.

The Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC will host the Catalyst Awards ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at the Hilton Harrisburg. For more information and to register, visit their website.

Home Sales, Prices Rise

Home sales and prices both rose in the Harrisburg area in September, according to the latest report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, 573 homes sold compared to 542 homes in September 2023, as the median sales price rose to $275,000 from $260,275, said the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 293 houses sold versus 258 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price increased to $261,950 from $229,900, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County had 243 home sales, a drop from 257 sales a year ago, while the median price was unchanged at $310,000, said GHAR.

In Perry County, 28 homes sold in September versus 22 in the year-ago period, with the median sales price nearly unchanged at $257,500.

For September, the pace of sales slowed somewhat as “average days on market” rose to 25 days versus 21 days in September 2023.

So Noted

Carol Steinour Young has been appointed president of the board of directors for Dauphin County Court Appointed Special Advocate Program (CASA), replacing retiring CASA founder and president Lori Serratelli. Young had served for eight months as president-elect and recently retired after 34 years of civil litigation practice at McNees Wallace & Nurick.

Harrisburg has been awarded a $2 million federal grant for its “Harrisburg Tree Vestment Project,” which includes pruning, removing hazardous trees and planting new trees. Funds will provide trees for the city’s existing Shade Tree Program and help fund a street tree inventory, according to city Forester Cody Legge.

Harrisburg University has been ranked No. 16 among the 2025 Most Innovative Schools in the Regional Universities North category by US News & World Report. US News publishes the “Best Colleges” rankings each year to provide prospective students and their families with the comparative merits of the undergraduate programs at America’s colleges and universities.

Mount Everest Nepali and Indian Cuisine is expected to open later this month in Strawberry Square in storefront space at 19 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Besides Mount Everest, owners Shree Paija and Sarita Lama operate Khana Indian Bistro in Hershey.

Riley and Zach Madar have taken ownership of Anna Rose Bakery & Coffee Shop in downtown Harrisburg, purchasing the business from local businessman Ron Kamionka. For four years, Riley has been a baker at Anna Rose, which opened in 2017 and moved to its current location at 100 N. 2nd St. in 2020.

Scott Dunwoody, executive director of Bethesda Mission, has announced that he will retire on Jan. 31, following many years with the organization. Dunwoody served with Bethesda Mission for 18 years, including eight years as director. He previously worked as the chief fundraiser for operating and capital projects.

Changing Hands

Bailey St., 1207: T. Tejada to Sign Investment LLC, $65,000

Bellevue Rd., 1833: R. & A. Rosario to First Choice Home Buyers LLC, $60,000

Boas St., 237: N. & V. Cooper to R. McCann, $230,000

Boas St., 1819: Premier Abundance LLC to A. Molina, $117,000

Briggs St., 1922: Ahad Rentals Inc. to Amazings Rentals LLC, $80,000

Brookwood St., 1938: 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC to Sunrise River Investments Inc., $75,000

Brookwood St., 2113 & 2115: E. Fajardo, T. Leach & M. Mesec to C. Inelus, $160,000

Calder St., 317: Equitable Builds LLC to C. Sutch & W. Mullen, $199,900

Camp St., 538: Camp St Investments LLC to GSS & PK LLC, $105,000

Chestnut St., 2010: B. & L. Ndiaye to S. & M. Mejia, $159,500

Chestnut St., 2021: C. Blanco to Normans Realty Services Inc., $70,000

Crescent St., 442: M. Rodriguez to F. Cruz $115,000

Crescent St., 453: J. & D. Negron to D. Ward, $50,000

Derry St., 1614: B. & J. Martin to Mau Properties LLC, $115,000

Derry St., 2301 & 2307: J. & J. Medvidovich to 2301 Derry Street LLC c/o Joshua J. Thompson, $325,000

Forster St., 213: T. & J. Harbilas to U. Bigham, $115,000

Fulton St., 1419: D. Brown to E. Brown, $180,000

Green St., 1400: S. Weiland to J. Manning & D. Kump, $201,000

Holly St., 1855: G. Domon to J. Jimenez, $115,000

Holly St., 1912: S. Paulino to M. & A. Castillo, O. Recalde, $182,320

Holly St., 1932: T. Pham to A. Daniels, $175,000

Howard St., 1309: S. McNair to L. Renteria & G. Penaranda, $60,000

Hunter St., 1610: K. Williams to Mau Properties LLC, $57,000

Jefferson St., 2351: H. Ruiz to K. Allen, $156,000

Jefferson St., 2463 & 655 Schuykill St.: D&F Realty Holdings LP to 2463 Jefferson St LLC, $480,000

