From Ruin, Rebirth: Hope arises from the ashes of the Broad Street Market

August 29, 2023 | by M. Diane McCormick

Leon Glick

One day, 30-plus years ago, Antonio Palmer got a hankering for sausage with green peppers and onions. His sister drove him to a place he didn’t know. It was called the Broad Street Market. He’s been a regular ever since.

But while food was the first enticement, it’s the people who keep him coming back, whether they’re office workers, city residents or tourists from Oregon or Missouri.

“It’s what they call the ambiance,” he said. “Most people don’t understand, but believe it or not, Broad Street Market is the heart and soul of Harrisburg.”

This is not a story about loss, even though it originates with the July 10 fire that gutted the Broad Street Market’s brick building. This is a story of resilience and dreams of what’s next.

A unified vision is emerging. The market of the future remains steeped in Palmer’s historic ambiance, but—let’s face it—much more modern.

“All these buildings need air conditioning,” Palmer said. “Get rid of those fans. That’s what caused the fire. Air conditioning takes care of everything.”

Resetting

First things first. A temporary market structure, fully equipped with utilities and comparable to a military mess hall in a remote outpost, is expected to house about 16 of the 22 displaced vendors.

The temporary market is meant to allow a seamless transition to the ultimately rebuilt brick building in, it’s hoped, about two years. The fit will be tight, as vendors squeeze into a 50-by-100-foot rectangle.

“A lot of businesses are going to scale back in order to make it work for the whole market,” said Executive Director Tanis Monroy. “A lot of them worked well with each other, and they want their neighbor to succeed.”

Or as Two Brothers BBQ owner Leon Glick put it, “Love grows in tight spaces.”

Some brick-building vendors find the temporary structure unfeasible. Ryan Hummer, from the fifth-generation R.G. Hummer Meats, lovingly tended and grew his stand for 22 years. Its costly refrigerated meat cases can’t be replicated in a temporary setting, he said.

Luckily, he is serving his east shore customers at the West Shore Farmers Market stand he established in Lemoyne about three years ago.

“The best part about Harrisburg and the city, it’s so supportive of the market, the community, and the customers over the years,” Hummer said. “All that support has been a blessing.”

A brief organizational chart here. The city of Harrisburg owns the Broad Street Market buildings and grounds. The Broad Street Market Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit overseeing marketplace activity. Each vendor is an independent business that leases space from the alliance.

Rebuilding is a priority, says Mayor Wanda Williams. While the city concentrates on the physical property, officials add that they are all hands on deck for vendors and their entrepreneurial visions.

“A lot of this is going to be vendors working through their own businesses and soul-searching and figuring out what their best path forward is, but we’re going to be in there,” said city Business Administrator Dan Hartman. “We want to be in there. We want to be part of this in the short term, the near term, and the long term.”

Melissa Barrick

Up from the Ashes

Dreams are filling the space now cluttered with rubble. The brick walls can’t expand beyond the historic footprint, but vendors see efficient design creating room for expansion.

On a bright Saturday morning, 11 colorful tents dotted the market’s courtyard. Melissa Barrick, owner of Veg Out, casually swatted away sweat bees from stacks of peaches as she called the fire heartbreaking but “a chance at rebirth.” In the rebuilt building, she hopes to stock local artisan vinegars, oils and chips alongside her Pennsylvania produce.

“We get to redo the market, redo our stands, and start over and fix some things that might have been ignored,” she said. “It’s an opportunity. It gives us a chance to be better when we come back.”

Lhayana Dallas, owner of Honeybush Raw Smoothie Bar, continues thinking about opening a downtown site, but she remains loyal to the temporary structure and the rebuilt building.

“We always want to have a place in the Broad Street Market,” she said. “It’s my community, where I’ve lived since I came back to Harrisburg from college.”

Latoya Dallas

Dallas sees bigger and better in the rebuilt space. As her sister, Latoya Dallas, put it, “The other space will be easier to navigate, and we’ll have the equipment needed for a small bite menu. It’ll be almost cafe style.”

Don’t forget that the Broad Street Market comprises two distinct buildings, stone and brick, like the two halves of an Almond Joy bar.

“Most people would say the stone building was unaffected by the fire, but in reality, both buildings worked in unison with each other,” said Monroy. “Our stone building is still open. It has businesses with ideas to expand while staying at the market. But right now, they’re putting their focus on the market and the immediate community until we can get back up and running in the brick building.”

The market, he added, “is more than a building. It’s alive and full of stories and community. Just because the brick building is gone right now doesn’t mean all that is gone. It’s still here. The vendors still need your support, and now is the time to rally and unite together.”

Ryan Hummer

Future’s So Bright

The Broad Street Market is often called an oasis in a food desert.

“The market is such a supplier for the local community,” Hummer said. “People walk and ride their bikes. We were the only food hub to get local good stuff.”

As the fire puts the temporary loss of that service in sharp focus, the alliance is strengthening partnerships with community nonprofits “to see how best we could provide market service to those areas and maybe figure out ways to bring that to other areas of Harrisburg,” said Monroy.

City government remains “a great partner,” he added, and neighboring Midtown businesses “have been so supportive. All the businesses know that the market is a staple here, and if the market is blossoming, so is the rest of Midtown.”

Josh Kesler, owner of the Millworks, offered favorable lease terms for the grassy lot conjoining the two properties, where the temporary structure will stand. The offer meant delaying his plans for a beer garden there.

Once the shock diminishes, the work begins to sustain attention and the sense of togetherness that the fire engendered, Kesler said. The opportunity exists for “a huge lift.”

“We need to be mindful that we are custodians of the market for our generation to pass on to the next,” he said. “So, let’s make some really good decisions about what that looks like.”

Barrick heard stories from lifelong customers who, as children, hauled customers’ groceries to their homes, returning with their nickels and dimes to buy hot dogs.

Which raises the question: Could a future market have its own DoorDash-style delivery? Now is the time for the community to pitch their ideas for infusing 19th-century ambiance with 21st-century convenience.

“We are really looking at ways to modernize but keep it historical,” said Assistant Manager Megan Giles. “If people would like us to give them more information for delivery or ordering systems, that’s something we have to look into.”

Glick, of Two Brothers BBQ, endured a total loss. Like Hummer, his stand needs are complex, and his decision to set up in the temporary structure was pending, depending on the layout and his equipment needs. But he is “absolutely” committed to returning to the rebuilt brick building. His business grows yearly, and his regular customers deluged him with calls and texts in the days after the fire.

“I miss Harrisburg, and we love you guys,” he said.

Before the fire, the Broad Street Market was “moving in the right direction” toward upgrades and modernization, said Hummer. He envisions a brick building that looks “basically, as historic as it was—beautiful, redone the way it should be,” and with the HVAC and systems that today’s businesses need.

“That place, even the way it is sitting right now, is still a gem in the city,” he said. “To have a beautiful market—vibrant, alive, with fresh, quality food—could fulfill a lot of the dreams of the city. I know it was a tragedy, which it was for everybody involved, but sometimes from tragedy comes a new path. A better path.”

