Harrisburg mayor proposes use for millions of dollars in federal funds, recommends affordable housing, water park

May 11, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Mayor Wanda Williams and city officials presented their proposal for using federal ARPA funds today.

After months of consideration, Harrisburg announced how it plans to use millions of dollars in new federal funds.

On Wednesday, Mayor Wanda Williams proposed using the city’s $47 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money to support low-income residents, upgrade pools and parks and cover public safety needs.

“It’s not every day we get $47 million to spend to make the city better,” Williams said. “The pandemic has taken so much from us in so many ways over the last two years. This is why it is important we get this right, right now.”

In total, Williams proposed using $42 million of the pandemic relief funds, and saving the additional $4.6 million for future uses. Her proposal includes four spending buckets: $14.5 million to help low-income residents, $10 million for beautification, parks and recreation, $9.16 million for public safety and $8.8 million to reimburse the city for lost revenue during the pandemic.

Besides the money that would be used to pay back the city for revenue it lost during COVID, the largest allotments would go to creating an affordable housing program and constructing a water park in south Harrisburg. Williams has delegated $8 million for each.

“We feel that every dollar we requested is certainly necessary,” Williams said.

The affordable housing program would primarily seek to direct financial assistance to nonprofits and developers planning to construct and sell homes to low-income residents. According to city officials, organizations or companies would apply to the program and be evaluated based on standards developed by the Department of Building and Housing Development. The city hopes the money will help build a few hundred new affordable homes, according to city Business Administrator Dan Hartman.

Also for low-income residents, the city proposed allotting $5 million to assist homeowners with necessary home repairs and another $1 million to pay for delinquent trash utility bills. Another $500,000 would fund grants for small businesses affected by the pandemic.

“It’s always been my stance that the people of Harrisburg deserve safe, affordable housing, and this proposal would help that,” said Dennise Hill, Department of Building and Housing Development director.

The proposal to create a water park to replace the current Hall Manor pool would constitute another large chunk of funding. Williams said that the park would include a spray area, lazy river, slides, ADA-zero entry points, concessions and community spaces for families. Additional funding would go towards installing ADA-accessible playground equipment in city parks and for tree removal services.

With the funding for public safety, Williams wants to use $5.5 million to upgrade the public safety building’s HVAC system. She also proposed giving $5,000 bonuses, totaling $1.26 million, to police officers and firefighters, using $900,000 to upgrade radio systems for the fire bureau and spending $1.5 million to demolish dilapidated buildings.

“I’m doing this because they deserve it, and they deserve it right now,” Williams said of the bonuses. “They’ve solved nine out of 10 homicides in the city, and also, crime is considerably down over the last several weeks. I want to show my appreciation.”

The city plans to use the $4.6 million left out of the proposal to possibly cover administrative costs and to act as a buffer in case costs for other projects increase. It may also be used for additional projects, such as repaving city streets, Williams said.

The mayor’s proposal comes after the city held a series of public meetings in February to gather input from residents on how they believe the money should be spent.

“Their input was integral, and this administration listened,” Williams said.

The proposal will now go to Harrisburg City Council for consideration. Hartman said that the mayor and other officials will formally present the plan to council on June 7.

According to council President Danielle Bowers, council plans to hold additional public hearings on the proposed use of the ARPA funding before voting on a final plan.

Hartman thinks the final plan could be completed during the summer. However, it may take residents much longer to see many of the items actually take shape. Under ARPA guidelines, the city must allocate the money by 2024 and spend the money by 2026.

“The plan we are discussing today may not be the final plan and that’s OK,” Williams said. “At the end of the day our goal remains the same—to do what’s best for the people of this city.”

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Pitch for Peace: Local soccer tournament to bring together diverse cultures in friendly competition

May 11, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Team Bhutan, one of the Unity Cup teams.

Soccer enthusiasts will get a kick out of this upcoming Harrisburg event.

The first-ever Central PA Unity Cup, set for May 12 to 21, will bring together culturally diverse teams over their love for the game.

“Soccer can bridge so many demographics,” said Camp Hill native Sarah Vogelsong, the organizer of the event.

