Two of a Kind: Mother, daughter witness each other’s aerialist journeys

February 26, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

Itaya and Jane Bryan on the silks

It’s safe to say that Jane and Itaya Bryan spend their time together differently than most mothers and daughters. For them, “hanging out” often involves hanging high up in the air.

“We like to do adventures together,” said Jane, the owner of the Harrisburg aerials studio Artz N’ Motion. She describes aerial arts as an adventure itself.

With good reason—the artistic sport combines strength, flexibility and acrobatics. Along with climbing up apparatuses (often, a feat of upper-body strength), it also involves flipping upside down, and sometimes, doing animated drops from as high up as the ceiling rafters.

“Aerials is not easy,” said Itaya. “It is not something that everyone can just pick up in five minutes.”

Although for the daughter of the studio owner, the sport comes easier than most.

The 24-year-old has been flipping upside down since she was in elementary school, starting on apparatuses hung in their family’s professionally rigged garage.

“Ever since I was little, I was always hanging off of something, always climbing,” she said. “I learned the basics so early.”

Her aptitude for dynamic movements is helped along by the more than a decade she spent during her childhood doing competitive cheerleading. Of course, it also helped that she grew up watching her mother, her first teacher, fall in love with the sport.

It all started when a 36-year-old Jane, who had an athletic background in gymnastics and tumbling, saw a flyer for a Cirque Du Soleil show in 2006. After a little research on the internet, “which was still fairly new,” Jane said, she tried an aerials class just two hours away at the Philadelphia Circus School.

“I humbled myself greatly because I couldn’t do one climb,” Jane remembered with a laugh.

All the same, she was hooked.

She spent the next several years driving back and forth to the school to train several times a week, sometimes with Itaya, who was just 5 years old at the start of the journey, in tow.

Itaya remembers watching from the seating area of the school as she did her homework.

By 2009, Jane, who had by this point trained on trapeze, the silks, the hammock, and rope, opened her own cirque business, Artz N’ Motion.

She began teaching students to use apparatuses herself—first through classes at the Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center and then in her own physical location. Teaching gave her a new purpose.

“I love making an impact in people’s lives,” Jane explained.

Jane and Itaya Bryan

You Got This

Jane starts each class with a stretching circle, so that class members can talk and get to know each other as they answer a weekly ice breaker question.

“I pull teeth to get people to talk to me and ask all those deep questions that people don’t want to answer to make them feel comfortable—to make them feel like they belong in a space and create community,” she said.

Another perk of coaching aerials, she said, is showing people they’re more capable than they know when it comes to doing certain moves.

“Yesterday, I had a kid, and she was terrified, even though she’s so strong she could probably hang for five minutes,” she said.

But with a little support—“You got this. You can do this.”—she accomplished the move, Jane said, and wasn’t afraid of it anymore.

For Jane, the studio entered an exciting new phase last year when Itaya began working as one of her aerial instructors. She described the development as a “pinch me” moment, and said she loves being able to share something with her daughter so close to her own heart.

Like her mother, Itaya finds aerials to be an organic extension of herself and enjoys teaching people to do things they never thought they could do.

“One of my favorite things to do is to help someone out or encourage people,” Itaya shared. “I feel like this is one of the biggest and easiest ways that I can make an impact on someone’s life.”

A young Itaya on the silks

Born to Move

The studio, now on its second physical location, operates out of a warehouse in Swatara Township, a venue chosen for its high, structurally sound ceilings. Its unique cirque-style fitness offerings—silks, trapeze, lyra, and hammock training for both children and adults—draw students not just from Harrisburg, but York, Reading, Hanover, Carlisle and State College.

More than just training, the studio also gives students the opportunity to perform once a year at an annual spring showcase at HACC. In the show, Jane and Itaya often perform together on the silks—which has become something of an annual tradition for them.

“It’s a different way to be deep with someone, a different way to connect,” Itaya explained. “When you’re putting something together, you’re creating a story.”

“I like the connection,” added Jane. “I might come up with some ideas, you come up with ideas, and then we bring it together, and it makes the whole piece.”

She added that she and Itaya have also inspired two other mother-daughter aerialist performances at the studio and that, in Artz N’ Motion’s showcase this year, a brother and sister will also be performing a duo routine.

Jane’s favorite part of working with Itaya, though, is when she isn’t working at all— it’s when she has an hour break during her daughter’s class.

“I’m in the office, and I get to hear her laugh,” she said.

While Jane said she would never want to force Itaya to live out her own dreams, she added it isn’t “out of the realm of possibility” that her daughter could take over the studio one day.

“I feel like I was born to move. Some people are like, born to be doctors, I was born to move,” Jane said, nudging her daughter. “And I feel like you have that as well. You were just born to move.”

Artz N’ Motion is located at 1235 S. Harrisburg St., Suite E, Harrisburg (Swatara Township). To learn more about the studio, visit www.artznmotion.com.

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Musical Notes: March Mingle

February 26, 2026 | by Skye Cadzow

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to dance this spring. I’m usually a fan of winter, but this year, it’s truly been too cold to go anywhere, cabin fever be damned! I’m hoping March changes that. Below is the rundown on some shows tempting me to forgo my electric blanket for the sake of live music, community and maybe even a little dancing.

SPREAD THAT JAM

3/6, Flux Capacitor, The Abbey Bar

Flux Capacitor puts on a heck of a show. I’ve seen them quite a few times around central and eastern Pennsylvania. The spacey electronic/jam fusion outfit, comprised of the brothers Specht (Peter, Michael and Jason), delivers a fresh and energetic take on jam festival music with the right touch of reverb and trance elements. Last fall, the band released its “Live Spirals Vol. 4,” offering fans a snapshot of their live shows to relive the magic. Catch ‘em when they hit the stage at the Abbey Bar this month.

PUNK IT UP

3/14, Kilmaine Saints w/The Super High-Tech Jet Fighters, XL Live

I think the annual St. Paddy’s Day shows with Kilmaine Saints are so much fun, and anyone who’s been reading this column the last few years will not find their inclusion on this list surprising. However, last spring, I got to watch The Super Hi-Tech Jet Fighters at the Strawberry Square Music Series and was absolutely charmed by the punk/power pop group, which appears to be the opener for this show. I absolutely recommend getting to XL Live before showtime and grabbing your bev before The Super High-Tech Jet Fighters take the stage. If you check them out ahead of time, listen to “Bat Eyes,” “Ruby” or “Know-It-All” for a fun smattering of their sound.