Next month, TheBurg will publish “Part Two” of this story, focused on the physical rebuild of the historic Broad Street Market and the city’s business development role.

To learn more about the Broad Street Market, including donation opportunities, visit www.broadstreetmarket.org.

Photos by Dani Fresh.

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September Publisher’s Note

August 29, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

Call me old-fashioned, but I’m a big believer in the importance of the office.

Back in 2008, way before at-home work became a thing, we considered all working virtually, mostly to save money as a bootstrapping startup.

However, I felt that having a physical office in Harrisburg was important, so I bought a building on Front Street, which became our first location.

It took several moves to get properly situated, but our current, central location on N. 3rd Street seems exactly right for us.

People pop in all the time to meet with us, to pick up a magazine, to buy a Burg T-shirt, and, sometimes, just for the heck of it. Several times each day, someone—an old woman, a young man, kids—will peer into our large, plate-glass window. I think I’ve disappointed more than a few folks who discover that the only thing to see is some bald guy (me) sitting behind a desk.

But I like our office because it invokes the spirit of a true community newspaper.

Back in the day, nearly every town had a local paper and, often, it occupied a prominent storefront on Main Street or on the main square. It was a hub of activity as reporters came and went, local bigwigs dropped in, and ordinary folks swung by to pay for a subscription or take out a classified ad.

Unfortunately, times have changed, and most towns have lost their local papers, and, with them, the offices that once served as community hubs and sources of identity. The loss of the hometown newspaper has been felt not only in terms of ink and paper but of brick and mortar.

To be honest—our small full-time staff easily could work virtually, and we’d save a ton on monthly rent. But we believe that we’d lose more than we’d gain, in terms of community, identity and camaraderie.

Actually, this month, you get a special chance to see our storefront office as, for a third straight year, we plan to host a band for the annual Jazz Walk, which takes place on Sept. 8. It’s part of our longstanding commitment to local arts and culture, as also evidenced by our arts-themed issue this month.

So, drop in, say, “hi” and experience some great music, all in one visit. We’ll leave the door open for you.

Lawrance Binda
Publisher/Editor

Click here to read the digital version of our September issue.

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Crowns of the Commonwealth: Harrisburg-area women take to the national pageant stage to represent Pennsylvania, shine a light on important causes

August 29, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Susan Ewing-Rathfon

Susan Ewing-Rathfon was terrified as she walked out on stage.

She reached into a bowl full of slips of paper, each with a question. She had listened to the women before her, each competing for the state title. They drew cards one-by-one and answered challenging questions with eloquence and clarity. She thought: What would she do if she didn’t know how to answer or let stage fright get the best of her? But then came her turn.

Ewing-Rathfon pulled out a card that read, “Tell us about something that was difficult in your life and how it has changed you.” She knew just how to answer. It was the whole reason she was doing this, putting on the heels and sash, spending hours on hair and makeup and dedicating so much time to community service and speaking events. She has a platform, a passion to share and, through the Mrs. American pageant, she is doing just that.

Ewing-Rathfon is one of two Harrisburg women representing Pennsylvania in national pageants. Both Mrs. Pennsylvania American and Miss Pennsylvania are from the Harrisburg area. Other local women and girls are taking to the stage as well, as TheBurg has heard from other pageant contestants and wrote a story about two young Harrisburg pageant queens in last month’s issue.

Through it all, Harrisburg-area residents are bringing national attention to the city.

Both Ewing-Rathfon and Miss Pennsylvania, Miranda Moore, are stepping out on some of the most prominent pageant stages in the nation to make their region and state proud. With their new platforms, they each have messages to share, bringing to light issues like substance abuse disorder and sustainability.

“For me, pageantry is really about getting my voice out there,” Ewing-Rathfon said. “I just want to be remembered for my platform.”

A Mic and A Message

After Ewing-Rathfon answered the fishbowl question during the competition for the title of Mrs. Pennsylvania American, and shared her story on the stage, she posted the video to social media. Not long after, she saw a comment on the post.

“This woman said, ‘I want you to know, your message touched me so much,” Ewing-Rathfon said. “It’s a good reminder to me to keep going and that people are hearing my message.”

Ewing-Rathfon told her story of witnessing both her father and sister overdose and die from substance abuse and how she quickly became a mother to her 3-year-old niece.

At that time in her life, the thought of pageantry wouldn’t have crossed her mind. She was working full time and raising a child.

But competing in pageants was a part of Ewing-Rathfon’s past. Growing up, she was in love with the idea of becoming like the poised, elegant women she saw on TV. She competed in several competitions as a teenager and grew from lessons on public speaking and confidence.

About 18 years later, a friend introduced her to the Mrs. American pageant. Now that her daughter was a teenager and life had calmed down slightly, she decided to jump back in.

“Getting back into pageantry, the greatest shift was the focus was back on me and that is something I hadn’t had since I was much younger,” she said. “Like so many women, we lose sight of ourselves. It was a total mindset change for me—this idea that I’m going to focus on myself, but more importantly, that it’s OK.”

First as Mrs. Harrisburg and now Mrs. Pennsylvania American, Ewing-Rathfon has traveled around the area participating in community service and speaking events. Her main mission is to bring awareness to the issue of substance abuse.

She is especially passionate about sharing her story with high school and college groups and letting them know that they are not defined by the choices their family members have made.

She knows what it’s like to have feelings of shame and judgment associated with having a father in prison and two family members with addictions. But, with time, she learned that only she could decide who she would be.

“People are often shocked to learn what my life was like,” she said. “But I realized I wanted something better for myself.”

While competition season is busy, Ewing-Rathfon is also the founder and president of Crescent Strategy, a Harrisburg-based brand management firm. Juggling everything can be overwhelming, but she’s happy to add a crown to the list of hats she wears.

She will compete for the title of Mrs. American in late August.

“I’m proud of myself,” she said. “If all I’m remembered for is my platform and my message, that is success to me.”

Miranda Moore

Forever Better

For Miranda Moore of Susquehanna Township, pageantry first presented itself as an opportunity to earn a scholarship. She was a student at the University of Georgia, taking an additional year of classes and in need of some extra finances.

But pageantry quickly became much more.

“I always joke that I started for the scholarships but stayed for everything else,” she said. “I realized I got a lot better at public speaking, I was making a lot of friends, and I felt like I was getting out of my shell.”

Moore became Miss Central Pennsylvania in January and was crowned Miss Pennsylvania in June. Through the process, she has realized how much effort, service and hard work goes into pageants.

Moore is also an environmental engineer, working for UGI Utilities, which plays a big role in her platform as Miss Pa. She has participated in several STEM-focused events and is a major advocate for sustainability.

Only 11% of certified engineers are women, Moore said, which is why it’s important to her to serve as an example for younger girls and a way to envision themselves in the career.

“It’s cool to be able to break very old stereotypes because, of course, women can do anything and be anything,” she said. “I like to go into schools and show young people that you can wear the crown and the sash and be an engineer and get your hands dirty.”