Years ago, Vogelsong, a life-long soccer player, saw Philadelphia hold a Unity Cup that brought together local players native to countries across the globe. She was then inspired to replicate that in Harrisburg. Now central PA’s Unity Cup will be the third in the nation, after Philly and Boston.

The recreational tournament will include nine teams representing countries from around the globe. Bhutan will serve as the host country, as central PA has a large Bhutanese community.

Other players come from places like Italy, Peru, Ecuador, Bosnia, Nigeria and the United States. All players currently live in the central PA area.

“I’m excited for the diversity of players that we are going to see,” Vogelsong said.

Opening night of the tournament will take place on May 12 at the HACC athletic field at 6 p.m when team Bhutan will face off against team Italy. The championship game, where the final two teams will compete, will take place on May 21 at 11 a.m. at the City Island Skyline Sports Complex.

All games are free to attend and open to the public.

In conjunction with the championship game, Dauphin County will host a “Spring Neighboring Festival,” also on the City Island field, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature entertainment, kids’ activities, food trucks and community resources.

Vogelsong hopes to make the Unity Cup an annual event and eventually create separate men’s and women’s teams.

Sponsors for the event include the Dauphin County Commissioners, Capital Blue Cross, Fidelity Direct Mortgage, Mid Penn Bank, Pizza Boy Brewing Company, and Café Fresco.

“Sports are a way to connect,” Vogelsong said. “We think soccer will really unite the city.”

For more information on the Central PA Unity Cup and for a full tournament schedule, visit their website or Facebook page.

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Home prices strong, sales slip, in Harrisburg area in April

May 11, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

A house for sale in Harrisburg

Harrisburg-area home prices jumped in April, even as sales volumes dipped.

In the three-county region, the median price of an existing home rose to $250,500, a sharp increase from $225,000 in April 2021, as sales fell to 628 houses versus 704 the prior April, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, the median price rose to $230,000 compared to $197,950 in the year-ago period, with total sales falling to 314 from 380 housing units a year ago, GHAR said.

Cumberland County had a median sales price of $290,950 versus $260,000 a year ago, as sales decreased by 20 units to 268 houses, GHAR stated.

In Perry County, the median price also increased, to $208,900 last month from $156,000 in April 2021, as sales held steady at 36 homes, according to GHAR.

Last month, houses were selling relatively quickly, with the “average days on market” at just 16 days, compared to 23 the prior April, GHAR said.

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Harrisburg City Council approves Allison Hill apartment development and violence prevention contract

May 10, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council legislative session on Tuesday

A development project can now move forward with renovating a long-abandoned building in Allison Hill.

On Tuesday, Harrisburg City Council approved the transformation of a blighted building at 100 N. 13^th St. into apartment units. Council voted in favor of the resolution, 5-2, with council member Jocelyn Rawls and council President Danielle Bowers voting in opposition.

Radon Construction plans to renovate the 11,500-square-foot building, formerly the Church of God/Central Publishing House. The renovation includes creating 12 apartment units, which the developer said should rent for about $1,000 to $1,100 a month.

“I believe that would leave our residents cost burdened,” Bowers said, explaining her opposition to the project.

However, at a previous council meeting, developers explained how they had to adjust the planned rental rate to cover the rising cost of construction.

Also at the meeting, council approved a resolution to contract with an organization that will assist the city with gun violence prevention efforts. The Research Foundation of the City University of New York, on behalf of the National Network for Safe Communities at John Jay College will provide services. The $210,000 contract is funded through a $500,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

The organization would study violence in Harrisburg, determine a strategy to address it and assist with implementation. The contract term is two years.

“I think it’s something that’s needed in the city,” council member Ausha Green said.

Additionally, on Tuesday, council confirmed the appointment of Stephen Ekema-Agbaw as the senior deputy city solicitor for Harrisburg.

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Moviate Film Festival to return to Harrisburg with underground, art-form movies

May 10, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Movie-goers at a past Moviate Film Festival

Film fanatics can look forward to a cinematic experience coming to Harrisburg this weekend.

The Moviate Film Festival will return, bringing underground, avant-garde films to movie-goers at the Midtown Cinema on May 13 to 15.