ROCK ON

3/27, Noun, Capital City Music Hall

If you’re looking for an indie musician with range, this is the show for you. Marissa Paternoster, former frontperson of the incredible New Jersey punk/DIY band, Screaming Females, has been sharing her haunting vocals and experimental rock via Noun for about 20 years, and I’m stoked she’s coming to Harrisburg later this month. While the most recent album from Noun was 2021’s “Peace Meter,” Paternoster’s been releasing singles and EPs the past few years, and I have a feeling we’ll hear a few of those newer tracks alongside old favorites like “Holy Hell,” “Loveblood” and more.

If you’re a musician and/or promoter, or a fan of a local artist, and you’d like to share some upcoming shows with TheBurg, drop me a line at [email protected].

HONORABLE MENTIONS

3/11, Sunsquabi and Manic Focus, The Abbey Bar

3/13, Seasons, West Shore Theatre

3/13, Brit Floyd, GIANT Center

3/14, Steve Martin & Martin Short, Hershey Theatre

3/21, Hellbender Hootenanny featuring Public Disco Porch, Jay Veil and Actual Wizards, The Abbey Bar

3/25, Sebastian Bach, Capital City Music Hall

3/27, Duunes, The Abbey Bar

3/28, Nirvani, XL Live

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Creative Century: Art Association of Harrisburg shares its flair as it turns 100.

February 26, 2026 | by M. Diane McCormick

Art Association of Harrisburg

When novice artists hit their stride, “you start looking at the world differently.”

“To an artist, there’s no such thing as white snow,” said Art Association of Harrisburg teacher Richard Michaelian. “Snow always has some kind of a hue to it. You look at the snow as dusk is approaching, and it’ll look blue or purple.”

For 100 years, artists have been boosted along their art journeys by the Art Association of Harrisburg.

“It starts with taking lessons, then creating your own painting, then from there, getting your painting into a frame,” Michaelian said. “That can take a little while for people to want to do that, and then exhibiting and getting it hanging on a wall.”

Founded in 1926, the Art Association of Harrisburg celebrates this centennial with its usual flair. Founded from an art-patron mindset, AAH has blossomed into a cauldron of learning, where people hungry for art find their voices amid a nurturing community of creatives.

“Art is the most important thing in the world,” said long-time Executive Director Carrie Wissler-Thomas. “Art is what makes life beautiful. With all the turmoil everywhere, people need art in order to find beauty in their lives. It’s a way to express oneself. Art nurtures the soul.”

Finer Things

The “stars in the firmament of 1926 Harrisburg society” applied for the charter creating the Art Association of Harrisburg, wrote Wissler-Thomas in her AAH history, “As the Paint Dries.” Like Theatre Harrisburg, it sprang from the women of the Harrisburg Civic Club as the turn-of-the-20th-century City Beautiful Movement reached its peak.

With a goal of civic uplift, the new association focused on attracting top-tier exhibits to Harrisburg. Through early patron Homer Saint-Gaudens, son of renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the fledgling organization scored a coup by attracting a major show of interiors, landscapes and portraits by Sir John Lavery.

The prominent British painter, just as enamored with this upstart group as Saint-Gaudens, startled the city by gifting two of his paintings to the association—the genesis of a permanent collection that, recently, got its own Art Association gallery.

Local artists entered the picture in 1927 with an exhibit in the Harrisburg Public Library, and, by the 1930s, artists themselves were operating a separate but tandem group, called the Studio. In the ‘40s, as money for traveling museum shows dwindled and AAH’s founders were passing on, exhibitions by local artists became the norm. In 1953, AAH reorganized, absorbing the Studio and launching a new era of encouraging the creation and display of art.

Not all of it was progressive or groundbreaking. An Evening News writer celebrated a 1963 show’s lack of works from “the automobile parts school of sculptor and ‘pop art.’”

“Neither is missed,” he sniffed.

Still, an art scene was growing up around the association, as members founded their own galleries and taught college-level art. To the possible horror of the Evening News scoffer, AAH stalwart Wanda Macomber became a well-known abstract precisionist painter.

AAH’s rejection of a nude self-portrait by Gene Suchma for a 1974 exhibit shattered relations with some members of the art community.

“This was not the Art Association’s finest hour,” wrote Wissler-Thomas, adding that, since 1980, AAH “stands tall against censorship in all its ugly forms.”

AAH found its dream home, the historic riverfront Governor Findlay mansion, in 1964. Surviving threatened demolition in the 1970s, a 2014 mini-tornado, and, of course, the joys of water leaks, the building today hosts exhibits, a sales gallery and classes, all on four levels of parquet-floored, fireplaced, carved-molding style.

There were eras of debtors and three-figure checking accounts. Active board members, nimble executive directors, and supporters kept the doors open through donations, art sales, capital campaigns and events.

Today, Summer Soirees extend members’ artwork into the elegant backyards of AAH patrons, while Community Exhibitions hang curated works in the galleries of participating businesses and institutions, bringing the serenity of art to workaday settings.

“It’s a chance to get artists’ work out in the community,” said Wissler-Thomas. “Artists will join the Art Association just because they can show their work.”

Heart for Learning

After thriving in the watercolor classes he requested for Father’s Day, Michaelian transitioned from student to teacher. As he watched artists mature to the point where they were teaching the teacher, he hatched the idea for Open Painting Studio, where burgeoning and experienced artists can find space to hone their techniques without formal instruction.

Held in Giant Food Stores’ Camp Hill community room, sessions host 40 to 50 artists weekly.

“The beginning artists seem to enjoy it because they get to see what others are creating, and the other artists get to enjoy walking around and helping the beginners,” he said.

And, he added, “A lot of my students will do their grocery shopping afterwards.”

Past AAH President David Morrison, now executive director of Historic Harrisburg Association, guided AAH through some lean financial years. He remembers the 2002 and 2003 exhibits of live tattoo recipients, displaying the works inked on their skins.

“It was really, really cool and attracted an entirely different clientele from normal art exhibits,” he said. “So, that was really a clever outreach, getting new audiences and showing that art isn’t stuffy.”

A local art association inspires artists to capture the region’s architectural and natural beauty, Morrison noted. AAH once held classes in the Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, helping to cement ties between two of the city’s anchor cultural organizations.

“The fact that we had it right here under our roof really broadened our horizons,” he said. “It brought art to Midtown long before there was the Millworks or Susquehanna Art Museum or Midtown Scholar Bookstore. So, it was kind of the beginning of expanding culture into Midtown.”