For as long as she can remember, Moore has been interested in sustainability and environmental activism and, through her platform, advocates for conserving resources and creating a greener world.

In January, Moore will compete in the nationally televised Miss America competition wearing a sustainable wardrobe—thrifted, rented and upcycled pieces. In a society where fast fashion runs rampant, Moore hopes to model how to still dress fashionably, while still being ethically and environmentally minded.

While much of her work as Miss Pennsylvania has been focused on serving and educating others, the values, experiences and professional networking opportunities Moore has gained have been just as significant.

“I will be forever a Miss Pennsylvania. This will be something that I get to share and reflect on for the rest of my life,” she said. “I will be forever a better public speaker, forever a more well-rounded person, and better at communicating. These are all things that I’ll take away.”

Both Moore and Ewing-Rathfon, of course, hope to win the national titles. But, overall, they’re just proud to have made it this far, to represent Harrisburg and the commonwealth and to share their passions on a national stage.

“Harrisburg has really taken the world by storm,” Moore said.

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The Cherry on Top: Honey Bear crafts worry-free, indulgent ice cream for foodies with allergies, dietary restrictions

August 29, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Natalie Wallace

Growing up in a “very Italian” family meant that food was a big part of Natalie Wallace’s life. More specifically—dessert was everything.

“My mom made dessert every night, like multiple desserts,” she said. “So, it was always like, ‘what’s for dessert?’”

Wallace especially loved ice cream, the comfort that a cold pint on the couch provided after a bad day and the joy that a freshly scooped and drippy cone offered on a good day. The frozen treat has played a consistent role in her life, she’s realized over the years. Her husband even proposed to her with an ice cream cone.

But as much as she loved ice cream, it didn’t always leave her feeling the best.

In high school, she remembers going to Dairy Queen with friends and taking a Lactaid pill before “slamming a Blizzard,” she said, laughing.

But it wasn’t until her 20s that she realized she had food allergies and needed to cut certain products out of her diet—a nightmare for a foodie. However, it’s been over a decade now that Wallace, a Susquehanna Township resident, has been gluten and dairy free.

What happened to her love for ice cream? It’s only grown by the scoop, just minus the dairy.

In 2018, Wallace had an idea to start an ice cream business. But without any experience making ice cream, just eating a lot of it, the idea didn’t take off quite yet. Plus, she already had her two video production businesses, one that specialized in wedding videography and another that provides commercial video services.

But when COVID hit, the weddings stopped. At about the same time, she was gifted an ice cream maker. So, she had plenty of time and no excuses not to try her hand at making her favorite treat.

“I wanted to make ice cream that I can’t find in the stores,” she said. “There are options, of course, but the flavors are really limited. There are a lot of basic, classic flavors that they still don’t make on a large scale in a dairy-free version.”

In May 2021, Wallace launched her Harrisburg-based ice cream business, Honey Bear, named after her pet name for her dog, offering gluten- and dairy-free, vegan ice cream.

Flavor by the Scoop

Harrisburg resident Robyn Sitz has followed Honey Bear since the beginning.

After being diagnosed with celiac disease, she started looking for gluten-free dessert options and stumbled upon Honey Bear.

Like Wallace, Sitz explained the difficulty of finding ice cream she could eat that came in flavors other than simple vanilla and chocolate. But with Honey Bear, the options were like none she’d ever found.

“It’s the whole range of flavors,” she said. “Honey Bear has everything dialed in perfectly— the texture, the flavor. I would liken her stuff to Häagen-Dazs. It’s decadent.”

“Lucky Denver Mint” is Sitz’s favorite.

Other unique Honey Bear flavors include “Black Star,” double chocolate brownies swirled into chocolate ice cream, “Monday Morning,” brown sugar ice cream with crumb cake and a cinnamon sugar swirl, and “American Girl,” vanilla ice cream with New York-style cheesecake and strawberry and blueberry sauces.

Honey Bear also carries the classics like vanilla, strawberry, peanut butter ripple and chocolate chip cookie dough.

Replacing the dairy are ingredients like organic coconut cream and coconut milk, as well as other allergen-free alternatives.

A few flavors boast sweet collabs with local businesses, such as “No Bad Days,” which blends in Dillsburg-based Tucker&Co. Bakery’s oat chocolate chip bars, and “Supernaut,” which uses Harrisburg-based Little Amps Coffee Roasters’ coffee, swirled with fudge and chocolate covered coffee beans.

Little Amps is also where customers can find Honey Bear pints and smaller, sundae cups in ice cream freezers at the shop’s State Street and Green Street locations.

“It’s just delicious,” said Little Amps CEO Peter Leonard. “The community response has been wild.”

Honey Bear also sells pints in a number of other local stores and regularly hosts ice cream pop-ups, traveling around the state in their blue-and-white trailer and handing out cones.

“I’ve been pretty blown away by the community support from the start,” Wallace said. “It’s important to me that everyone feels welcome at our events.”

Sweets & Sunshine

It was through one of the pop-up events that Lauren Kuda, who lives near Philadelphia, first tried Honey Bear.

“It’s hard to find ice cream that checks all the boxes and still tastes good,” said Kuda, who is dairy and gluten free. “Honey Bear’s flavors brought the nostalgia and made me feel like I was eating the desserts I once could eat.”

Kuda attends as many Honey Bear pop-ups as she can, but even when she misses one, Wallace is often willing to meet up with her for a special delivery.

“I am so grateful to be able to access something I can enjoy,” Kuda said.

Providing quality customer service is an important ingredient in Honey Bear’s mission. She calls her scoop team members the “sunny honeys” and trains them to “be sunshine” to customers.

Wallace knows what it’s like to go to a restaurant and feel stressed about having to question the ingredients that are in dishes or ask for allergen-free options. Her goal is to foster an environment that is the opposite of that, where the needs of people with food allergies are prioritized.

“We are trying to serve a group of customers that we feel are underserved and ignored,” Wallace said. “We are all about giving them a stress-free experience. They can feel free to ask any question.”

That mission seems to be working as Honey Bear keeps growing and gaining more faithful followers.

Next up for the business is finding a bigger kitchen space, as they currently operate out of a rented church kitchen. After that, the business could expand into its own scoop shop or ramp up wholesale production. Wallace is still trying to decide on the next move, but one thing is for sure—Honey Bear is at a big turning point.

Regardless of what comes next, Wallace is committed to Honey Bear, her customers and her love for ice cream, which hasn’t wavered, even though it’s on her mind all the time.

“We only have one life, so we should be doing something we are proud of that speaks to who we are,” she said. “I think about ice cream all day, and I never get sick of it.”

For more information on Honey Bear, where to purchase ice cream and upcoming events, visit www.honey-bear-kitchen.square.site.

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Keeping It Creative: Narçisse Theatre Co. sketches out a full season from their new downtown home

August 29, 2023 | by Gina Napoli

FL Henley Jr

At some point, you just need to have a place all your own.

That may apply to a young person, but it also may apply to a young arts collective.

In 2016, Narçisse Theatre Company began a residence in the basement of H*MAC, with a small stage, wooden kitchen chairs and church pews. It was cozy, and fun, but it also was time to grow.