Jefferson St., 2637: M. Watts to MAT Holdings LLC, $95,400

Jefferson St., 2656: Beahive Affordable Housing Outreach Inc. to F. Vasquez, $123,000

Kelker St., 245: A. Peragine to L. Fretz, $212,000

Kelker St., 319: C. Hurwitz to T. Nash, $155,000

Kensington St., 2267: PA Deals LLC to J. Decena, $137,000

Logan St., 2009: GWT Real Estate & G. Tyler to FLP 4 13 LLC, $136,000

Maclay St., 301: T. Peiffer to PAK 786 LLC & M. Yousaf, $495,000

Manada St., 1932: Oasis Property Investment LLC to S. Williams, $162,000

Manada St., 2009: P. & C. Stouffer to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $57,265

Market St., 1615: N&R Group LLC to Naders Property Solutions LLC, $235,000

Market St., 2407: K. Parker to E. Marte & H. Alejandro, $245,000

Naudain St., 1421: G. Ajakaye to A. & E. Rhon, $75,000

Naudain St., 1436: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Nine West Solutions LLC, $93,500

Nectarine St., 310: R. & A. Medina to D. Miller, $70,000

N. 2nd St., 1805: Penn Investment National Group LLC to S. Adeyemi, $224,000

N. 2nd St., 1927: Reddinger Estates LLC to Cummings Real Estate LP, $395,000

N. 2nd St., 3002: E. Stailey to F. Robinson & M. Payton, $260,000

N. 3rd St., 2214: PD Estate Properties LLC to A. Givens, $145,000

N. 4th St., 2436: G. Valentine to Normans Realty Services Inc., $71,750

N. 5th St., 2630: D&F Realty Holdings LP to G. Guzman & A. de la Rosa, $70,000

N. 6th St., 2218: K. Blackwell to Fino Legacy LP, $80,000

N. 7th St., 1825, 1827, 1831 & 1830 Hickory Alley: Unity Lodge #71 IBPOE of W to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $97,500

N. 15th St., 235: Bridger Investments LLC to Howze Carpentry LLC, $65,000

N. 15th St., 1120: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to L. Soza, $135,000

N. 15th St., 1425: B. Debeljak to J. Couch, $141,000

N. 19th St., 1010: A. Vasquez to P. & L. Simon, $130,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 205: K. Eppinger to M. Fast, $212,000

Park St., 1930: E. Taylor to Mau Properties LLC, $100,000

Penn St., 1706: C. Harris to Z. Toland, $220,000

Penn St., 1818: A. Mione to H. Hopkins & R. Acker, $160,000

Penn St., 2121: KDM Capital LLC to MAT Holdings LLC, $110,000

Penn St., 2211: Wright at Home LLC to Easton RE LLC, $125,000

Penn St., 2213: Wright at Home LLC to Easton RE LLC, $139,000

Penn St., 2305: J. Trostle to I. Rapp, $140,000

Pennwood Rd., 3204: A. Daniels to T. Malhotra & J. Anand, $130,250

Radnor St., 516: SPG Capital LLC to B. & M. Weller, $162,000

Radnor St., 520: J. Williams to T. Lowe, $150,000

Randolph St., 1511: R. Cespedes to K. Medina, $195,000

Rudy Rd., 2455: R. Williams to K. Weldeghebrial, $110,000

Rumson Dr., 2582: J. & I. Barry to Beta One LLC, $107,000

South St., 225: C. & C. Clemans to New Springs LLC, $115,000

S. 17th St., 227 & 1715 Mulberry St.: C. Eshenaur to 227 S 17th Street LLC, $540,000

S. 17th St., 426: J. Brenich to Mau Properties LLC, $85,000

S. Front St., 557: K. Tatum to J. & G. Cathy, $228,500

S. River St., 317: W. Danowski & A. Mead to B. Snyder & Truist Bank, $186,850

State St., 227: Sierra Real Estate LLC to Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC, $375,000

Sycamore St., 1709: L. Johnson to A&K Investment Partnership LLC, $96,000

Walnut St., 1429: Bedrock Capital Management Inc. to A New Tomorrow, $52,000

Zarker St., 1937: M. Dang to J. Belai, $115,000

Harrisburg property sales, September 2024, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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New Digs: Developers finish up long-awaited, much-needed affordable housing in Harrisburg

October 30, 2024 | by Maddie Gittens

Jessica Meyers & Ryan Sanders

Tarik Casteel has a vision for his city.