Show & Share

To Michaelian, showing at an Art Association exhibit is the North Star for budding artists. When his students exhibit for the first time, “their family wants to take their picture standing next to it, even if they don’t win a prize or it doesn’t sell,” he said. “Carrie and the association bring that to life.”

Susan Fortini and her partner, Raymond Kasper, of Lower Paxton Township, are longtime AAH donors. Artists need outlets for learning, showing and support because “it’s a little hard to do it on your own, and if there’s an organization you could participate in, it helps you to share,” she said. “I believe, if you have a talent, it’s your responsibility to share it. With organizations like the Art Association, you can get involved and have an opportunity to share your talent, your gift.”

Erie native M. Travis DiNicola was working in arts leadership and communications in Indiana. He and his wife, Michelle, had already decided to relocate to Pennsylvania when they attended an AAH show featuring her mother’s work in 2016.

There, Wissler-Thomas convinced them to make Harrisburg their home. DiNicola would serve on the AAH board when he arrived, she pronounced.

True to her word, he is the current president. Since his arrival, DiNicola has seen a diverse, professional board support the staff.

“There’s a lot of respect from local and regional artists for the work the Art Association does and tries to do and can do, and they’ve really pushed the staff and the board, as well, to be innovative and to grow,” he said.

The post-COVID need for socialization and expression propelled enrollment in the AAH school to record-breaking, “crazy high” levels of around 650, DiNicola added. AAH artists are always “pushing each other to be better,” and the organization has the potential to attract tourism and capitalize on “this amazing river” flowing on the other side of Front Street.

In a world where museums, galleries and art groups all have roles in promoting the arts, the Art Association is unique because “the artists are of and from the community and develop in the community for the community,” DiNicola said.

In its first century, the Art Association’s impact has been “huge,” said Wissler-Thomas. Students in the association’s classes—drawing, painting, mixed media, pottery, children’s classes—are constantly sharing the joy the courses have brought them and their loved ones.

To anyone who says computers have made art obsolete, Wissler-Thomas says, “That’s balderdash.” Art created by human hands has soul.

“Over 100 years, we have touched so many lives,” she said. “We’re open seven days a week, so people can come in and enjoy the art whenever they feel the urge. Art is in everything that we look at.”

The Art Association of Harrisburg is located at 21 N. Front St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.artassocofhbg.com.

Centennial year exhibits include “Women of the Permanent Collection,” through Nov. 27, and a Carrie Wissler-Thomas retrospective, July 3 to Aug. 30. The Centennial Gala will be held at the King Mansion on April 26.

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TheBurg Nonprofit Focus: Greenlee Partners & The MLK Leadership Development Institute

February 26, 2026 | by TheBurg Editor

2023 MLK LDI graduates at HACC

Greenlee Partners
230 State St., #1, Harrisburg, PA 17101

Why does giving back matter to your business — and how does supporting local nonprofits shape your company culture or values?

The Greenlee Partners team consists of accomplished professionals with a single-minded focus on delivering superior client service. Moreover, they are skilled and passionate individuals who are personally invested in strengthening the communities where they live and work. Strengthening the communities we live and work in has been a focal point of the firm for over 40 years.

Our team takes volunteering seriously. Many of our team members devote time away from the office to champion the causes they care about. We believe that touching the lives of others has a positive impact on the entire community. Giving time, talent and treasure to community groups that are important to our associates helps further the legacy of Greenlee’s philanthropic efforts.

Additionally, we support the Harrisburg community on a company-wide level. Over the years, we have engaged in numerous charitable efforts, allocating substantial time and resources to worthwhile endeavors throughout the area. We’re thrilled to be recognized as much for our community involvement as our lobbying efforts.

What drew you to this nonprofit, and what does your support look like in action (time, leadership, funding, advocacy, etc.)?

The Martin Luther King Leadership Development Institute (MLK LDI) seeks to strengthen personal and professional leadership skills for individuals serving their community. The community mobilization panel, in particular, seeks to provide leaders and aspiring leaders with the tools they need to impact public policy in an effective way. The scholars come from all walks of life, seeking ways to make their communities a better place.

Today, perhaps more than ever in recent history, understanding how to engage with our political leaders in civil discourse and advocate issues effectively to others is a necessary skill to possess. Without the ability to do so, changing public policy or even feeling heard in the community becomes difficult or impossible.

By volunteering time to work with the scholars at the MLK LDI, the scholars hopefully leave the program with an understanding of how they can make an impact regardless of their post in life. To quote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Everybody can be great because anybody can serve.”

The MLK Leadership Development Institute

What problem is your organization working to solve, and how does partnership with local businesses help you create measurable impact?

The MLK Leadership Development Institute is working to address the persistent gap in access to leadership development, economic opportunity and civic empowerment for historically marginalized communities. Too often, talented individuals lack the social capital, professional exposure and practical leadership training needed to translate potential into sustained impact. Our Institute equips emerging leaders with skills in ethical leadership, workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and community advocacy—grounded in Dr. King’s principles of service, equity and collective responsibility.

Partnerships with local businesses are essential to creating measurable impact because they connect leadership development to real-world outcomes. Through these partnerships, participants gain mentorship, internships, job placement opportunities and hands-on experience solving actual business and community challenges. Local businesses benefit from a diverse, prepared talent pipeline, while we track outcomes such as employment rates, career advancement, business creation and community engagement. This ecosystem approach ensures our work moves beyond theory, producing tangible economic mobility for participants and measurable returns for the broader community.

As you look ahead to 2026, what type of corporate or foundation support would most help you grow or deepen your mission?

As we look ahead to 2026, the corporate and foundation support that would most help us grow and deepen our mission comes from organizations that are intentionally investing in their communities through both human and social capital. Financial contributions remain important, but the most transformative partnerships are those that engage people, expertise, and long-term commitment alongside funding.

We are seeking local business partners that are willing to invest their employees as mentors, instructors and social justice partners—sharing industry knowledge, leadership experience and professional networks with our participants. This type of human capital support accelerates leadership development, strengthens workforce readiness and creates authentic pathways to career advancement and entrepreneurship.

Equally important is social capital: access to networks, relationships and opportunities that are often out of reach for emerging leaders. Corporate and foundation partners can open doors by connecting participants to internships, apprenticeships, project-based learning, board service and community-based initiatives. When organizations leverage their influence and relationships, they help our participants move from preparation to placement and from leadership training to real civic and economic impact.