“Although we really dug the spot and were grateful for the support all those years, we were thrilled to move out on our own,” said founder FL Henley Jr.

Earlier this year, the theater officially raised the curtain on their permanent home, a dedicated space on Chestnut Street in downtown Harrisburg, the former site of International House.

The space has great bones and even greater potential. Like any young tenants just moving in, they’ve got furniture from their old house wedged into corners, lots of hand-me-downs—renting this, borrowing that. It’s a modular space overflowing with room for growth and manifesting goals, with Henley turning one blank wall of his new theater into a life-sized vision board.

OK, it’s not truly a traditional vision board. It’s more like a notional outline of where Henley wishes a door would be when they have enough money to remodel. The gray paint of the otherwise blank wall shows blueprint-blue tape outlining the shape of a door, complete with a blocky smiley-face where a doorknob might be.

Henley had initially hoped to locate NTC farther out to broaden the reach of the Harrisburg arts community. However, the theater is now more centrally located as part of the growing downtown arts district—and the location won’t stop Henley from reaching people who may not have access.

He credits the staff at Harristown Development Corp. for helping to secure the space and for assistance with redecorating the walls of the 60-seat theater.

It’s at this point in the tour that Henley mentions, not so casually, “We’re always looking for corporate sponsorships, partnerships and grants.”

Image courtesy of PHotos

Education Focus

Part of NTC’s growth includes big plans for young creatives.

It’s not enough for the company to just provide their signature brand of uncomfortable entertainment—performing plays that challenge the average audience to ask questions, think critically, and get cozy with ambiguity.

“We must keep pressing forward every day,” Henley said. “We’ve got to move past boundaries of what a typical theater company does, expanding into different fields, pivoting towards arts education.”

Henley has a heart for the community that formed him. He grows concerned about issues impacting the city today, such as teacher shortages, funding cuts for arts programs, and an immigrant population that is often overlooked.

In this spirit, he plans to pilot high-quality arts education classes starting in small batches, for students aged 10 to 18, for two or three afternoons per week through the newly forming Young Artists Academy.

While access is at the core of what NTC is about, that doesn’t mean everyone who applies will be enrolled. Henley wants to create a competitive paradigm to challenge students to earn admission with a vigorous audition process, with students continuously working to maintain their spots in the program.

“We’re getting rid of the pay-to-play capitalistic concept. We’re not looking for people with degrees. We’re not looking for derivative art,” Henley said. “We’re looking for people with talent, welcoming non-commercial art. Art for art’s sake. Keeping it weird. Keeping it creative.”

Henley pops with excitement when talking about his plans for NTC, so much that his passion is already spilling over into a new outdoor courtyard.

A brightly colored mural overlooks the space, serving as another vision board of sorts, further reinforcing the theater’s core value of diversity in the arts. Weather permitting, the courtyard will serve as an excellent standalone venue for upcoming performances and educational classes.

In the artistic community spirit that continues to nurture NTC, Henley will gladly loan his new space to other theater companies in need of a venue.

“Now that we have a spot, they have a spot,” Henley said. “We’re always looking for partnerships to fulfill our mission.”

Narçisse Theatre Company is located at 312 Chestnut St., Harrisburg. The season’s first show, “Doctor Faustus” by Christopher Marlowe, runs Sept. 1 to Sept. 9 in the theater’s courtyard. For information and tickets, visit www.narcissetheatre.org.

A Look Ahead

Narçisse Theatre Company’s 2023-24 season includes:

“Dr. Faustus,” 1 to 9
“Glengarry Glen Ross,” Nov 3 to 19
“American Son,” 2 to 18
“The Spirit of Hispania/El Espiritu de Hispania,” April 5 to 21
“Day of Absence,” June 7 to 23

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September News Digest

August 29, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Market Restoration Plan Begins

Harrisburg last month took a significant step forward in its strategy for the Broad Street Market, voting to proceed with a plan for a temporary home for displaced vendors.

City Council voted to authorize the city to move forward with lease agreements related to constructing a temporary structure for market vendors displaced by July’s devastating fire.

The fire, caused by a ceiling fan malfunction, heavily damaged much of the market’s brick building. However, city and state officials have pledged to rebuild.

In the meantime, Harrisburg is moving forward with a temporary structure to be constructed on a grassy lot across the street from the market, as approved by council. City officials have said that they plan to lease the land from the Millworks owner, Josh Kesler, at the corner of Verbeke and N. 3rd streets.

According to City Solicitor Neil Grover, under that lease, the city will likely only pay for property taxes for the lot while using it.

Council’s approval also gives the city the ability to enter into an agreement with the Broad Street Market Alliance, which runs the operations of the city-owned market buildings, to oversee and manage the temporary structure.

Grover said that he expects that rebuilding the market’s brick building will take around two years.

Additionally, council approved the use of $500,000 in the city’s initial insurance proceeds to assist with fire-related expenses, such as costs to secure the damaged building and for the lease of the temporary market structure.

Council Candidate to Remain on Ballot

A Harrisburg City Council candidate will remain on the November general election ballot, as an attempt to kick him off failed last month in court.

Lamont Jones will have his shot in November at earning a seat on council, as Dauphin County Judge Jeffrey Engle ruled in his favor.

A lawsuit was filed in July to try to remove Jones, a Democratic candidate, from the ballot, based on his past criminal convictions dating back over 20 years. However, Engle sustained the defendant’s preliminary objections to the lawsuit and stated that, “the defendant should remain on the November election ballot.”

“I feel encouraged,” Jones said, surrounded by supporters cheering outside the courthouse, following the hearing. “This is a huge day today. We can go into November and remain on the ballot.”

During the hearing, Marco Attisano, the attorney representing the plaintiffs in the case, argued that Jones had misrepresented his eligibility for office and said that his prior convictions should be considered “infamous crimes,” offenses that could disqualify someone from assuming office. If Jones were elected and later found to be ineligible for office, city council would choose a replacement, which would take away the voters’ power to select their representative, Attisano argued.

Jones’ attorney, John Bravacos, countered that the challenge to Jones’ nomination petition fell outside the statutory filing period of seven days after the petition-filing deadline. Bravacos also argued that state election code law does not allow the court to force a candidate to withdraw his name from the ballot.

Kelly Summerford, elections chair for the Dauphin County Democratic Committee, testified during the hearing, stating that Jones was upfront with the committee about his criminal convictions during the committee’s interview process.

“He has redeemed himself,” Summerford stated. “I can’t think of a better candidate. I was amazed and disturbed that this even happened.”

Bravacos also spoke to the fact that Jones has applied for a pardon from the commonwealth and received support from the Dauphin County district attorney and a former secretary of corrections.

Jones is seeking a pardon for his past criminal convictions, including a misdemeanor in 1997 for false reports to law enforcement, and two felonies, once in 2004 and 2005, for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

As a result of the judge’s ruling, Jones’ name will appear as one of three Democratic candidates for city council in November, alongside incumbent council President Danielle Bowers and Crystal Davis, for three, four-year seats.

