Harrisburg area ranks among tightest rental markets in the country, says new report

July 12, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

The BenMar is one of Harrisburg’s newest apartment buildings. According to a new report, there’s demand in the area for many more.

If you’ve been having trouble finding an apartment in central PA, recent data supports your struggle.

According to a just-released report, the Harrisburg area is the most competitive small rental market in the country.

RentCafé, a national apartment search website, states that 96.2% of apartments in the seven-county, south-central PA region are occupied.

“Apartment seekers in Harrisburg face significant challenges in finding vacant places, as only about 4% of rentals are available,” according to the report, which was released last week.

By “Harrisburg,” the company means the entire region that comprises Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties.

The tight market makes “apartment hunting feel like looking for a needle in a haystack,” according to RentCafé.

The report states that a prospective renter needs to compete with 13 other hopefuls to secure a lease in the Harrisburg area—four times more than the national average.

Source: RentCafé

For its analysis, RentCafé compiled data from 137 rental markets in the United States of multi-family properties of at least 50 units.

The Harrisburg area had a “competitive score” of 123, which actually was higher than all markets—large and small—in the nation. The Miami-Dade, Fla., market, which ranked first among large national markets, had a “competitive score” of 120.

In its report, RentCafé also states that the Harrisburg region’s rental market is twice as tight as that in Philadelphia.

For small markets, the Harrisburg area was followed by Fayetteville, Ark., and Providence, R.I., in RentCafé’s analysis.

According to the company, not only is demand strong, but there’s been a lack of new construction, exacerbating the situation. According to RentCafé’s statistics, the area has added “zero” net new apartment units recently.

“Besides the cost of living and the convenience of renting here (just about everything you need is within 20 minutes by car), people calling Harrisburg home are also close to major metros like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New York City and Washington, D.C.,” the report states.

Click here to read the full report. Scroll down to view the small market data.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Cars, trucks, exotics up for bid as Mecum Auctions holds its annual sale

July 11, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

This 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 will hit the auction block at Mecum Harrisburg 2023.

Over 1,000 cars are headed to Harrisburg, as Mecum Auctions revs up its major annual sale in central PA.

From July 26 to 29, the company will auction off some 1,200 muscle cars, classics, Corvettes, trucks, exotics, hot rods, customs and more.

Each year, Mecum hosts one of the largest car auctions in the area at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. Last year, the auction generated about $40 million in sales, a record amount.

According to Mecum, the show’s highlights this year will include a fuel-injected 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and a 4-speed 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback.

1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback

It also will feature a private collection of American muscle cars consisting of 28 lots, including a restored 1970 Pontiac GTO Convertible and a 1968 Shelby GT500KR Fastback.

Another collection, the Klairmont Kollection of Chicago, will auction at least a dozen consignments at no reserve, including a restored 1906 Tourist Model K Touring and a 1930 Chrysler Series 70 Roadster.

General admission tickets can be purchased in advance online for $20 per person, per day, and for $30 at the door and online after July 25; children 12 and younger receive complimentary admission. Bidding can be done either in person or online.

You also can catch the action at MotorTrendTV and MotorTrend+, which will provide live coverage.

Mecum Harrisburg 2023 will take place July 26 to 29 at the PA Farm Show Complex, 2300 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.mecum.com.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Harrisburg, state officials pledge to rebuild Broad Street Market, support vendors after electrical fire

July 10, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, along with other state and local officials, addresses the Broad Street Market fire at a press conference on Monday.

On Monday, local and state officials vowed that the Broad Street market would be rebuilt following a destructive fire overnight.

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, along with other local officials, pledged to support the market’s many vendors and restore the historic building, at a press conference.

“Overnight, the heart of our community was taken from us,” Williams said. “Today is not the end of the Broad Street Market. We will rebuild it.”

At about 1 a.m. on Monday, the Harrisburg Fire Bureau responded to reports of smoke coming from the market’s brick building. Flames engulfed the building, causing severe damage to the roof and, specifically, the side of the building closest to N. 6^th Street. The fire took several hours to contain, fire officials said.

According to Fire Bureau Chief Brian Enterline, the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction of a large ceiling fan, installed in 2017, in the building. The building did not have a sprinkler system.

Inside the side of the Broad Street Market’s brick building, nearest N. 6th Street.