By investing in both human and social capital, corporate and foundation partners become co-creators of community change rather than just funders. These partnerships allow us to deepen our programming, scale our impact, and build sustainable pipelines of leaders who are equipped, connected and empowered to strengthen the communities we all share.

TheBurg Nonprofit Focus: Enders & The Downbeat Foundation

February 26, 2026 | by TheBurg Editor

Andy Enders & Steven Kurtz

ENDERS
5912 Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg, PA 17112

Why does giving back matter to your business — and how does supporting local nonprofits shape your company culture or values?

Enders is nothing without our clients and the communities in which they exist. Many of those clients are nonprofits, and working alongside them has given us an intimate view of both their remarkable work, coupled with all-too-common impediments to success. Existing alongside our clients builds vibrant insight that allows us to better serve our clients.

Community engagement shapes our culture and demonstrates Enders’ 75 years of intentional acts. We don’t support the community because it’s a nice idea. The team members at Enders do it because they care about the people and causes that seek to solve problems and celebrate ideas. When your neighbors are also your clients, the distinction between business responsibility and personal obligation gets blurred in the best possible way.

We believe in the power of new ideas and continue to seek chances to build new partnerships, like the recently established Downbeat Foundation. Growing the breadth of our connections strengthens the impact of our support—through time, talent and financial commitments. The people who choose to join our team at Enders tend to be the same people who show up when their community needs them. Our support of local organizations is an outcome of a company culture that is firmly rooted in charitable acts.

What drew you to this nonprofit, and what does your support look like in action (time, leadership, funding, advocacy, etc.)?

In an era of shrinking opportunities to celebrate the arts, the Downbeat Foundation stands to be an antidote to students never knowing the power of playing an instrument.

Our connection to the Downbeat Foundation is personal before it’s professional. Andy Enders was a classmate of Ben Smith, the inspiration for the Downbeat Foundation, along with Steve Kurtz, its founding catalyst. Beyond the time shared at Central Dauphin, Ben, Steve and Andy shared the bond of a being in a high school garage band together. The loss of Ben was particularly poignant, but the development of the foundation provided the avenue to celebrate a life through meaningful action.

Through those long relationships, it was an easy “yes” when Steve Kurtz asked Enders to provide support to the nascent organization. Andy Enders quickly identified a colleague that loved music and was seeking an opportunity to deepen community involvement: Nelson Butz. Nelson quickly accepted the call to action, aligned with Enders’ common value of giving back. Upon joining the board, Nelson was immediately able to contribute to the planning of the foundation’s signature event this spring, May Jam.

What’s most compelling about this organization is the speed and intentionality with which it came together. A few months after Ben’s death, the foundation was formed. A few months after that, it’s already funded and is supporting multiple students. The people closest to this tragedy found a way to transform it into tangible opportunity for young people who might not otherwise have access to music education.

The Downbeat Foundation

What problem is your organization working to solve, and how does partnership with local businesses help you create measurable impact?

The Downbeat Foundation works to remove the barriers that keep young people from accessing percussion education. We meet students who want to play drums but lack access to drum lessons, a drum set to practice on, or the resources needed to keep learning consistently. Without those basics, even motivated kids can lose momentum before they ever find their rhythm.

Our work is intentionally focused on percussion. We provide need-based access to drum lessons, drum sets and related support so students can learn properly and keep progressing. That means hands-on instruction, quality equipment and the ability to practice at home, not just during lessons. For us, impact is measurable and practical—students showing up consistently to lessons, continuing instruction over time, and developing confidence, discipline and self-expression through drumming.

This work is inspired by our friend, Ben, a lifelong drummer who believed deeply in the power of rhythm to connect people and build confidence. His passion for percussion continues to shape how we think about access, mentorship and keeping music fun and meaningful.

Partnerships with local businesses make this possible. Support from companies like Enders Insurance allows us to put drum kits in students’ homes and keep lessons going month after month. Local partners understand the community and help us build something sustainable. Enders has been a true partner, supporting our mission financially while also showing up and helping amplify our work locally.

When local businesses invest in music education, the results are immediate and lasting.

As you look ahead to 2026, what type of corporate or foundation support would most help you grow or deepen your mission?

As we look ahead to 2026, the support that would most help us grow is partnership that directly strengthens our percussion programs. Financial support remains essential, especially to expand access to drum lessons and drum sets, but consistency and shared values matter just as much.

Predictable funding allows us to plan ahead, accept new students confidently, and ensure lessons continue without interruption. Support designated for drum instruction, equipment purchases, and transportation helps us deepen our impact while maintaining quality. It allows us to stay focused on teaching, mentoring and student progress.

We are also excited about partners that want to engage beyond funding. Sponsoring students, supporting our annual May Jam event, or helping us share the importance of percussion education all contribute to long-term success. These partnerships help reinforce the idea that rhythm, discipline and creativity are skills worth investing in.

Inspired by Ben’s love for drumming and community, our goal is thoughtful growth. We want every student we support to have access to drum lessons, a drum set to practice on, and a positive experience that builds confidence and a lifelong connection to music. Partners that share that focus help us make that possible.

New Horizons: Facility, program set to address needs of unhoused individuals, families

February 26, 2026 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Scenes from LHM Social Services Foundation

It takes a village to help those in need, particularly assisting the unhoused.

That’s the working philosophy of Luke Drayer, who founded LHM Social Services Foundation in March 2023 with longtime colleague and friend Craig Bouslough. Today, both serve as chair and vice chair of the organization’s board of directors.

In January, LHM opened a new transitional housing facility in a former assisted living facility in Susquehanna Township for participants of its new program, Horizons.

LHM Social Services Foundation is a nonprofit organization “committed to identifying, implementing and sustaining solutions for unmet needs in our communities,” according to Amy Foerster, the chief executive officer.

“From the beginning…the vision for LHM Foundation centered on having a positive impact on the crisis of homelessness in our area,” she said. “In pursuit of this vision, (LHM) set out to understand how it could make a meaningful contribution to the region’s existing network of social services so as to support, not supplant, the good work of others.”

Drayer, of Hummelstown, provided a matching founding gift of up to $3 million that led to the formation of the LHM Foundation and purchased the 15-acre property that is home to the 42,000-square-foot facility. Drayer donated the building’s use to the foundation.

“I’ve been blessed to have an almost 40-year career in outpatient physical therapy,” Drayer said. “Several years ago, I sold the company I had built and knew I wanted to spend ‘the fourth quarter’ of my productive years paying it forward. I felt driven to have a positive impact on homelessness in our area.”