Apartment Project Gets Planning Approval

A major downtown Harrisburg apartment project has easily cleared its first significant hurdle, securing an approval of its building plan.

Last month, the city’s Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the land development plan for the conversion of the former Federal Building into a 162-unit apartment building.

“I think this is a great project,” said the commission chair, Joe Alsberry. “I do like projects that bring economic development to the city and bring taxpayers to the city. This project appears to be that type of project.”

The vote followed a 30-minute presentation by the New Jersey-based developer, Yasser Hellel, and the project’s Harrisburg-based architect, Vern McKissick, a long-time planning commission member who recused himself from the vote.

Hellel is proposing to construct 146 one-bedroom units, 14 two-bedroom units and two studio units from the 11-story, 196,000-square-foot office building located at N. 3rd and Walnut streets.

The plan also calls for first-floor commercial space and amenities such as a fitness center, penthouse lounge, shared office space, a rooftop deck, a shared lobby and a limited parking deck.

Until recently, the building housed the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and other federal offices. Court personnel moved in April to a new federal courthouse at N. 6th and Reily streets, leaving the building nearly empty.

In February, Hellel bought the 55-year-old structure for $13.3 million from Jeremy Etzin, who had purchased the building at auction a year before for $10 million from the U.S. General Services Administration.

In an interview with TheBurg, Hellel estimated the total project cost to be around $35 million, including acquisition costs.

During the Planning Commission meeting, Hellel and McKissick addressed two significant issues: parking and affordable housing.

Currently, the project includes only about 30 off-street parking spaces. Harrisburg’s Downtown Center zoning district does not require off-street parking to be included as part of the project.

However, Hellel said that they were seeking to address the issue by possibly leasing spaces in nearby parking garages, with a goal of securing one space per apartment.

He also said that he’s aware of the city’s desire that affordable housing be included in new apartment projects.

“We’re prepared to give some serious consideration as part of our application,” he said. “I think we’ll come up with something sensible to present to City Council.”

Next, the land development plan must be approved by City Council before construction can begin. Hellel said that he hopes to start work in January and believes that the project will take about 18 months to complete.

During the meeting, McKissick cited the potential effect of the project on the downtown economy, now that many workers who once spent their days in downtown offices work primarily from home. He estimated that the building would house 240 to 280 residents.

“It will be a significant impact and a positive one, we hope,” he said.

New Home for LGBT Center

After several years in a temporary location, the LGBT Center of Central PA has purchased a permanent home on a prominent Harrisburg street.

In late June, the organization bought a commercial-style building at 1323 N. Front St., near the corner of Verbeke Street, for $255,000 from DMI55 Enterprises LLC, according to Dauphin County sales data.

In a press release, the LGBT Center stated that staff will officially move into the 3,000-square-foot space this fall, following renovations. Improvements will include making the space fully ADA accessible, expanding the lobby and community room, and installing a full kitchen, according to the organization.

“This is especially meaningful for us because it is ‘A Home of Our Own,’ a building that we own, and a permanent space for the center,” said Executive Director Amanda Arbour.

The LGBT Center was located for nearly a decade in a building on the 1300-block of N. 3rd Street in Harrisburg, but moved out almost two years ago. It since has been operating out of the GLO-Harrisburg building on the 1700-block of N. 3rd Street.

The center serves over 2,000 people each year across Dauphin, Cumberland, York and Lancaster counties.

The LGBT Center stated that it was able to raise 61% of its $350,000 goal during its “quiet” fundraising phase, enabling it to purchase the building. The fundraiser is now in its “public” phase to raise the rest of the funds for the building.

“Our work at the LGBT Center of Central PA is as important as ever in the face of increasing anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and discrimination,” said Wallace McKelvey, board co-chair. “With the establishment of a home of our own, we extend heartfelt gratitude to all who support our efforts in fostering the health and wellbeing of our community.”

Home Sales Down, Prices Firm

Home sales dipped though prices inched up in July, according to the latest report on previously owned homes in the Harrisburg area.

For the three-county region, sales totaled 517 homes compared to 675 sales in July 2022, as the median price rose to $264,900 versus $255,000 last year, stated the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 245 homes sold against 344 the prior July, as the median price fell slightly, to $235,000 from $239,800, said GHAR.

Cumberland County reported 236 home sales, a drop from 303 last July, while the median price rose to $292,000 from $290,000, according to GHAR.

Perry County had 30 home sales, a decrease of eight units compared to July 2022, as the median price shot up to $267,500 versus $218,750 a year ago, GHAR said.

GHAR also reported that houses were selling a bit slower in July, as the “average days on market” rose to 19 days compared to 15 days in July 2022.

So Noted

Chase Bank opened a branch office last month in downtown Harrisburg at 10 S. 2nd St. The bank offers a full range of services from the location, including credit cards, mortgages, personal banking, auto financing and small business loans.

Daniel Snow was hired as Harrisburg’s new city engineer at an annual salary of $140,000. The post had been vacant for about 18 months, with Lower Paxton Township-based Dawood Engineering filling some functions during this time on a contractual basis.

Drew Iwaskow last month was appointed chief people officer for Goodwill Keystone Area, a newly created role in the organization. The position focuses on hiring, employee retention, employee development and other workforce issues. Iwaskow previously served as vice president of human resources for Dollar Tree Corp.

George Hartwick last month was named “County Commissioner of the Year” at the County Commissioners Association of PA (CCAP) conference in Erie. Hartwick, a Democrat, has been a Dauphin County commissioner since 2003.

Jeb Stuart last month was elected to serve as the president of Historic Harrisburg Association. Stuart, the organization’s 25th president, succeeds Thomas Darr, who served in the post for six years. Stuart has long been involved with HHA, including as board member, House Tour Committee chair, Preservation Advisor and member of the CHPF Council of Trustees.

Jess King has been named executive director of the Steinman Institute for Civic Engagement, a new institute concentrating on innovations in the areas of local news consumption and delivery, media literacy and civic life. The institute is a new venture for the public media organization, WITF, formed as part of the transaction that gifted LNP to WITF. King formerly served as chief of staff for the Lancaster mayor and has over 20 years of experience in public and nonprofit organizations, according to WITF.

Lou Baverso will step down this month as president of UPMC in Central Pa. following about a year in the post. Baverso, who spent 28 years with UPMC, is leaving to become chief operating officer at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System. David Gibbons, regional president, and senior vice president of the UPMC Health Services Division, will serve as interim president of UPMC in Central Pa. until a successor is named, said UPMC.

Robin Wiessmann last month was named “Housing Advocate of the Year” by Harrisburg-based Tri County Housing, an award presented at the organization’s annual golf outing fundraiser. Wiessmann is the executive director and CEO of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and the former state treasurer and secretary of banking.

Ryan Unger has been elected to the board of directors of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, an Alexandria, Va.-based organization that represents over 9,000 professionals who work at more than 1,600 chambers of commerce. Unger serves as president and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC.