According to Enterline, the building’s shell is salvageable and the historic architecture of the building can be maintained. Much of the interior portion of the building near the market courtyard is salvageable, as well, largely suffering smoke and water damage, fire officials stated.

The Broad Street Market is covered under Harrisburg’s insurance, city Business Administrator Dan Hartman told TheBurg, saying he had “no worry at all” that the damage would be covered. Vendors in the market are required to have their own insurance, as well.

Shapiro also vowed to assist the city in rebuilding the market, offering possible state grant or loan opportunities. The commonwealth is coordinating with the PA Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the PA Department of Agriculture to find ways to assist vendors displaced by the fire, he said.

“This market matters; it’s mattered for more than a century,” he said. “You’re going to see government at all levels now work together. We are all now going to come together and do what’s necessary to support the rebuild.”

Inside the market’s brick building, nearest the market courtyard.

Earlier on Monday, market vendors and city residents gathered outside the market to support each other and worked to collect their property from inside the building.

According to Harrisburg officials, the city will work to find a temporary location for market vendors to set up shop while the building is restored.

The market’s stone building was untouched by the fire and will be open for business this week, Enterline said.

Gov. Josh Shapiro (left) and Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline tour the burned market building.

The Fire Bureau will now work to secure and seal the building after vendors have had the chance to retrieve any property, according to Deputy Chief Michael Souder. The bureau has no concern of the building collapsing or causing a public safety threat, he said.

While local officials are hopeful about the future of the Broad Street Market, they recognize that rebuilding won’t be a quick process.

“Make no mistake, this will take time and, of course, tears, but the end result will be worth it,” Williams said. “The Broad Street Market will be back and better than ever before.”

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Icing on the Cake: Harrisburg Dessert Festival to bring all things sweet to the city

July 10, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Last year’s Harrisburg Dessert Festival

An upcoming event will make you feel like you’ve won the golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

The Harrisburg Dessert Festival will bring all things sweet, iced and sprinkled to the PA Farm Show Complex on July 22.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Cecilia Davis, owner of Harrisburg-based Cece’s Cake Shop and the event organizer.

The festival, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., will include over 30 dessert and dessert-themed vendors and food trucks, some offering samples. There will also be several interactive experiences for families, including a chance to vote on a cake decorating competition, a sugar cookie decorating station and a bubble show. Attendees can also enjoy free cotton candy, caricatures by a local artist, face painting, a balloon sculpture garden and a candy scavenger hunt. Balloon artist Jimbo the Clown will be onsite as well.

This is the second year that Davis will host the festival, in hopes to give local vendors a chance to connect with each other and to let patrons discover and support businesses.

“We wanted to uplift small businesses,” Davis said.

The festival will take place in the Northwest Hall of the Farm Show complex.

Tickets for the event are $8 for ages 13 and older and can be purchased online or at the door. All proceeds will benefit Bethesda Mission in Harrisburg.

“It takes a lot to build an event, but I’m ready to just go for it,” Davis said. “It’s going to be a powerful event.”

For more information, visit the Harrisburg Dessert Festival’s website. Find out more about Cece’s Cake Shop, at their website.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Burg Blog: A Tale of Two Fires

July 10, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

A devastating fire caused the roof to collapse at the rear of the Broad Street Market’s brick building on Monday.

In April 2007, Eastern Market in Washington, D.C., burned in an early morning fire, with little left standing except the remains of its stately brick walls.

I had long lived in the Capitol Hill neighborhood and regarded the circa-1871 market as my neighborhood grocery and gathering place.

Interior of the fire-devastated Broad Street Market. Photo: Julia James

Tragically, in my current home of Harrisburg, history has now repeated itself.

Early this morning, a similar fate befell the city’s stately Broad Street Market, as one of its two historic market houses was gutted by fire.

On that dark day back in 2007, the close-knit Capitol Hill community was devastated, as they felt that the very soul of their community had been destroyed. Immediately, calls went out to rebuild the market largely as it was.

The city hemmed and hawed for some time before deciding, in the face of community pressure, that’s what it would do. It even built a temporary market across the street so that vendors could continue to operate in a reduced capacity.

For their part, Hill residents got together and held fundraisers for the vendors and for the reconstruction. I’m not sure how much that helped, but it certainly made the community feel as if we were playing a role in the rebuilding project.