Foerster said that, in preparation for such an endeavor, LHM consulted with other nonprofits and public agencies serving unhoused populations “and learned that there is a need for additional transitional housing programs available for those experiencing homelessness in south-central Pennsylvania.”

LHM launched an “Expanding Horizons” fundraising campaign for the project in November 2024 through a “multi-faceted approach,” pursuing gifts from individuals and businesses, as well as public agency and private foundation grants.

“As you can imagine, as board chair, I’ll say that one challenge in launching such a significant social services program is the fundraising aspect of it,” Drayer stated. “Beyond that, however, I don’t so much consider it a challenge, but this has been a big undertaking for the whole team, starting a program that offers housing, meals and, most importantly, supportive case management in a residential setting.”

Positive Impact

The Horizons program focuses on addressing clients’ immediate needs and providing “the skills and resources to empower long-term stability,” according to the foundation.

Upon joining the program, individuals or families work with an assigned case manager, who assists them with establishing individual goals and addressing how to achieve them. Participants are referred to the Horizons facility through any agency or organization working with individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

While enrolled in the 18-month program, participants are guided by foundation staff and volunteers while being “held accountable for making meaningful progress toward their goals and establishing relationships with relevant community services.”

Concurrently, clients are offered “supportive programming” on such topics as financial literacy, healthy living environments (i.e. parenting, cleaning cooking, etc.) and tenant/homeowner rights and responsibilities.

Other available programming includes educational assistance and school enrollment, as well as spiritual and emotional growth. All programming is available only to those enrolled in the Horizons transitional housing program, not to the general public.

“Through its Horizons program, LHM will address participants’ immediate concerns of ‘where will I sleep’ and ‘what will I eat’ so that they can focus on growing the skills and accessing the resources necessary to overcome their individual barriers to housing security,” Foerster noted.

Renovations began on the existing Horizons building in mid-2025 for opening in January. The former senior living facility comprises 58 units that include furniture, internet access, full private bathroom, closet space and a kitchenette with sink, mini-refrigerator and microwave for program participants.

“I think at some level, we all—housed, unhoused, employees, retirees, volunteers, everyone—want to know that we matter—that we’ve made a difference,” Foerster said. “I am driven by the desire, the obligation to have a positive impact on one another. And the fact that I get to do that work with colleagues and community partners who have those same motivations is incredibly fulfilling.”

LHM Social Services Foundation facility is located at 3251 Butler Ave., Harrisburg (Susquehanna Township). For more information, visit www.lhm-foundation.org or call 717-723-3996.

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Change Starts Now: A long-term plan for downtown Harrisburg begins with early wins

February 26, 2026 | by Ryan Unger

Photo by Michael Yatsko

No one expects downtown Harrisburg to transform overnight. I understand the skepticism when you hear about “another plan” to help our capital city. There are reasons for that skepticism, and it can be difficult to believe this time is different. But communities don’t lose belief because progress is slow; they lose belief when progress is not evident.

Belief is also shaped by how we talk about downtown—and how we consume the stories around it. When the loudest narratives focus only on what’s wrong, it becomes harder for residents, businesses and investors to see what’s possible. Revitalization requires a shared willingness to recognize progress and participate in it.

That’s why, even as the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC welcomed a statewide grant to begin coordinated engagement and early action with partners like the Pennsylvania Downtown Center and city, county and state stakeholders, our focus isn’t on producing a lengthy plan that sits on a shelf. It is creating visible momentum and early wins that show revitalization has already begun.

Long-term revitalization takes time. We didn’t turn a bustling downtown of stores, stories and character into an office- and concrete-centered district overnight. The density of downtown workers fueled past growth and renaissance of restaurants and activity. With a global shift to remote and hybrid work, and a broader decline in dining and drinking out, we must think differently and plan for a different future.

That requires a thoughtful, deliberate and inclusive process. We need to listen to the business owners, residents and visitors who will write the next chapter of downtown Harrisburg. Even as that work continues, real change needs to start now.

There is momentum in downtown Harrisburg today, and that momentum must build confidence. We are seeing engagement from high-level leadership, from our governor to the mayor to our county commissioners and legislative delegation. We have brought together the businesses and stakeholders who have invested in and believe in Harrisburg. As this work begins, we must quickly identify projects and actions that can change the downtown experience now—not six months or a year from now.

Downtown’s future won’t be decided by a single plan; it will be shaped by the daily choices of the people who believe in it. Everyone has a role to play. Choose downtown Harrisburg. Have a coffee, grab lunch, or connect over a cocktail. Visit Whitaker Center for a show or exhibit. Experience the Harrisburg Symphony in the Forum. Catch live music along the riverfront or at Capital City Music Hall. Help restore the foot traffic that brings energy to our city and region.

At the same time, efforts are underway with downtown organizations and businesses to fill the calendar with events, collaborations and pop-up experiences. Beyond traditions like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Artsfest and Kipona, Harristown Development is activating new energy—from SoMa block parties to the Tiny Park Concert Series launching this summer at Coronet Park.

Working with local leaders and supported by the commonwealth, we will also begin addressing the fundamentals of a thriving downtown—clean and safe streets—with an additional focus and commitment to these areas right now.

Downtown Harrisburg’s revitalization will not happen all at once. It will take time, partnership and steady progress. Above all, it will also take a region that believes in our capital city and isn’t afraid to say so. In the end, this work won’t be decided by a single plan; it will be shaped by what all of us are willing to do, and willing to believe, starting now.

Ryan Unger is president and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. For more information, visit www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org. If you’d like to assist in the downtown Harrisburg revitalization effort, contact [email protected].

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March News Digest

February 26, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

Harrisburg officials exit Dauphin County Courthouse.

Harrisburg Mayor, Council Reach Agreement

Harrisburg City Council has re-funded several previously defunded top city positions following an agreement between council and the mayor.

At a legislative session last month, council reallocated money to fund salaries that they had removed as part of the 2026 budget, a move that had resulted in a lawsuit from Mayor Wanda Williams.

Shortly before the meeting, council and the mayor filed a joint motion in Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas to reopen the case and adopt a joint stipulation that would re-fund the business administrator, project director for business administration/LERTA and create a new director of economic development position. The agreement came after a legal battle between council and the mayor that began with a lawsuit from Williams in early January, in which she alleged that council acted outside of its power.