Changing Hands

Allison St., 1500: L. & B. Hummel to N. Kebede, $93,000

Bellevue Rd., 2012: T. & J. Lawson to J. Maneri, $170,000

Berryhill St., 2112: C. Ankeny to Two Three Two Investments LLC, $78,000

Berryhill St., 2152: D. Hess to Gamma One LLC, $85,000

Boas St., 1921: P. Holubowski & Lehman Property Management to D. Ruford, $75,000

Caledonia St., 1937: C. Maluchnik & G. Kerper to C. Buckles & C. Wise, $216,500

Camp St., 625: C. Perez to Penn Properties Associates LLC, $42,000

Chestnut St., 1217: Lorfax 1 LLC & Map T LLC to J. Tolentino, $77,000

Chestnut St., 1816: J. & A. Padilla to Y. De La Rosa & V. Yordan, $94,000

Chestnut St., 1917: S. Jawhar to CJMB Holdings LLC, $110,000

Crescent St., 325: D. & J. Tuzzato to L. Kaighn, $70,000

Crescent St., 455: K. Weldon to Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC, $45,000

Derry St., 1410: M. Wijaya & S. Liang to J., H. & S. Sandoval, $100,000

Derry St., 2325: C. McCormick to S. & M. Mejia, $120,000

Emerald Ct., 2451: M. Spence to T. Dafton, $160,000

Evergreen St., 319: A. Rivera to R. Pena, $46,580

Fulton St., 2033: S. Simmons to JHK Properties LLC, $110,100

Geary St., 619: Q. Watson to G. Rodriguez, $44,500

Green St., 1719: The Berlin Group to T. Yeargain, $276,000

Green St., 2230: SPG Capital LLC to Y. & R. Corniell, $155,000

Green St., 2323: A. Mohamed to J. Cabbagestalk, $87,500

Green St., 3212: J. & S. Compton to J. Brevan & A. Lovo, $150,000

Holly St., 2020: W. Brown to First Choice Home Buyers LLC, $65,000

Howard St., 1313 & 1319: A. Morillo to RC Realty & Investment LLC, $40,000

Hudson St., 1132: B. Laney to E. Koup, $165,000

Kensington St., 2267: Blackfoot Viking LLC to PA Deals LLC, $67,000

Locust St., 119: Sierra Real Estate LLC to N. Spacavento, $240,000

Market St., 1851: M. Stewart & Metro Bank to L. & V. Weiler, $145,000|

Mercer St., 2423: M. Kauffman to E. Green, $76,500

Muench St., 314: D. Keech to Aljo Properties LLC, $97,500

Muench St., 316: D. Keech to Aljo Properties LLC, $97,500

Mulberry St., 1202: D. Smarsh to Aden General Contracting LLC, $62,000

Mulberry St., 1843: A. Jacques to H. Hall & M. Stinson, $73,000

North St., 1732: B. Baker to J. Oshinuga, $90,000

N. 2nd St., 815: J. Ehring to U. Bigham, $225,000

N. 2nd St., 3237: H. & J. Loughery to R. Murray, $251,500

N. 4th St., 1324: R&K Realty Group LP to C. O’Donnell, $171,000

N. 4th St., 2333: I. Molina to S. Joseph & R. Louis, $156,000

N. 4th St., 3018: C. Johnson to J. & E. Kohute, $230,900

N. 6th St., 1344: H. Bevan to S. Mercurio, $175,000

N. 14th St., 211 & 213: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Dreams2Reality Services LLC, $116,500

N. 14th St., 1208: M. Ellis & Law Offices of Craig A. Diehl to JTA Consulting Group LLC, $67,100

N. 15th St., 223: Lancaster Real Estate Fund LLC to L. Rivera & J. Hernandez, $62,000

N. 15th St., 1609: Top Notch Rentals LLC to A. McKune & A. Peterson, $79,500

N. 16th St., 805: M. Temba to M. Guzman, $62,000

N. 16th St., 1010: A. & A. Penn to Saintelia Properties II LLC, $160,000

N. 16th St., 1218: G. & C. Dauberman to R. Bujosa, $125,000

N. 17th St., 614: C. Johnson, C. Logan & S. Kent to F. Flores, $100,000

N. 18th St., 73: R. Newberry to C. de Jesus, $105,000

N. 18th St., 920: Global Reach LLC to L. Marte, $105,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 308: A. Kanpol to M. & J. Horgan, $205,000

N. Summit St., 127 & 2656 Jefferson St.: R. & M. Archie to Beahive Affordable Housing Outreach Inc., $65,000

Park St., 1734: Keystone Properties Solutions LLC to Y. Tejada, $135,000

Penn St., 1103: W. Osborne & R. Campbell to Equitable Builds LLC, $65,000

Penn St., 1826: A. Virant to E. Webb, $206,000

Penn St., 2138: L. Ramirez to Oasis Property Investment LLC, $47,000

Regina St., 1526, 1530 & 1532: J. & A. Wells to J. Vasquez & Y. Jaramillo, $62,000

Seneca St., 250: A. Nix to J. King & J. Wise, $149,000

S. 13th St., 435: Alliance Estates LLC to C. Blackwell, $129,900

S. 13th St., 1426: Far Reo Sub 1 LLC to A. Paredes, $119,000

S. 16th St., 15: T. Diggs to J. Mendez, $90,000

S. 18th St., 1206: Capital Property Investments LP to J. Gardner, $229,000

S. 21st St., 24: E. Lonardi to S. Singh, $200,000

S. 26th St., 620: F. Cain to F. Salvato & C. Daube, $175,250

S. 26th St., 734: J. Glipatrick to P. Williams, $125,000

S. 29th St., 624: J. Pham to K. Pham, $115,000

S. Front St., 563: T. Youngbluth to M. Dagneau, $193,500

Verbeke St., 1727: S. & A. Dougherty to L. & B. Robinson, $128,000

Walnut St., 1612: A. Lovo to HBA Landscaping LLC, $80,000

Wilson Parkway, 2694: L. Davis to Gamma One LLC, $86,000

Woodbine St., 237: Montalvo Investments LLC to Penn Properties Associates LLC, $105,000

Woodbine St., 330: L. Blanton to J. & K. Travers and F. Hamid, $120,000

Woodbine St., 642: YMCA Harrisburg & Cornerstone Initiative LLC to M. Scott, $158,000

Woodbine St., 644: YMCA Harrisburg & Cornerstone Initiative LLC to L. Little, $150,000

Harrisburg property sales, July 2023, greater than $40,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Painting Times Two: Over decades, the Buchanans have shared a life, a talent

August 29, 2023 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Painting by Robert Buchanan

The couple that paints together has grown more gifted together.

Since 1981, when Barbara and Robert Buchanan met while exhibiting separately at the Mt. Gretna Art Show, they have led intensive lives as fine artists—studying art, teaching art, practicing art, and showing it.

A few years later, they were married, inspiring each other as artists and people.

“Art takes one out of the mundane,” Robert said.

Both artists have had long and prestigious careers.

Robert is the author of “Four Contemporary Watercolor Illustrators” and has been published in many books and magazines. He has exhibited broadly, including for the U.S. State Department’s “Art in Embassies” program, and has taught at the Art Institute of York, among other places.