His vision includes quality, but accessible housing, and neighborhoods that are vibrant with clean and safe streets for families. He wants all of this to be affordable for Harrisburg families.

“I’m born and raised in Harrisburg,” he said. “At the end of the day, I believe you should fix your home before you go elsewhere. I think Harrisburg is one of the most needed areas in this region, and it was neglected for a long time.”

In September, Casteel’s company, TLC Construction & Renovations, finished an apartment project near N. 15th and Walnut streets in Allison Hill. “The Cornerstone” now provides housing in the form of 50 affordable one-, two- and three-bedroom units for lower-income families.

This is one of several affordable housing projects in the city that recently have been completed or are close to a ribbon cutting. In the years right before and during the pandemic, several developers proposed plans for apartments to help fill a need for lower-income families.

At the federal level, “affordable housing” is usually defined as housing that costs no more than 30% of a household’s gross income. In addition, about 28% of Harrisburg households fall below the poverty line, according to the most recent U.S. census data.

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams has made affordable housing one of her primary policy goals, as have several City Council members. At public meetings, council President Danielle Bowers has often questioned developers about the inclusion of affordable housing in their proposed apartment projects, sometimes even voting against projects that didn’t incorporate units for lower-income tenants.

Bowers told TheBurg that she’s happy to see several projects coming online that she believes will be more affordable for her constituents.

“They’re all affordable for our residents—that’s always my number one priority,” she said. “It’s really exciting.”

Deserve It

Casteel’s project is just one of many affordable projects finishing up in Harrisburg.

“Sycamore Homes,” a 23-unit apartment building in south Harrisburg, is slated to finish construction by the end of the year. “Bethel Village” will provide 49 units for lower-income seniors on N. 6th Street in Midtown, also with an estimated completion in December. On the same street, “JMB Gardens,” a project by Harrisburg native and former NFL player LeSean McCoy’s company, Vice Capital, will offer 41 affordable units in Uptown, expected to finish in January.

Most of these projects faced pandemic-related delays, including supply shortages, which prolonged their timelines. However, they all are finally getting close to move-in dates, while The Cornerstone has already welcomed tenants.

“I’m just hoping that, once we get these tenants in, we can get phase two going right away because I’ve seen the list of people that are not going to be able to move in. So, it’s like, we need to keep on going,” Casteel said. “It was eye-opening once I saw how many people were waiting.”

Casteel said that, in the months leading up to project completion, his company had a waiting list of hundreds of people, displaying the city’s dire housing need.

During the lengthy design and construction process, Casteel, who grew up living in affordable housing himself, said that he didn’t “cut corners,” as he wanted to break the stigma that lower-income housing is lower-quality.

“A lot of times, they got the reputation or people think that they don’t want to work, and it’s not the case,” he said. “A lot of people work, but they just don’t make enough. They want good housing, and they deserve it. I gave them what they should be having—the best of the best.”

Casteel pointed out that, as neighbors have seen the revitalization, many have even made improvements to their own properties.

“The residents over there were welcoming because they loved to see that it was local people, but they also loved to see that their neighborhood wasn’t being neglected,” he said. “People thought we were gentrifying and didn’t know it was a Black developer and that they’re affordable [units] because they don’t look affordable.”

Challenging Stereotypes

George Fernandez has quickly found out how challenging development can be, especially when it comes to affordable housing and the requirements that come with utilizing low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC), awarded by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA).

Fernandez, founder of Latino Connection and CEO of Color & Culture and Fernandez Realty Group, said that his first affordable development project, Sycamore Homes, likely will be completed in December.

“There really have been a lot of lessons learned for me as a young, minority developer,” he said. “No wonder a lot of other minority developers aren’t doing this type of work because of how hard the work is, to be honest with you.”