In the budget, council also removed funding for the police bureau’s director of community engagement and relations and partially defunded the director of building and housing and economic development. Those changes will stand.

“This is not a victory speech. It is a statement of compromise,” Williams said, at a subsequent press conference. “This is a necessary step to move the city of Harrisburg forward.”

As part of the joint motion, Williams agreed to end the practice of appointing “interim” directors without council’s approval, an issue that informed council’s decision to cut funds for some positions.

Council President Danielle Hill also said that council will bring forth legislation that would remove funding for “acting” directors after 120 days on the job without council approval.

“I’m glad we made it to this point where we’re able to have a resolution,” said council member Ausha Green. “We were able to come to an agreement with the administration. “I’m still disappointed that it took lawyers to do so.”

William Penn, February 2026

William Penn Demolition Recommended

Harrisburg school administrators last month recommended demolishing the century-old William Penn High School and turning the cleared property into athletic fields.

After reviewing a slate of options for the district’s long-vacant William Penn building, Superintendent Benjamin Henry presented the administration’s assessment of each possibility to the school board.

Considering all the options’ levels of risk for the district and levels of benefit for Harrisburg students, Henry said that the administration feels that the “best” path for the district would be demolishing the building and constructing athletic fields on the former vocational school’s land.

Athletic fields would be a positive, student-focused move that would help the district expand girls’ athletics, per the administration’s analysis.

“We are growing athletic programs in middle school and especially in our girls’ sports,” Henry explained.

The sprawling building, last in use 15 years ago, sits on an adjoining 27 acres of land overlooking Italian Lake. Officials have weighed what to do with the property since it was vacated.

“I want to make sure everyone understands that this meeting is for the board to understand all the pros and cons over all the proposals, all the options that we’ve been reviewing,” Henry said.

He clarified that the presentation was meant to provide school board members with a comprehensive analysis for informed decision-making in the future.

“This is not just about a building. This is about student safety, fiscal responsibility and educational equality, and again, how we move the district forward,” he said.

City Council, February 2026

Two Apartment Conversions Approved

Harrisburg City Council last month approved two conversions of commercial buildings for residential use.

First, council unanimously approved the second phase of a project to adaptively remake the former Polyclinic Hospital building, at 2601 N. 3rd St., into apartments and commercial space.

The entire project includes renovating all three buildings on the property and constructing over 250 market-rate apartments. Council in November approved the first phase, which outlines renovations to the former nurses’ quarters, the northernmost building.

The second phase targets the largest building on the property and includes creating 130 units with studio, one-, two- and, possibly, three-bedroom configurations. There will also be commercial space, possibly a grocery store, according to developer Pennmark Harrisburg Holdings.

Rent will likely start around $900 per month for studio units and cost closer to $1,400 for one-bedroom and $1,600 for two-bedroom apartments.

Another adaptive reuse project also received the green light from council to renovate a former funeral home at 1332 N. 2nd St. into apartments. The project would add eight units to the five that already exist on upper-level floors.

Developer Breneman Properties plans to construct one-bedroom units, along with one studio and one two-bedroom apartment. Prices will range from around $1,000 to $1,800, a representative for the developer said.

Construction is slated to begin in March and last about eight months.

Council voted 6-1 to approve the project, with President Danielle Hill voting against it, citing a lack of affordable units.

Parks Extension Received

Harrisburg has received an extension to complete several park renovations.

City officials said that they have until March 3 to complete work at 7th and Radnor Park, Gorgas playground, Wilson Park and Reservoir Park, using a state grant.

In October 2022, the city was awarded a $13 million reimbursement grant for COVID relief by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for improvements at the parks.

Harrisburg is on its fourth extension for the grant funds, which would have originally expired at the end of 2023. The previous extension ended at the end of January.

“We realized that we weren’t going to finish for a variety of reasons,” said Parks and Recreation Manager Kevin Sanders of the latest extension, during a recent City Council meeting. “Reservoir’s still going to have some issues finishing.”

In November, TheBurg reported that three of the parks, not including Reservoir Park, were on track to be mostly finished by the end of December, according to city officials. While officials have now said that those three parks are mostly complete, they’re estimating completion in March or April. No estimated end date was provided for Reservoir Park.

Of the parks, Reservoir Park has the most work ahead as construction just began in November. Plans for the park include creating a splash alley with water features, among other upgrades.

Officials said that earth work has been initiated, with a site layout done and splash pad equipment delivered. Upcoming work includes construction of restrooms, installing electrical piping and relocating internet cables.

“Despite a later project start, work is progressing well and remains consistent with the planned construction sequence,” said a statement from the city to TheBurg.

The statement from Parks and Rec said that the complexity of the project and the location of the splash pad require extensive reviews.

The Broad Street Market on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

Preservation Priorities Set

For the second year in a row, Harrisburg’s historic farmers market tops an annual list of “preservation priorities” for an area historic preservation group.

In late January, Historic Harrisburg Association presented its list of endangered historic structures in the Harrisburg area, naming the Broad Street Market as its top preservation priority for 2026.

“Because it’s so important to the community and to the metropolitan area and beyond, obviously, it’s our first preservation priority at this point,” explained Jeb Stuart, president of HHA’s board of directors.

The market’s 1870s-era brick building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, faced a devastating fire in July 2023. The partially destroyed structure sat vacant for over two years before Harrisburg began the reconstruction process, which was further complicated by a wall collapse in December.

The association’s remaining four preservation priorities for 2026 include:

Former Bishop McDevitt High School, a 95-year-old, neo-Gothic brick building in Allison Hill that served as a school until 2012
William Penn High School, a shuttered, 100-year-old school building near Italian Lake
Balsley House, a dilapidated, Federal-style former grocery store, located beside Sawyer’s in downtown Harrisburg
Riverside Firehouse, a vacant, city-owned former fire station in Uptown that suffered a partial belltower collapse last year

HHA also put about two-dozen other historic structures on its “watch list” for 2026.

Home Sales, Prices Mostly Flat

Harrisburg-area home sales were largely unchanged in January on a year-over-year basis, according to the latest report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, 382 homes sold compared to 398 in January 2025, as the median sales price inched down to $270,000 from $277,000, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 180 houses changed hands versus 221 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price rose to $252,000 from $245,897, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County tallied 171 home sales, up from 161 a year earlier, but the median sales price dropped to $299,750 from $335,000, said GHAR.

In Perry County, 29 homes sold, up from 16 the prior January, as the median sales price fell to $249,500 from $283,500, according to GHAR.