Barbara has exhibited at the Reading Art Museum, the Governor’s Mansion and the Lancaster Art Museum, to name just a few, winning numerous awards. Like Robert, she has taught art in many places, including the Lancaster Art Museum, Willow Valley Community, Mechanicsburg Art Center and the York Art Association.

Now in their 70s, these semi-retired artists continue to create and blend each other’s personalities, as they have since that day at Mt. Gretna.

Robert is the more vocal, likelier to answer questions. But he’s also sure to share the stage with Barbara. She credits Robert with being the better “marketer and promoter” of their art and especially with “encouraging” hers.

While two people in the same profession might understand each other better than those who aren’t, they can also be competitive. The rivalry intensified when she sold a painting or received a commission, Barbara said. For a while she stopped painting, though that period ended some 20 years ago.

It helps that the artists have their own specialties. Barbara’s is pastels, while Robert’s are oils and watercolors.

Painting by Barbara Buchanan

Another phase of their lives began when they moved to Masonic Village in Elizabethtown a few years ago. Aside from its rustic beauty and an apartment they love, the facility offered an artist’s studio, to the couple’s delight.

“We have to share it with others, but do have our own work area,” Robert said.

In addition, they have their own exhibiting space—Dutchland Galleries in Kitchen Kettle Village in Intercourse, Pa.

Mostly, Robert and Barbara work independently, but there have been a few joint projects. One is an illustrated volume of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” done for Reader’s Digest Books.

The Buchanans cite their friendly and interesting neighbors as part of the joy of living in Masonic Village. Admittedly, though, Barbara said that they’re perhaps more likely to know the name of the Buchanans’ dog—Salliann, a Maltese/Yorkshire mix.

Plus, being semi-retired means more time for their own hobbies. Robert enjoys hiking, classical music, going to museums, reading about artists, and watching British mysteries on TV. Barbara prefers antiquing, making Victorian ornaments, and reading about art.

Oh, yes, Robert has one more interest—genealogy. Turns out that he’s the eighth generation away from another famous person from central PA: President James Buchanan.

Over the years, the two artists may have slowed down a little in their painting but not in their passionate endorsement of it.

“To me, painting is visual music, a personification of my love of nature, objects and people, Robert said.

Added Barbara: “Upon viewing the landscape, I experience a longing for completeness. Through my paintings, I am able to express this feeling along with the beauty and timelessness I see in the earth around me.”

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Plant Pioneer: What’s it like to be on the ground floor of PA’s medical marijuana industry? Organic Remedies has a story to tell

August 29, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

Eric Hauser

Most new businesses face big obstacles getting off the ground.

There are issues involving financing, location, products, leasing, taxes, regulations—among others.

For Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana companies, you can double those challenges—maybe triple them.

Indeed, anyone who thought that this business would be a golden ticket should speak to Eric Hauser, president of Carlisle-based Organic Remedies.

“It was kind of like block and tackle, honestly. Every day, it was something,” he said. “It was like 12-to-15-hour days almost every day of the week to get this thing off the ground.”

Hauser became interested in the emerging industry a decade or so back. By trade, he’s a pharmacist and spent many years at Rite Aid, rising through the corporate ranks to eventually land in pharmacy operations.

On a trip out west, his curiosity led him to visit several facilities in California and Oregon, where medical marijuana had been legalized.

“It was something that intrigued me—is this real? What is it?” he said. “I had no experience with marijuana before, like zero, prior to all this.”

At the dispensaries, he found people who were eager to share their knowledge and experience: the products they had, the conditions they treated, how they operated.

Around the same time, Pennsylvania was in the process of legalizing cannabis for medicinal purposes, which it did in 2016, following years of grassroots advocacy and lobbying.

“I thought that Pennsylvania would be like the 50th state to legalize the program,” Hauser said. “But they did, and I started reading about it and thought, ‘Maybe this is something I could get behind.’ But first I need to know more about it.”

So, he set out west again, this time to Oakland, Calif., to a conference sponsored by the National Cannabis Industry Association. His plan—pick brains and vacuum up as much knowledge as he could.

There, he struck up a conversation with two other attendees, Mark Toigo and Ryan Simpson, who, by coincidence, were also from central PA. Toigo and Simpson operated Carlisle-based Toigo Farms, which then was the largest organic tomato greenhouse in North America.

Like Hauser, Simpson and Toigo—along with Toigo’s wife, Jaime—had conducted research into medical marijuana and became intrigued by Pennsylvania’s nascent movement, both as a treatment and as a business. Soon, the partners joined forces to found Organic Remedies.

“We just talked and said, ‘Maybe we should try this together. What the heck?’” Hauser said. “So, that’s what we ended up doing.”

As they moved forward, challenges mounted. The state Department of Health implemented a rigorous application and review process for potential licensees. Meanwhile, medical marijuana, though legalized by the state, remained a “Schedule 1” substance federally. This presented many legal, insurance and financial issues that most new businesses do not face.

For instance, Organic Remedies found itself shut out from bank financing, so had to turn to venture capital, a more expensive alternative. In addition, dispensaries can’t take credit cards—they’re an all-cash business—and health insurers don’t cover treatment. The founders also needed to find a bank willing to work with them, given their unconventional needs and the extra, costly compliance requirements.

“Banks are allowed to work with us—they’re not prohibited,” Hauser said. “However, there’s a lot of red tape that they have to endure.”

The Best

In the end, Organic Remedies applied for two licenses—a dispensary permit and a grower/processor permit.

The state health department awarded the company the former, allowing it to open its flagship Enola store on Feb. 15, 2018, the first day of legal medical marijuana sales in Pennsylvania. Locations in York and Chambersburg soon followed and, today, Organic Remedies operates six dispensaries, including, most recently, in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

In PA, medical marijuana is authorized to treat 24 different conditions. According to Hauser, pain treatment makes up about 80% of patient visits, followed by anxiety disorders and then “everything else.”

So, what should a patient expect upon first walking into an Organic Remedies dispensary?

First of all, they need two things: a doctor’s referral and an appointment. The doctor’s referral will qualify a patient for a state issued medical marijuana card. The appointment is necessary because a pharmacist meets with all new patients, Hauser said.

“We go, A to Z, through that patient’s medical history, their other prescription meds, their goals of treatment, their history with marijuana,” he said. “You’re going to spend more time with me as your pharmacist today than you have your whole life with your pharmacist at the retail store down the street.”

The company since has obtained its grower/processor permit and now operates a 250,000-square-foot facility in Carlisle. So, today, it’s a vertically integrated operation—one of the few companies in the commonwealth managing the process from plant to product. In addition, it wholesales its finished products, which includes oils, cartridges, tinctures, concentrates, tablets and capsules, to most of the 175 dispensaries in the state.

It also has partnered with the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for research. One current study is tracking the quality of life of 462 patients new to medical marijuana.