“The biggest part is bringing the arts to Harrisburg,” said Moviate co-founder Caleb Smith. “There’s definitely something for everybody.”

The festival will feature over 70 films from 12 different countries. Most will be short films, with a few features, including a range of genres from documentary to narrative, experimental, animation and horror. Short films are separated into blocks based on themes.

For one of the main events, Moviate will show a horror film called “Basket Case,” which was recently restored by The Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The director, Frank Henenlotter, will present the new 4K restoration on Friday night, with a Q&A and autograph signing to follow.

“A lot of horror movie fans love this film and are coming from all over to see it,” Smith said.

Smith is also looking forward to a series of short films from or about LGBTQ perspectives, as well as an event where live music will be played over a projected film.

This will be Moviate’s 23^rd festival and the first in-person event since before the pandemic. Smith is excited to return the theater.

“There’s something to cinema where, if you’re in a room with 20 other people, it’s more of a communal event,” he said.

He hopes that the festival and the films will inspire other artists to create.

Attendees can purchase individual tickets to films or buy an all-festival pass, which includes all programming.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information on the Moviate Film Festival and to see the full schedule of events, visit their website. To purchase tickets, visit the Midtown Cinema’s website.

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Harrisburg to hold public meetings on State Street redesign, will seek input from residents

May 9, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

State Street

Harrisburg residents soon will get a chance to offer their input on a State Street construction project.

On Monday, the city announced three public meetings, scheduled for June, for residents to review and comment on draft redesigns of the roadway.

“What is clear is we need to give our residents more of an opportunity to voice their concerns on this project,” said Matt Maisel, the city’s communications director.

The State Street Rapid Response project, which began planning in 2018, broke ground in Allison Hill last month. However, only two weeks later, the project came to a halt when residents expressed concerns. At a City Council meeting last week, city officials listened to public comments from dozens of residents on the construction and announced that they would go back to the drawing board for a redesign.

The city will bring new drafted designs to the public to gather feedback. Engineers will attend to answer questions and speak to residents.

The meeting dates and locations are as follows:

Wednesday, June 1, 6 to 8 p.m., Harrisburg School District Administration Building (pending school board approval) – Lincoln School, 1601 State St.
Monday, June 6, 6 to 8 p.m., Kappa Omega Fraternity House, 2020 State St.
Wednesday, June 22, 6 to 8 p.m., Harrisburg School District Administration Building (pending school board approval) – Lincoln School, 1601 State St.

The meetings on June 1 and 6 will offer residents the chance to comment on draft designs. After those meetings, Dawood Engineering Inc., which provides engineering services to the city, will use public feedback to create a single design. This will be presented to the public at the June 22 meeting, where residents will again have the chance to comment.

Additionally, the city announced a website that will allow residents to send in public comments.

“We are very excited about the new web page as an additional way for residents to share their thoughts,” Maisel said. “We realize not everyone will be able to make the public meetings, which is why it was imperative the city gives neighbors an opportunity to have their voice heard regardless of their situation.”

At recent city council meetings, many residents made known their opposition to aspects of the original design, specifically the plan to limit parking along the corridor during certain times of the day and to add dedicated bike lanes.

Since the city issued a cease-and-desist order to contractor Kinsley design in April, limited construction has resumed to complete unfinished ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps.

According to Maisel, the process of taking public comment, redesigning the project and resuming construction may take only a matter of months. A new plan must be approved by PennDOT, which owns State Street.

To comment on the State Street Rapid Response project, visit www.harrisburgpa.gov/state-street.

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Harrisburg University set to launch NFT marketplace to fund student scholarships

May 9, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg University is moving into the emerging world of digital assets, with plans to launch a unique scholarship program.

At their annual gala on Saturday, HU officials announced that the university is developing a marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which are digital assets that often are used as investments or collectibles.

Through the marketplace, people can purchase NFTs featuring significant moments in HU history. Money raised will help fund HU’s student scholarship program, said Mark Singel, HU’s board chair.

“We have devised a way that you can actually own a piece of Harrisburg University,” he said. “I invite you all to join us to support our next generation of students.”

The website and marketplace are still in development, Singel said. Once launched, they also will serve as educational resources so that visitors can learn more about NFTs, as well as such underlying and related technologies as the blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

For more information on this emerging program, visit their website.