Fernandez explained how much personal investment has gone into this project as well, as he also grew up in a lower-income family and is striving to make sure Sycamore Homes provides quality living. He was proud to share that the units feature oversized fridges, washers and dryers and nice countertops and cabinetry.

“We really want to give people a sense of belonging and a sense of pride and dignity,” Fernandez said.

He hopes that minority developers, in particular, are given more opportunities to receive financial support, along with technical assistance and training, so that the pathway to becoming a developer can become more accessible.

“It is now time that those people that want to be doing this type of work be given the right seat at the table—so that the people that are building the homes look like the people that are going to be served in those homes,” Fernandez said.

Building On

Ryan Sanders of RB Development, the group behind Bethel Village on the 1000-block of N. 6th Street, is also a local and has spoken on the importance of diverse representation in the real estate field.

The plan for Bethel Village was first proposed in 2021 to help revitalize a block with significant local African American history. The new development now sits on the former site of the historic Bethel AME Church, which burned down in 1995.

Initially, the project faced pushback from neighbors who were concerned that there wouldn’t be enough parking in an already congested neighborhood. However, Sanders and his team worked to find additional off-street parking and pushed forward with plans, knowing that this housing was needed.

Sanders said that affordable housing projects often can’t offer the same financial return as market rate projects. In addition, it takes a lot of planning and technical knowledge to participate in the LIHTC program, he said.

“You’ve got to be crazy, and you’ve got to really want to do something for the community,” he said.

Sanders is working with general contractor JEM Group on the project. CEO Jessica Meyers said that Camp Hill-based JEM first dipped its toe into affordable housing construction about seven years ago and has come to understand its importance

“It really opened our eyes to what this market is and continues to be, and it’s an opportunity to give people a nice place to live,” she said. “No matter what your income level is, everybody deserves a safe, nice place to live.”

With many Harrisburg residents in search of affordable housing, these projects won’t solve the total need. But local officials and developers are encouraged by the investments. Several of these developers even have additional affordable and market-rate projects on the horizon.

Sanders has plans to build next door to Bethel at the site of the former Jackson Hotel, which collapsed in 2021. McCoy broke ground on another partially affordable apartment building on 6th Street in 2023. Fernandez has proposed affordable housing for seniors at the site of the former Woodward School, and Casteel has additional development phases planned for Allison Hill.

“That’s going to help out a lot of people,” Casteel said. “If everyone can go in and do another round or two then break out and do market rate, I think the city would be coming back real strong at that rate.”

For more information about TLC Construction and Renovations, visit www.tlchbg.com.

To find out more about Fernandez Realty Group, visit www.fernandezrealtygroup.com.

To learn more about RB Development, visit www.rbdevllc.com.

For more information about Vice Capital, visit www.vicecapitalgrp.com.

To find out more about JEM Group, visit www.jemgroup.net.

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Voting Block: What will the neighbors think?

October 30, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

How’s the election playing out on your block?

In a recent Washington Post story, five contributors wrote short essays about election season on the most hyper-local level: their own neighborhoods.

Writers took the political pulse in Seattle, rural Georgia, Irvine, Calif., and, not too far away, in the Lehigh Valley.

The humorist Dave Barry wrote a hilarious piece about how his Florida neighbors seemed more interested in the search for a missing tortoise than in the presidential election.

So, I thought about my small, Capitol-area neighborhood in Harrisburg. How was the election playing out there? I set out on a grand tour around the block to find out.

It’s a month before election day, and all’s quiet on the river front.

Some trees are beginning to show signs of color, though most remain stubbornly green. The usual geese root around in the grass, and the groundhogs scamper away before I can ask them who they would vote for, if the election were held today.

Back along the street, I spot the occasional campaign sign for Democratic candidates: president, Congress, legislature. If there are any Republicans around—and I know there are a few—they’re not publicly stating their preferences.

I run into a neighbor out walking his dog and ask him to assess the local vibe.

“Vibe?” he says. “I don’t think there is a vibe.”

Touché.

I point to a nearby window plastered with campaign signs for Democratic candidates and one that reads, “Dictator or Democracy.”

“Well, yeah,” he says to me, “there’s that guy.”

“That guy” is Jamie Earl, who may be the most overtly political person on my block. Even when there isn’t an election, Jamie hangs signs in his large front window, often supporting or decrying some politician or taking a street-level stand on legislation. When I caught up with him, he proudly sported a “Harris Walz” T-shirt.