“Right now, it’s mostly data collection based on patient feedback after initiating treatment,” Hauser said. “We have other studies: one focused on autism, one focused on chronic pain, chronic pain patients who also have opioid use disorder.”

Armed with more research and data, Hauser hopes that greater acceptance follows, including on the federal level. He’d like those barriers to come down so that Organic Remedies can operate like any other legal business in PA—taking credit cards, getting bank loans, accepting health insurance.

Then, down the road, if more licenses come available, they’ll consider what to do next.

“We never wanted to be big. That was never something that was a goal or in our mission statement,” Hauser said. “We wanted to be the best.”

For more information about Organic Remedies, visit www.organicremediespa.com.

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Collective Effort: Art, community hit the streets for inaugural New Cumberland Music + Film Festival

August 29, 2023 | by Molly Pavlovich

West & Ward

Jonny Leahan, a board member of the New Cumberland Collective, lived in New York City for 20 years before moving to central PA in 2014.

The luxury of a lively and eclectic art scene was an element of city living he was fond of—filling his cup with film festivals, live music and the like. Fellow board member Pamela Cullen shares a similar story, having lived in Portland, Ore., for a decade before returning home to New Cumberland.

“One of the things that was most frustrating to me when I moved back was that people would ask me ‘Why would you want to move back here?’” Cullen said.

“You don’t have to go to New York, San Francisco, Portland or any other big city to have a meaningful experience in the arts,” Leahan added. “If you really look, there are amazing, creative people everywhere.”

Created in 2022, the New Cumberland Collective is rooted in the idea that community members can come together to create positive change where they live—from building community to civic engagement, tactical urbanism and amplifying arts and culture. The collective’s latest endeavor, taking place this month, is its inaugural New Cumberland Music + Film Festival.

The three-day festival headlines soul-singing Harrisburg native Shawan Rice and features various other acts, including a punk performance paying tribute to New Cumberland’s early 2000s music venue known as The Wire/Wyre, a music video exhibition curated from 600 local and global submissions, and a closing-day screening of the film “Hummingbirds,” followed by a Q&A session with its producers and co-directors, Jillian Schlesinger and Miguel Drake-McLaughlin.

Centered in the heart of downtown New Cumberland, festivalgoers will find many of the ticketed performances and film showings taking place at the West Shore Theatre and other local creative hubs, but the collective has also secured permission to bring the festivities outside. The 3rd Avenue alleyway that runs adjacent to the West Shore Theatre will house periodic performances from buskers, free of charge—immersing the town and its people in the reverberations of music and spirit.

“New Cumberland is such a lovely, walkable town,” Leahan said. “We wanted to keep everything clustered in that central area so that, even if there’s no scheduled performance going on for an hour, it’s going to feel like something is going on all weekend as people come and go. It’s our hope that people feel welcomed and energized to explore, gather and enjoy downtown together in between the weekend events.”

Dustin LeBlanc, the managing director of the West Shore Theatre that reopened last year, believes that the collective has its finger on the pulse of art movements on a local and larger level, and he’s enjoyed working alongside a likeminded organization to bring art-forward and community-minded ideas to reality.

“I hope people come and discover not just New Cumberland physically, but the people of New Cumberland and the things that are happening here—how we’re rallying together to reinvigorate the downtown scene through the theater, this festival and the overall efforts of the collective,” LeBlanc said.

Eager to cultivate a pride of place, the collective doesn’t have aspirations to emulate larger, nationally known festivals. Rather, it wants future New Cumberland Music + Film Festivals to be a balanced mix of community feedback and global trends—progressively drawing larger crowds, but ultimately remaining something that is special to right here.

“The arts can be a driver for so many other things—for discovery, curiosity and continued growth and development in the New Cumberland community,” Leahan said. “It’s precious and it’s powerful, and I think those who join us for the New Cumberland Music + Film Festival will be able to see that—experience it—firsthand.”

The New Cumberland Music + Film Festival takes place Sept. 15 to 17. To learn more about the New Cumberland Collective, the festival and other upcoming events, visit www.newcumberland.co.

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Oasis for Art: The Art Center is a haven for creativity, community

August 29, 2023 | by Alex J. Hayes

Pottery and glass blowing are among the many classes available at The Art Center School and Galleries.

On a recent Thursday, artists from around the area arrived at the Art Center School and Galleries for one of several classes for the evening.

Potters, glassblowers and water colorists greeted each other as old friends. The center, located in a beautiful barn on the outskirts of Mechanicsburg, is special to all as it gives them an opportunity to create, socialize and forget about life’s stressors.

“It’s hard to think about the Visa card bill when you are focused on keeping a vase straight,” said board member Justin Pettingell.

Next year, the center will celebrate its 70th anniversary. Over the decades, it has seen a lot of changes, including uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but its passionate members are now back and fully engaged.

Board members Tina Antonicelli and Bill Klaiber are a full-time husband and wife volunteering team.

Klaiber is a retired Mechanicsburg High School art and photography instructor. The 71-year-old has been coming to the Art Center since he was 16 years old, so he and Tina know firsthand how important it is to the local community.

Pettingell tells a similar story. The center displayed his art when he was in high school. Decades later, he rediscovered his passion and now teaches glassblowing classes in a studio that he and others constructed in the center’s basement.

Art also gives many people the chance to manifest their personality in ways their full-time jobs prohibit. For instance, Pettingell is employed as a grants processor, which he describes as a very “black and white” position.

Similarly, Jody Boyer works full-time in the healthcare industry. The pottery instructor joined the center in 2001 after completing her master’s degree.

“I wanted to take a class that didn’t have any homework,” she recalled.

Boyer developed an affection for the pottery wheel, and she now has a studio in her home. Working solo in her own space gives her control over many aspects of her art, but the Art Center offers community. More than 20 years after she attended her first class, Boyer continues to learn from those around her.

“My students challenge me,” she said. “They will often ask me to teach them to make pieces I have never made, so I need to learn first.”

Pettingell agrees and notes that the Art Center’s other glassblowing instructor, Michael Peluso, is one of his mentors.

“About half of my class is stuff he does, too,” Pettingell said.

The Art Center also features a large gallery space where work on display changes monthly. Anyone interested in viewing pieces is welcome to visit on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 7 p.m. From Sept. 8 to 26, instructors such as Pettingell and Boyer will have creations on display during the “School Days: Our Instructors’ Show.”

The center isn’t all adults who need a break from life’s stressors. Children attend classes there, too, and some adult classes are open to interested and responsible teenagers. Full and partial scholarships are available for families who are unable to afford tuition costs.

The Art Center’s members and instructors are a tightknit group, but they are always willing to open the barn doors for new members. Established artists who are interested in teaching should contact the center to pitch an idea. Those looking to take a class can explore the center’s many offerings, including glassblowing, painting, pottery, jewelry making and photography.

“Producing art is a sign of a society that is progressing. It is a sign of a society that is celebrating where they are and what they are doing,” Pettingell said. “Any way I can be part of that is special.”

The Art Center School and Galleries is located at 18 Artcraft Dr., Mechanicsburg. For more information, visit www.theartcenterschoolandgalleries.com.

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