I found it: my well-worn “Rebuild Eastern Market” T-shirt

Somewhere, down deep in a clothes drawer, I still have my “Rebuild Eastern Market” T-shirt, purchased as part of that fundraiser.

Just two years later, in 2009, Eastern Market reopened, better than ever, as the city used the opportunity to make badly needed repairs and upgrades, including adding air conditioning to the market—long a point of contention between the city, market management and vendors.

I now profoundly wish the same for Harrisburg’s Broad Street Market.

Harrisburg must get to work as soon as possible to rebuild the circa-1878 market house as it was architecturally—while using the opportunity to make long-needed improvements.

Just like at Eastern Market, installing air conditioning in the Broad Street Market long has been seen as an impossible dream. Now is the time, the opportunity. Ditto, fixing the ever-leaky roof, updating all its outmoded systems and otherwise bringing the market house into the 21^st century, but within its 19^th-century structure.

And it must be done on the fast track, with a solid plan of how the market will attract and retain vendors once the construction is done. Over the past year, the market has lost numerous vendors, including, just last month, the sprawling Green Ridge Acres stand.

When Eastern Market burned, D.C. residents were rightly skeptical that the perpetually dysfunctional city government was up to the task of quickly and competently rebuilding the market. But, to its credit, the city proved its critics wrong.

Now, it’s Harrisburg’s turn. The fire trucks have just left and the embers are barely extinguished, but I already relish the day, in the not-too-distant future, when the ribbon will be cut and those heavy wooden doors will open again for customers. Eager residents will rush in, look around and, I hope, happily remark—“This market is better than ever.”

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Broad Street Market vendors, city residents gather, grieve following devastating fire

July 10, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

The heavily damaged 6th Street side of the Broad Street Market

Shocked. Devastated. Heartbroken.

These were some of the words heard on Monday morning, as clusters of Harrisburg residents and business owners gathered in the courtyard of the Broad Street Market, almost not believing what they were seeing.

An overnight fire destroyed a large portion of the 150-year-old brick building, which was entirely missing its roof on the 6^th Street side. Charred embers were piled up outside, remains of the structure and whatever had been inside.

“It was shocking,” said Lhayana Dallas, owner Honeybush Raw Smoothie Bar, which has a stand in the market building. “I live down the street. So, when I heard, I rushed over and just started crying.”

Tanis Monroy, the market’s executive director, stood outside and shook his head. He had only been on the job a short time when one of the worst days in the market’s long history hit.

Monroy said that he heard about the fire in the early morning hours when he received multiple calls from nearby residents and market security.

The interior of the fire-devastated Broad Street Market. Photo: Julia James

“I’m very devastated,” he said. “Even though I’ve only been here for seven months, I feel like I lost a part of myself today.”

It was too early, he said, to know what caused the fire or what the next steps would be. First up—a meeting tonight to brief vendors as a group on the situation.

“Imagine what people who have grown here and have been coming here for generations feel,” he said. “It’s a huge loss.”

Vivi Sterste is one of those people. She said that she’s been coming to the market her whole life and recalls, at just 3 years old, holding her mother’s hand while she shopped for groceries. Sterste now lives a block away from the market, where she runs her art gallery and shop, Vivi on Verbeke.

“I’m in shock,” she said. “The trauma of this will affect everyone.”

Sterste likened the market to an old, beloved friend, as well as a critical space for the community—one of the few places in Harrisburg where everyone gathers to shop, meet and enjoy themselves. Because of this, she feels confident that the market will rebuild better than before.

“People will come together,” she said. “Something good will come out of this because it has to. There are just too many good people around here.”

A Broad Street Market vendor removes items from the courtyard side of the building.

In fact, several residents mentioned that the rebuilding process could give the market an opportunity to upgrade the building, perhaps even add air conditioning, long desired by both patrons and vendors.

“The market’s been around for more than 140 years,” said Andrea Grove, owner of Elementary Coffee Co., which has a stand in the market. “We’re going to figure out a way to rebuild from this. This is our home.”

Fortunately, Grove has a standalone shop on North Street, which will help, she said. She feels especially bad for the vendors who depended on their market stands for their sole income.

“We have to make sure they survive,” she said. “Otherwise, it’s a huge loss for the community, and, obviously, they don’t have a place to do business anymore.”