The pace of home sales slowed in January, as “average days on market” rose to 40 days from 35 days in January 2025, GHAR said.

So Noted

Dr. Paul Rardin and Dr. Amy Vorhees will lead the Susquehanna Chorale during the 2026-27 season, as the organization conducts a nationwide search to replace Linda Tedford, who is retiring after a 45-year tenure. According to Susquehanna Chorale, Rardin will conduct the Christmas program, while Vorhees conducts the spring performance.

Faniel Yemane will serve as the president of Harrisburg Young Professionals (HYP) for 2026, according to the organization. In addition, Olivia Edwards Rindfuss and Justine Fabian will serve as co-vice presidents, Alyssa Mancuso as secretary and Andrew Essis as treasurer.

Justin A. Tomevi has been elected president of the York County Bar Association. Tomevi is a partner at Lancaster-based Barley Snyder, serving in the litigation practice group, and serves as an adjunct professor at both Messiah University and Eastern University.

Kim Alvarez has been named vice president of philanthropy for the Harrisburg-based Foundation for Enhancing Communities. According to TFEC, Alvarez brings more than 20 years of experience in fundraising and nonprofit leadership. In the role, she will work closely with donors, professional advisors and nonprofit partners to grow local giving and support long-term philanthropic planning.

Lakshmi Polavarapu, MD, has been appointed the interim chief medical officer of Sadler Health Center. In this role, Dr. Polavarapu provides clinical leadership for Sadler’s medical department, according to the community health center that serves Cumberland and Perry counties.

Paul Gellerman last month was named chair of the Broad Street Market Alliance, the nonprofit that oversees the operations and marketing of Harrisburg’s historic farmers market. Gellerman, formerly the board secretary, replaces Tashia James in the post.

Rep. Nate Davidson last month announced his re-election bid to the state House of Representatives. Davidson, a freshman Democrat, represents the 103rd legislative district, which includes a large part of Harrisburg and the west shore communities of Camp Hill, Lemoyne, Wormleysburg and East Pennsboro Township.

Ryan Riley has joined Members 1st Federal Credit Union as senior vice president of marketing. Riley joined the Enola-based financial institution from Harrisburg University, where he led marketing, communications and global partnerships, according to Members 1st.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2469: G&W Rentals LLC to N. & N. Bui, $160,000

Berryhill St., 1241: J. Quinones to L. Lopez, $120,000

Berryhill St., 1621: Marini Property Investments LLC to Padmini Estate LLC, $225,000

Berryhill St., 2124: BAJ Holdings LLC to L. Martinez, $160,000

Boas St., 427: C. Kyne to Royal Legacy Investments LLC, $140,500

Briggs St., 1920: Elevation Properties LLC to PACC HBG 2 LLC, $120,000

Brookwood St., 2168 & 2168 Getty’s Alley: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to JTA Consulting Group LLC, $75,000

Crescent St., 341 & 343: M. & E. Reyes to BZDEL Global Investment LLC, $260,000

Derry St., 2012: M. & L. Lara to DR Properties of PA LLC, $170,000

Derry St., 2500: K. Gonzalez to J. Henriquez & F. Torres, $225,000

Green St., 2915: K. Manderino to M. Heefner & C. Purcell, $425,000

Holly St., 1804: D. Lansanah to Gwen Everett Fashion House LLC, $125,000

Howard St., 1351: M. Nichols to A. Molina, $111,000

Hunter St., 1605: A. & M. Burkhart to B&H Investment LLC, $143,000

Jefferson St., 2225: Easy Exit Home Solutions LLC to Gangsta Girls Real Estate Investments, $73,500

Kensington St., 2314: E. Brown to M. Escalante, $115,000

Linden St., 131: Bridger Investments LLC to A. Bamenda, $151,500

Logan St., 2213: H. Roldan to A. Veres, $85,500

Logan St., 2226: L. Murrell to D. Azor, $160,000

Market St., 1210: City Limits Foundation to Burgos Realty Investments LLC, $128,000

North St., 1712: V. Rivas to J. Torres, $80,000

North St., 1726: M. Dorlean to S. & H. Hernandez, $215,000

North St., 1942A: J. Pavana to E. Nino & M. Ortiz, $65,000

N. 3rd St., 1012: Ex House Buyers LLC to Sarek Properties LLC, $366,000

N. 3rd St., 2007: Portee Properties LLC to Beahive Affordable Housing Outreach Inc., $350,000

N. 3rd St., 2327: G. Reyes to Culcay Remodeling Guagua LLC, $140,000

N. 5th St., 3217: M. & K. Treaster to K. Fowler, $180,000

N. 6th St., 2210: C. Shokes to Melo Rental & Services LLC, $160,000

N. 6th St., 2229: Sky Resort Rentals LLC to Cleveland Association LLC, $207,500

N. 6th St., 2628: HBG Rents LLC to Melo Rental & Services LLC, $160,000

N. 6th St., 2941: G. Rubinstein to T. Nguyen & H. Huyen, $230,000

N. 7th St., 2628: W. & D. Foutres to Echo Propco I LLC, $78,000

N. 15th St., 208: US Bank Trust National Association to S. Almonor, $84,001

N. Front St., 1015 & 1017: R. DiShong to Third Street Realty Co., $575,000

N. Front St., 1101: D. Aldous to Operation Grapevine LLC, $200,000

N. Front St., 2745: Deerfield Capital LLC to KS Max Property LLC, $1,040,000

Paxton St., 1926: J. & M. Intrieri to Baker Property Services LLC, $127,500

Penn St., 2105: T. Hage to J. Loose, $125,000

Penn St., 2447: M. DePhilip & J. Reed to K. & L. Emerson, $110,000

Reel St., 2430: 786 Real Estate to M. Figuereo, $135,000

Reel St., 2717: Top Cash Paid LLC to Anderson Family Trust, $95,000

Regina St., 1820: J. Lamb to G. Ramos, $175,000

Rudy Rd., 1902: J&G Partners LLC to J. Guillen & B. Imbert, $248,000

Rumson Dr., 339: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to K&I LLC, $110,000

S. 13th St., 512: H. Sostre to Bencosme Realty LLC, $130,000

S. 13th St., 1525: J. Spagnolo to M. Arnao, $112,500

S. 15th St., 12: Dreams2Reality Services LLC to Dreamland Envision Properties LLC, $125,000

N. 16th St., 1204: H. Loje to J. Mancero, $145,000

S. River St., 321 & 323: T. Nazario to P. McVicar & D. Feger, $182,000

Verbeke St., 1414: Boas Street LLC to A. Mills, $145,000

Waldo St., 2623: A Harper to T. Harper & S. Gillespie, $50,000

Harrisburg property sales, January 2026, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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March Publisher’s Note

February 26, 2026 | by Lawrance Binda

Well, that’s finally over.