Jamie is a 63-year-old former IT guy who, in his semi-retirement, started a custom button-making business called Keystone Buttoneer. From his Etsy store, he sells all types of buttons—special occasion, humorous, etc.—but specializes in those espousing liberal politics and left-leaning causes.

Unlike me, he enthusiastically discusses politics with our neighbors. A few, he informed me, had voted for Donald Trump in the past but were switching allegiances this year.

“Most people I talk to are aware of what’s happening, and most of them are voting for Kamala Harris,” he said. “My vibe is that it’s a fairly progressive neighborhood.”

I nod my head in agreement, and it’s not just the signs. Most of the folks I know from our tight-knit ‘hood surely fall into the category of “progressive.”

Jamie then brings up a concern that I’ve heard from others—that, for our neighborhood, election season may not be over, even when it’s supposed to be over.

He worries that Trump, if he loses, will launch a 2024 version of his previous “Stop the Steal” effort to try to overturn the election results, with our neighborhood, in the shadow of the Capitol, on the front lines.

“We’re the biggest swing state,” Jamie said. “We’re number one on the list. So, I do fear for that. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

It’s a legitimate concern.

After the last presidential cycle, groups protested for weeks, holding up signs showing a jacked-up, Photoshopped Trump as Rambo—chanting, screaming, honking, claiming, as Trump still does, that the 2020 election was stolen. On several occasions, heavily armed men with AR-15s strapped to their chests, often in camouflage, some sporting bandoliers, marched through our streets.

Capitol-area residents don’t want to live through that again. Many fear that they got a taste this past August, when a group of masked neo-Nazis aggressively paraded through the neighborhood.

That concern, more than anything else, seems to unite the neighbors, regardless of partisan lean.

When I moved to Harrisburg from Washington, D.C., I figured that my new capital city home would be as political as my old capital city home.

My old Capitol Hill, D.C., neighborhood pulsated with politics, never more so than on Halloween, when many homeowners mounted elaborate, politically themed displays. Think front-yard graveyards with cardboard tombstones of unpassed legislation and effigies of candidates as the undead.

Not so much my Capitol Hill, Pa., neighborhood. Here, you can walk the streets without encountering a single Trump zombie or Harris witch.

But watch out for Jamie. He might just buttonhole you for a brief, if passionate, political discussion. Then he may even sell you the button.

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

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A Move, a Mission: HAPAL swings into new era of helping area youth

October 30, 2024 | by Deborah Lynch

For years, the former Lower Paxton Youth Center sat abandoned with weeds and kudzu taking over the playground and buildings.

Neighbors helped keep a path to the swing set cleared so a young man with special needs could make his daily pilgrimage there, where he would swing as high as he could.

His path became more inviting after the Harrisburg Area Police Athletic League (HAPAL) acquired the property and began cleaning it up. Now, the young man can venture each day to a freshly painted swing set surrounded by other refurbished playground equipment and picnic tables in a tranquil setting next to a baseball field with new dirt and mown grass.

HAPAL CEO Dr. Charles Stuart and his wife Ann watch with pleasure as that young man sails high in the sky and as others from the community venture to HAPAL’s new home, which was dedicated on Aug. 3, after nearly a year of painstaking work to reclaim the property.

Before the organization could obtain the youth center, baseball field and playground through an organizational merger, HAPAL mentored from a location at 6th and Maclay streets in Harrisburg. The Stuarts had seen the abandoned Lower Paxton property, but it took time to track down the property information and negotiate a deal. Eventually, their work paid off with a $1 property transfer purchase to HAPAL.

“This allows us to reach more people in the Dauphin County area,” Stuart said.

The Stuarts and a few volunteers put in “hours and hours and hours” of sweat equity. It involved cleaning up dead mice and feces in the youth center building, evicting a raccoon family from the attic space, and repainting everything. It included replacing the water system, installing security cameras and reclaiming the property both from the weeds and from undesirable activities near it.

Now, Stuart, a retired law enforcement officer, has a big, safe space to support sports teams and education programs for Harrisburg-area youth.

He and James Jones, a football legend at Harrisburg and USC, joined HAPAL in 2014 and worked to revitalize a program that had withered. They rebuilt the board and relationships with sponsors and the community. COVID and a search for baseball fields and a permanent home clouded their vision until the new property materialized.