HU also has two upcoming virtual conferences devoted to NFTs and the metaverse. These are slated for June 28 and July 27, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit https://summits.harrisburgu.edu/cryptocurrency-conference/.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

May 6, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

A past SoMa Block Party. Photo by Michael Yatsko Photography.

We’re proud that we recently received numerous press awards for our reporting, design, art and podcast. It’s the day-to-day work of providing local news to the community that keeps us going. In that spirit, please find a summary of our weekly news coverage, listed and linked below.

Artsfest will return to Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park on May 28 through 30, our online story reported. The annual event will feature handcrafted wares for sale, food trucks and live music.

TheBurg received 17 individual and group Keystone Media Awards, a peer-reviewed contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation. To view our award-winning work, click here.

The Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg offers a place for both beginners and experienced paddlers to find community while enjoying time on the water, our magazine story reported.

Capital Region Water broke ground on a stormwater management project at the Camp Curtin Branch YMCA, our online story reported. The “Big Green Block” project will include the construction of systems to help prevent stormwater runoff from overwhelming the sewer system.

Comcast and Harrisburg partnered to offer a discount on internet services to low-income residents, our online story reported. Through the “Affordable Connectivity Program,” households can receive a discount of up to $30 a month.

An e-sports gaming facility will open soon in downtown Harrisburg, our online story reported. Professional e-sports team, The Susquehanna Soniqs, envision their facility, The LAN Center, as a hub for gaming in the area.

Harrisburg is in the middle of a major road construction project to transform N. 2^nd Street from one-way to two-way traffic. In our magazine story, hear from officials and residents on how they feel about the project.

Harrisburg is seeking summer employees to staff its parks and pool for the season, our online story reported. The city plans to open the Jackson Lick pool on June 13.

The Harrisburg Transportation Center will receive $634,525 in federal funding for a new heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) system, our reporting found. Much of the existing system was installed over two decades ago and need to be replaced, according to the city.

MASA Authentic Mexican Cuisine, an Allison Hill food truck, will move to a downtown brick-and-mortar location on June 6, our reporting found. The business has served customers for over 30 years in Harrisburg.

May events are listed in our Community Corner, where you can find educational, artsy and active ways to spend the month.

“Petite Maman,” playing this month at Midtown Cinema, is a breath of fresh air, says our movie reviewer. The still-life movie quietly paints the picture of a mother-daughter relationship.

Restaurants faced an extremely tough time during the pandemic, but despite the challenges, many made it through. How did they survive? Our editor asked local businesses owners that question.

Ross Willard, founder of Recycle Bicycle in Harrisburg, hopes to see State Street become safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motor vehicles. Read his thoughts on how that could be done, here.

Sara Bozich has lots of fun springtime events for your weekend. Find them, here.

SoMa Block Parties will return to downtown Harrisburg for the summer with music, drinks, food and shopping, our online story reported.

A State Street construction project will face a redesign process after residents expressed concern with the project, our online story reported. At a Harrisburg City Council meeting, officials explained how the project will proceed and residents gave their input.

The Susquehanna Chorale is celebrating its 40^th anniversary. In our magazine story, read about the history of the organization and how it has grown over the years.

A Teen Summit will provide mentorship to local students and help them set goals for the future, our online story reported. The Harrisburg-based DBA (Dream. Believe. Achieve.) Academy of Arts and Development is holding the free event on June 11.

Visit Hershey & Harrisburg announced “Murals & More—A Walk of Art,” audio-guided tours of two routes that highlight murals, monuments and art, our online story reported.

The West Shore Theatre in New Cumberland announced its grand opening following renovations, our online story reported. They will hold an open house on May 7, to allow visitors to see the updated space and purchase tickets for future performances.

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Community Comment: Make the State Street neighborhood safe for pedestrians, bicycle riders and motor vehicles

May 6, 2022 | by Ross Willard

State Street in Harrisburg

State Street, east of the Capitol, is a vital Harrisburg neighborhood, home to thousands of city residents who live, work, attend school, worship and play. It is also an important transportation corridor that connects the State Street community to downtown Harrisburg, Penbrook and communities east of the city.