Sure, I know, in the Harrisburg area, March sometimes brings us yet more cold and snow, but I don’t care. In my mind, winter is done, finished, kaput.

It’s been a rough one. By Thanksgiving, the weather had already turned blustery and frigid, and the chill seemed to never let up, except for a brief reprieve over Farm Show week. So, I’m delighted to welcome springtime to central Pa., even if I’m a little early.

Starting this month, we put away the snowy landscapes and holiday themes that we often feature on our covers and interior artwork over the long winter. Gone are the stories about comfort foods and cold-weather events and indoorsy things to do with the kids.

At the same time, it’s a tad too early to turn our full attention to things like gardening, home improvement and outdoor sports, topics we’re sure to tackle soon. Here in TheBurg, March is a transitional month.

Therefore, we use this time to highlight the good works of nonprofit organizations in our area. Yes, we do this all year long, but, each March, we add considerably to our coverage, both as a part of regular feature stories and as a part of a special sponsored section.

So, flip open the issue and learn about some of the nonprofits that are making a positive impact in our community. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to get more involved yourself, as a volunteer or even a board member. Whatever your interest or cause, there’s sure to be a nonprofit nearby that’s a great fit for you.

And with that, happy end of winter/beginning of spring, everyone. Many warmer days lie ahead, even if we are temporarily ambushed by—oh no—that dreaded (quickly melting) March snow.

Lawrance Binda
Publisher/Editor

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Political Economy: Will “stuff” finally get done in Harrisburg?

February 26, 2026 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck

Last month, Gov. Josh Shapiro stood inside a cupcake shop in downtown Harrisburg and, before a bank of TV cameras, made a bold statement.

“I care a lot about our capital city, and this capital city deserves better,” he said at Anna Rose Bakery & Coffee Shop on N. 2nd Street. “If I can . . . begin a resurgence here, that’s something I believe is a responsibility of mine.”

That was Shapiro’s second show of support for Harrisburg in as many weeks. In late January, he gathered key downtown stakeholders together in a conference room to hear about Harrisburg’s struggling central business district—that is, what’s left of it.

To paraphrase a line from the classic wartime movie, “Casablanca:” “Welcome back to the fight, governor.”

When Shapiro took office over three years ago, I was hopeful. After all, he was no stranger to Harrisburg, having served here as a state legislator then attorney general.

So, I believed it a reasonable expectation that he would help lead the city into a post-pandemic future—bringing back state workers, adding life to the stagnant downtown, and helping re-energize the small businesses that had suffered so much during COVID.

A few months after, I felt my confidence affirmed when Shapiro stood in front of the Broad Street Market, which had just suffered a tragic fire, and boldly vowed to marshal resources to help rebuild the brick market house.

But none of this happened. In fact, the city’s crisis only grew worse over time.

The Broad Street Market only recently began re-construction, years after the fire and still years from completion. Downtown, a trickle of business closings turned into a flood as even the most committed, long-time restaurateurs and shop owners threw in the towel, as downtown office buildings emptied, as property owners demanded tax relief or desperately tried to unload their buildings.

Mind you, this isn’t all Shapiro’s fault. The city government has been alternately chaotic and inert, leading to bad headlines, low confidence and a general sense of hopelessness. Today, the mayor and city council aren’t even talking, except through their lawyers, much less cooperating on ways to revive the downtown economy.

But the state’s policies—and its inaction—are a big part of the problem.

For years, the commonwealth dragged its feet returning workers to the office following the pandemic. Even now, much of the state’s Harrisburg-based workforce is on site just two or three days a week. Remote work is also responsible for the related loss of visitors, lawyers, contractors, lobbyists, beseechers and all who do business with the state. This is ruinous to an industry town like Harrisburg.

Every time I write on this subject, someone accuses me of “blaming” state workers. To be clear, I’m not blaming workers. The admin in DEP or the middle manager at Ag doesn’t make the rules, and they have no obligation to buy a turkey sub at the local lunch spot (now closed). But I am blaming state policy. You simply can’t disappear so many people, remove so many worker hours, from a small city like Harrisburg without a devastating effect.

As one of the bakery owners told Shapiro last month: “If you want to support a local economy, especially in a city like Harrisburg where it’s so commuter-focused, you have to have a working downtown.”

At long last, Shapiro seems to have gotten the message.

Perhaps his motivation is self-serving. After all, our aspirational governor is running for re-election this year, with his eyes likely set on a White House bid in two years. You know that old saying that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? Well, I’d like to propose a corollary: the way to a politician’s heart is through his ambition.

The lowly state of downtown Harrisburg may be Shapiro’s Achilles’ heel. It’s the ready counterpoint to his oft-told tale of the I-95 overpass rebuild or his oft-repeated mantra of, “getting ‘stuff’ done.” In Harrisburg, the stuff definitely ain’t getting done.

Well, I don’t care if Shapiro is motivated by personal ambition or by a newly awakened love of Harrisburg. Suddenly, he’s organizing meetings, he’s out on downtown streets, he seems to be listening, he’s pledging his help.

The commonwealth already has allocated some money for an economic development study, which is a good start. But much more will be needed afterwards to robustly fund what comes next—likely a mix of residential, commercial and office, as well as things like streetscape upgrades, road diets, pedestrian corridors and business incentives. Also, the state needs to do something about the insane cost of downtown parking, a system that, incidentally, it controls.

Shapiro now seems to acknowledge the state’s role and responsibility (along with the city and the private sector) in guiding Harrisburg to a brighter future.

In January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics issued a report stating that Pennsylvania had the third-highest survival rate in the nation for new businesses, with 51.6% still around after five years.

“Pennsylvania isn’t just attracting new businesses—we’re creating an environment where they can succeed,” responded Shapiro. “From cutting red tape and streamlining permitting to investing in site development, main streets and our workforce, my administration is focused on making Pennsylvania the best place to start and grow a business.”

That’s profoundly not the case in Harrisburg. Perhaps one day, it will be, but to get there, promises need to be kept, focus needs to be maintained, and “stuff” needs to get done.

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

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