On behalf of Historic Harrisburg Association, Executive Director David Morrison described his organization’s mood as “incredibly sad.”

“We will do all we can to help bring about the restoration and preservation of this beloved architectural, cultural, and economic landmark that has been a food oasis and an anchor institution in Harrisburg since 1860,” he said.

Cate Rowe stopped by the market on her way to work to see the devastation for herself. Reminiscing, she riddled off a long list of her favorite items and vendors, which she usually bought during Saturday morning shopping trips: turkey jerky from Hummer’s Meats, coffee at Elementary, peanut butter fudge at Sweet 717.

But, more than the food, she agreed that the real tragedy is the effect on the people of Harrisburg.

“It’s a real loss to the community, because this is where the community would gather,” she said. “People would eat together and just enjoy each others’ company.”

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Harrisburg’s Broad Street Market engulfed, heavily damaged by fire to brick building

July 10, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

Firefighters work to put out a fire at the historic Broad Street Market.

The brick building of Harrisburg’s historic Broad Street Market has been heavily damaged by fire, gutting a large section of the 150-year-old structure.

At about 1 a.m. on Monday, the Harrisburg Fire Bureau responded to reports of smoke emitting from the circa-1870s building. Awhile later, the fire went to a second alarm.

The fire was contained to the brick building, which contains most of the market’s fresh produce and grocery vendors. The market’s original circa-1863 stone building, which sits across a large courtyard, was undamaged.

The Broad Street Market was devastated by an early-morning fire.

Julia James, who lives nearby and whose organic grocery business, Radish & Rye, started in the Broad Street Market, was in disbelief as she stood across the street, watching fire quickly consume the structure.

“This is simply devastating,” she said. “I’m truly at a loss for words.”

Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said that the rear of the building suffered the worst damage, with the roof caving in. However, the entire structure had substantial smoke and water damage, he said.

Enterline could not immediately state a cause of the fire, though he added that he might have more information later in the day.

“We have initial indications, but we have more work to do before we can say for certain,” he said.

Besides Harrisburg, several other area fire companies responded to and fought the fire, which was brought under control in about an hour.

Overall, the Broad Street Market, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has over 40 vendors, a mixture of grocery and prepared food vendors. About 25 of those vendors have stands in the brick building.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire appeared to start at the rear of the brick building in the area that suffered the greatest damage, then quickly spread in a westerly direction towards the courtyard area.

The gutted rear of the brick building of the Broad Street Market.

One vendor, who asked not be named, said that she was awakened by sirens screaming past her house. When she looked down the street, she saw lights from the many emergency vehicles and smelled smoke. She then quickly dressed and ran to the building.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I think my business is gone. I don’t know what is going to happen from here.”

The Broad Street Market is owned by the city and operated by an independent nonprofit. The market claims to be the oldest continuously operated market house in the country.

TheBurg will update this story as more information becomes available.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

July 7, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

PennDOT announced changes to its proposed Market Street Bridge rehabilitation project.

The dog days of summer are here. Speaking of dogs, make sure you check out our pet-focused July issue of the magazine, if you haven’t already. While you’re at it, get up to speed on our local news coverage from this week, below.

Developer Fernandez Realty Group will move forward with its proposal to construct affordable housing for seniors in Harrisburg, even as many neighbors oppose the project, our online story reported. The realty group held a community meeting to hear from residents, many of whom expressed concern about the proposal.

The Fringe Festival takes place this weekend in Harrisburg, bringing weird, unique and one-of-a-kind performances to the city, our magazine story reported. Organizers invite the community to come and “see something they wouldn’t ordinarily see.”

Harrisburg City Council voted to use the rest of its federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money, $31.4 million, as replacement for lost revenue during the pandemic, our online story reported. The city will later use that money for several housing, public safety and recreational projects, which council voted on.

July events have begun in Harrisburg, and we have them all listed in our Happenings section. For a few highlighted festivities of the month, check out our Community Corner.

Midtown businesses, Pursuit Coworking, Pastorante and Yellow Bird Café, are celebrating their 10-year anniversaries. In his column, our publisher tries to find out the secrets to their success.