There is no question that State Street, as currently configured, is dangerous. It has a lengthy record of tragic pedestrian deaths, numerous vehicle accidents and an ongoing problem of a high percentage of vehicles exceeding the posted 35 mile-per-hour speed limit. The 76-foot-wide street is too wide for many pedestrians, particularly children, people with physical disabilities and the elderly to safely cross during a normal traffic light cycle.

The city of Harrisburg and PennDOT District 8 have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform State Street into a modern, multimodal, 21^st century transportation corridor that improves the quality of life for State Street residents by calming traffic and improving safety for all pedestrians, bicycle riders and other roadway users. It is also critically important that resident parking be preserved and safe drop-off/pickup areas be created at each of the several schools and churches located along State Street.

Over the past few years, both Pennsylvania and our nation have experienced a dramatic increase in pedestrian and bicycle rider deaths. These are attributable to both increased highway speeds and widespread use of larger, heavier motor vehicles such as SUVs. Therefore, most critical in any redesign of State Street is to design the roadway so that it calms traffic flow to reduce excessive speeding, improves visibility of pedestrians and bicycle riders, shortens the distance pedestrians must travel to cross the roadway, provides safe mid-roadway pedestrian “islands,” and provides protected lanes for bicycle riders to travel.

As we transition to a post-pandemic world, a large percentage of the workforce will continue to work from home, reducing the numbers driving to and from their workplace and reducing the projected increases in capacity needed on commuter routes. This means our transportation networks, parking facilities and workplaces must adapt to reflect this new reality. In addition, emerging micro-mobility devices, such as battery-powered, pedal-assist bicycles, scooters and other personal transportation vehicles are increasingly being used for transportation that require roadway infrastructure, such as protected bicycle lanes, to support their safe use.

The experience of nearby cities that have invested to improve roadway safety by addressing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, New York and many others, have seen that these investments improve the overall quality of life in neighborhoods throughout these cities.

Cities throughout the country have already instituted these roadway designs and have demonstrated they do work. Philadelphia has learned much from its experiences in redesigning its roadways to improving the quality of life for its residents while improving pedestrian, bicycle rider and vehicle safety. A 2021 study commissioned by the Philadelphia Department of Streets documents such benefits. Harrisburg should learn the lessons from years of experience of these other communities.

The State Street community deserves to have its “Main Street” redesigned and built to make it safe for efficient, multimodal travel while providing convenient parking to residents and visitors. As the eastern gateway into and out of the city, it must also continue to provide for safe and efficient travel for those passing through the State Street community. As a state-owned roadway, city leadership and PennDOT must work together to address and carefully balance community concerns with those of the entire city and neighboring communities.

Ross Willard is the founder and chief maintenance officer of Recycle Bicycle Harrisburg.

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E-sports community gaming center to open in downtown Harrisburg

May 5, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

The future LAN Center, 19 S. 3rd St., Harrisburg

Gamers, are you ready?

Construction on a state-of-the-art e-sports facility will be completed this month in downtown Harrisburg.

The LAN Center will be located on S. 3^rd St., near Harrisburg University’s new Science Education Center. Professional e-sports team, The Susquehanna Soniqs, envision their facility as a hub for gaming in the area.

“We wanted to build the LAN Center in the middle of downtown Harrisburg so we could give back to the community,” said Susquehanna Soniqs CEO Darren Moore.

The Soniqs, founded in 2018, is one of the area’s only professional e-sports teams and has already won several championships. While the team won’t use the facility for their practices and tournaments, they hope that it’s a place for the Harrisburg community to learn more about and participate in gaming.

Rendering of the LAN Center interior

The center will include gaming set-ups, a retail space and spectator seating for e-sports events. E-sports professionals will also teach workshops and other educational events for the community. Harrisburg University’s e-sports team will utilize the space, as well.

Eventually, the center will be open regularly to the public. Patrons will be able to participate in tournaments, engage in casual play with peers and watch games as spectators. Moore expects that to happen by the fall.

“We really wanted to give people a space where they could come, play and learn,” he said. “It’s about getting everybody involved.”

For more information about the Susquehanna Soniqs, visit their website.

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