Blessed

The Lower Paxton Youth Center was developed in the 1950s on property left by the Wood family, who wanted it set aside for community and youth activities. The center saw a variety of uses through the years, including as a music club for teenagers and a church, but it had been empty for a long time.

“Dr. Stuart got hold of me, and it seemed like a natural transition—healthy guidance and recreation for young adults, which was what the youth center was doing,” said Link Martin, the lone remaining board member of the Lower Paxton Youth Center who now sits on the HAPAL board. “It’s great to see it be used again as a resource for young people in the community.”

While Craig Heilman—who was familiar with the baseball field—donated his time and equipment to re-create the baseball field, the Pennbrook Board of Recreation and Swatara Township offered HAPAL baseball fields to use.

“We’ve been blessed with people like that,” Stuart said.

HAPAL is mentoring about 130 Harrisburg-area children through sports—this summer, it ran seven baseball teams and has had track and basketball teams—and education.

“Part of the education is finding out how people feel about the police,” Stuart said. “We are building a relationship to show that law enforcement officers are human, too, and the police want to help you.”

Stuart said HAPAL has excellent relationships with local police departments, and every December, it hosts Shop with Cops, when close to 80 area law enforcement officers take children Christmas shopping at Walmart, which sponsors the event.

Edith Cook, HAPAL’s education coordinator, works with children in groups, one-on-one, and together with parents using a curriculum provided by the national Police Athletic League on a variety of topics, from limiting social media to preparing for next steps in life.

HAPAL aims to involve young children and follow them from 5 through 17. By doing this, they feel they can have the most significant influence. Some of the older teens have been able to attend national youth conferences.

“If the kids get the help now, they won’t need it as an adult,” Cook said.

She took one of her mentees, Mar’kyi Madden, a 10th-grader at Susquehanna Township High School, to a youth conference in Washington, D.C., in 2023 and again to Charlotte, N.C., in 2024. Madden said that he enjoyed being able to get away from Harrisburg, meet people and have fun. The session about going to college and getting a degree inspired him to be “more focused on school,” he said.

While baseball is the most active group within HAPAL, they are looking for coaches and mentors for other sports. They also have children interested in boxing, dance, writing poetry and music and offer healthy cooking classes in the youth center kitchen.

The goal is to find enough volunteers to have regular hours at the center, which has video game consoles, a large TV, books, games, an electric keyboard and much more.

On a late summer evening, children drilled on the baseball field under the direction of coach Marvin Dones. A shy youngster balked at taking the field, and Dones called out, “C’mon. Leaders lead. You can’t lead from over here on the sideline.” At the end of practice, the Stuarts opened the concession stand, passing out drinks and popsicles.

Dones’ son, Jacob, a sophomore at Lock Haven University, is a peer mentor and won HAPAL’s first Angel Mercado-Ocasio scholarship, named for a former PAL child who died in a tragic dugout accident at a Harrisburg baseball field last spring.

JaTanna Parrish, a parent of one of the young baseball players, is happy her child has HAPAL.

“It’s a great tool to make friends, burn energy and learn skills throughout life,” she said.

The Harrisburg Area Police Athletic League is located at 100 Elmwood Dr., Harrisburg (Lower Paxton Township). For more information, visit www.harrisburgareapal.org or on Facebook.

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Past & Present: LGBT Center looks back—and forward—at civil rights advocacy

October 30, 2024 | by Wallace McKelvey

Mark Segal

Fifty-five years ago, a teenage Mark Segal used a piece of chalk to rally people for what would, in retrospect, become a watershed moment in LGBTQ+ history.

“Tomorrow night: Stonewall,” Segal scrawled on walls and sidewalks in the wake of a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York’s Greenwich Village.

Historical moments like that don’t always seem so important while you’re living in them, Segal said, at a recent visit to the Harrisburg-based LGBT Center of Central PA’s new home.

Indeed, he said, LGBTQ+ activism is as essential today as it was in 1969, as school boards across central Pennsylvania ban books and pass new restrictions targeting young people. Meanwhile, an effort to pass statewide nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people has stalled in the state Senate.

“My whole life has been about one word: visibility,” said Segal, who founded the Philadelphia Gay News in 1976. “So, you go to those meetings. You stand up and you talk. You get your friends and family to go with you. You become a majority, rather than a minority.”