PennDOT revised its proposed design for the rehabilitation of the Market Street Bridge, our online story reported. The newest proposal includes a 14-foot wide bicycle and pedestrian path built on top of a utility bridge that would be constructed along the south side of the bridge.

Sara Bozich features a wide range of events happening in Harrisburg in her Weekend Roundup.

“Second Saturdays in the City” will bring back al fresco street dining, begun during the pandemic, to downtown Harrisburg for three nights during the summer. In our online story, find out which restaurants will participate.

Summer concerts in Harrisburg are heating up with several big names headed to the city this month. In our Musical Notes column, find out which shows you can’t miss in July.

Unleashed Grooming Company recently opened in Harrisburg’s Strawberry Square, our magazine story reported. Owner Alexandra Lauch prides herself on making the salon a healthy, safe environment for pets to enjoy pampering.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events delivered right to your email inbox? If not, sign up here!

Support quality local journalism. Join Friends of TheBurg today!

Harrisburg School District receives court approval for sale of vacant lot to affordable housing developer

July 7, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

A vacant lot at 1001 N. 18th St., Harrisburg, the proposed site of an affordable housing development.

A local developer is one step closer to purchasing a Harrisburg lot on which to construct a proposed affordable housing project.

On Friday, Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas Judge John Cherry approved the Harrisburg School District’s sale of its vacant lot at 1001 N. 18^th St. to Harrisburg-based Fernandez Realty Group, according to the company’s owner George Fernandez.

In February, district Receiver Dr. Lori Suski approved the sale of the lot that previously housed Woodward Elementary School to the developer, who has proposed building a four-story affordable apartment building.

However, the district was required to get court approval for the $240,000 sale. According to state law, when a public school’s property is sold privately, instead of through public auction, it must receive court approval.

Now that the court has approved the sale, the district and Fernandez Realty Group may move forward with the sale.

“I applaud the court’s decision today,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez held a community meeting on Thursday evening to share his plans for the development and gather feedback from residents who live in the vicinity of the proposed project.

“Woodward Lofts” still must go through the city’s land development process. If the project is approved, Fernandez plans to construct a 48-unit apartment building for senior citizens. The building would also house a community room, daycare, food and clothing banks, and possibly a pharmacy or clinic. The plan includes 37 off-street parking spots.

At Thursday’s community meeting, which was well attended, many residents spoke out in opposition to the proposal, sharing concerns about what they believed could cause increased traffic and crime and decreased property values for homeowners. After the meeting, Fernandez said that he planned to continue moving forward with his proposal.

Fernandez told TheBurg on Friday, that he is open to hosting additional town hall meetings in the community and would consider making changes to the proposal, based on residents’ feedback.

“I am committed to listening to the neighbors’ concerns and committed to working in a collaborative and respectful manner,” he said.

For more information about Fernandez Realty Group, visit their website.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Harrisburg to fund lighting, facility upgrades at Senators’ FNB Field

July 7, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg Senators game at FNB Field

FNB Field, home to the Harrisburg Senators, will undergo some upgrades as Harrisburg has agreed to fund a number of improvements.

City Council on Wednesday voted to affirm Harrisburg’s commitment to fund Major League Baseball-required upgrades to the city-owned field on City Island.

Harrisburg will support improved stadium lighting, better practice and training facilities and improved clubhouse areas for both home and visiting teams. Renovations will also include expanding locker room areas due to the growing number of female coaches and umpires in professional baseball.

“With Major and Minor League Baseball recognizing the need to update facility standards to improve conditions for minor league players as part of their new collective bargaining agreement, the city of Harrisburg, as the owner of FNB Field, is proud to partner with the Harrisburg Senators to keep the Eastern League’s second oldest franchise in the city of Harrisburg,” said Dan Hartman, city business administrator.

In November 2022, the city was awarded a $6 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant from the commonwealth, which will help fund the over $11 million project.

City and Senators officials expect construction to be completed in time for the start of the 2025 season.

“We are thrilled that the city of Harrisburg has formally decided to fund the improvements necessary to bring FNB Field in-line with the new Major League Baseball facility requirements,” said Harrisburg Senators President Kevin Kulp. “City Island is among the most unique venues in the country for professional baseball and by taking these steps, the city is helping to ensure Minor League Baseball in Harrisburg for current and future generations.”

For more information about the Harrisburg Senators, visit their website.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like