When he was growing up, Segal said, gay people were largely absent from public life. In public libraries, for example, a young man like himself could find a few books about LGBTQ+ people—categorized under criminology and psychology. In the media, there were coded stereotypes, but no honest representations.

“I was told I was illegal. I was immoral. I was psychologically insane,” he said. “Somehow, luckily—and probably thanks to my family—I don’t think I ever felt that way.”

Back then, Segal said, “We were totally invisible.”

Segal interrupted the CBS Evening News, hosted by Walter Cronkite, in 1973 with a message: “Gays protest CBS prejudice!” The move was designed to note the lack of balanced news coverage of LGBTQ+ people.

Such activism risked real consequences—including criminal trespassing charges—but helped change hearts and minds. Segal said Cronkite eventually became a supporter of gay rights.

Community & Connection

Partly due to Segal’s efforts, LGBTQ+ rights have come a long way since then. Same-sex marriages are now recognized nationwide, and LGBTQ+ people are now visible in most areas of public life. A young person doesn’t necessarily have to flee to New York to be themselves, as Segal did.

Today, school boards and state legislatures nationwide are passing policy restrictions on athletics, bathrooms and even pronoun usage in schools. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, at least 530 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced nationwide in the last legislative session, including five in Pennsylvania.

For good reason, he said, many ordinary people are wary of becoming the public face of civil rights activism. But that relative lack of visibility cuts both ways. The more visible a minority becomes, the more difficult it becomes to silence them.

Segal himself was a key player behind the scenes of the LGBT Center’s latest historical exhibit recognizing Gov. Milton Shapp as “America’s First Equality Governor.” Shapp was the first U.S. governor to prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ+ state employees, protections he later expanded to include companies with state contracts. In 1976, Shapp also issued a Gay Pride Week proclamation.

During his remarks at the exhibit’s opening, Segal said that Shapp noted his own status as a political outsider. Shapp, Pennsylvania’s first Jewish governor, shortened his last name from Shapiro to sidestep anti-Semitic discrimination.

At one point, Shapp told Segal: “I, too, am in the closet.”

That anecdote underscores another lesson for today’s LGBTQ+ activists: The importance of allies. Shapp wasn’t gay, but he could relate to oppression and that motivated him to stand up for social justice.

“Our allies are extremely important,” Segal said, “so put them to work!”

Further, Segal said it’s important for LGBTQ+ people to organize, even if it’s sometimes a messy process with so many different perspectives on their world and their place in it.

“Gay Liberation Front was probably the most dysfunctional organization that ever existed — and I’m so proud of that,” he said, of the early gay rights group he helped establish. “Out of that dysfunction came a movement that got us to where we are today.”

Segal said that organizations like the LGBT Center are essential to continuing that legacy, providing a place for LGBTQ+ people to gather without discrimination.

In addition to historical exhibits like “America’s First Equality Governor,” the center—which moved into its new home on Front Street in Harrisburg earlier this year—hosts a variety of community, mental health and even housing programs.

As a nonprofit, the center does not engage in political activity but earlier this year hosted an event, “Vote ‘n’ Vax,” that combined a nonpartisan voter registration drive with an MPOX vaccination clinic.

“Having a safe and affirming space where you know you will be welcomed for who you are and met with kindness and support is invaluable,” Executive Director Amber Roadcap said, of the center’s work moving forward. “The LGBTQIA community needs to know that there is a place to go for not just support and resources but to build community and connection.”

The LGBT Center of Central PA is located at 1323 N. Front St., Harrisburg. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, visit its website.

Wallace McKelvey serves on the LGBT Center’s board.

Fun & FAB

In addition to the first exhibit in its new Front Street home, the LGBT Center of Central PA has several other activities planned this fall.

On the first Saturday of each month at 11 a.m., the center will also host a family-friendly storytime, “Once Upon a Rainbow.” Families with kids of all ages are welcome to attend the event free of charge with snacks provided.

Then, on Nov. 2, the LGBT Center will hold its annual FAB Gala at the Hilton Harrisburg. This year’s theme is “Fabulous Fantasies and Fairytales,” with the event raising funds for the center’s community programming.

FAB festivities will begin with a welcome reception at 6 p.m. followed by the 7 p.m. gala. An after-party is planned at the new event venue, Karma, 706 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, starting at 10 p.m.

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