Harrisburg University revises, scales back building proposal as hotel plan folds

March 6, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

The HU building site at S. 3rd and Chestnut streets in downtown Harrisburg

A new Harrisburg University building now will be exclusively educational, as the university has eliminated the proposed hotel portion of the project.

In an interview on Friday, HU President Eric Darr said that the university had to remove the planned 197-room hotel from the project because their hospitality partner, Harrisburg-based HHM, also known as Hersha, had difficulty obtaining financing for the construction.

“Everyone agreed that the demand study demonstrated the need for a hotel,” Darr said. “But [HHM’s] finance partner believed that they couldn’t get the return on investment that they required.”

As a result, the downtown building now will be used exclusively by HU for its health sciences programs, simulation labs and other academic needs, serving about 1,000 students.

The building size also has been reduced by about one-third. It now will be around 11 floors and contain some 260,000 square feet of space. Because the building is smaller, the primary construction material will change from concrete to steel, Darr said.

The final design is still being tweaked and will be unveiled publicly on Tuesday at an emergency meeting of the Harrisburg Planning Commission, which must approve the revised building plan. City Council then also must pass it.

Last year, both the planning commission and council approved the original plan for the HU/hotel tower.

When first proposed, HU had hoped its building would be the tallest in Harrisburg, clocking in at over 30 stories. However, largely due to escalating construction costs, the university began scaling down the project, eventually settling on a 17-story building with an adjoining 10-story hotel.

Darr said that, ideally, he would have preferred giving Hersha more time to find financing for the proposed 120,000-square-foot hotel. However, by late 2019, HU decided it couldn’t wait any longer, needing to move forward on its portion of the project to meet its schedule for bond financing and construction, he said.

“Last fall, we decided we were done,” Darr said. “We started into a redesign phase just focused on educational space.”

Another view of the cleared HU building site

With the demise of the hotel plan, the third proposed piece of the project, a restaurant, also is being scrapped, he said.

HU has already cleared the site at S. 3^rd and Chestnut streets, but hasn’t yet started to build the structure, estimated now to cost about $100 million. Assuming the revised development plan passes muster with the city, HU expects the building to begin to take shape this summer and be completed in late 2021.

“From our perspective, we still believe that there’s a great need for a new hotel in the city and hope that someone can pull it off,” Darr said.

Bob’s Art Blog: Out of Town and Midtown Art

March 6, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

Borrowing the line from W.P. Kinsella’s book, Shoeless Joe (Jackson) and the film version aka (Field of Dreams), “If you build it, he will come,” also applies to other fields of endeavor like art.

The artist and art visionary Brice Brown of Milton, Pa., and New York City adopted that same philosophy when he opened the Milton Art Bank (MAB) in May 2017. More than just a gallery or a museum, MAB is also a destination for dreamers that operates out of a converted bank building in Milton’s historic downtown.

Offering art in all its forms, MAB cuts a broad swath across multiple disciplines, including paintings, sculpture, dance, performance art, music, installations and even historical surveys as part of its repertoire. Brown is a firm believer in the ethos that, if you build it, they will come.

He’s now casting a bigger net to lure the fish from surrounding ponds. Milton finds itself strategically close to State College (70 miles), Harrisburg (50 miles) and neighboring Lewisburg just five miles away.

Northumberland County lends its country charm to a cosmopolitan collective that recently unveiled a monumental show, “Black/White,” curated by Brown and running through April 30. Visiting the Art Bank on a Thursday afternoon, we were given a guided tour by Sabrina Wilson, director, and her assistant, Ben Stieler.

“Black/White” sounds like either/or but also finds a partner in the mix of the two in the gray areas of shadow and substance. The exhibit explores the yin and yang of “binary opposition,” covering an epochal transit of time from 1400 BCE to 2019, a span of almost 3,500 years. The exhibit explodes the myth that black and white are mutually exclusive entities (a dichotomy in terms) as in the end their attraction and repulsion co-exist in perfect harmony. It’s counter-intuitive to think of one without the other. It is like night without day; good in the absence of evil; and light without dark. The pantheon of artists represented reads like a “who’s who” of A-list artists, both past and present. The allure of the show draws its mystique from the stellar cast including Man Ray, Pablo Picasso and Henri de Toulouse-Latrec. Among the two dozen-plus rounding out this compendium of creatives are modern-day artists Willem de Kooning, who adds a jolt of color to the mix. Robert Mapplethorpe, Edward Hopper, Grant Wood and Jasper Johns round out the quartet.

Art critic Lance Esplund lights the way in prose, framing the works in illuminating terms. From a curatorial perspective, Brown has created a tour de force show with “Black/White.” The ebb and flow of polar opposites and the commingling of the two create a rhythm purely its own. The walk through time is unrivaled for riveting attention to the works.The exhibit is enhanced by the spacious layout and open floor format, allowing the art to breathe and stand alone or as part of a continuous thread, weaving its way into the conscience of its audience. All art mediums are represented and given their due. Photography, paintings, sculptures, ceramics and textiles combine to create a powerful visual and provide a master class in art appreciation. Highlights of the show include Piero Fornasetti’s ink-on-paper titled “Wallpaper” from 1955. Jim Dines collective ensemble of six lithographs entitled “Crash” are large and bold portrayed in black ink.

“Black/White” is the sum of all its parts, shining a new light on black and its absence of visible light, while white is the all encompassing presence of light. Together, they form a symbiotic relationship that provides the best of both worlds. Apart, they provide the space between, like songwriter Dave Matthews wrote, “We’re strange allies, with warring hearts, what a wild eyed beast you be, the space between.” That is the very essence of the love/hate relationship which is its flip side. Then, too are “the wicked lies they tell each other.”

“Black White” promotes the push/pull; attraction/repulsion theme to its desired end. Somewhere, somehow, they find a common ground shading the gray areas with that space between. Sometimes in rare instances a shout, but more often, a whisper…like Matthews concluded, somewhere “between the head and heart.”

“Black/White” runs through April 30 at Milton Art Bank, 23 S. Front Street, Milton. Hours are Thursday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m., free to the public. For more information, visit their website.

Pictured above:
“Untitled,” oil on newspaper, by Willem de Kooning
“Wallpaper,” by Piero Fornasetti, 1955

Part II Midtown Art Events/Spring Ahead

Susquehanna Art Museum at the Marty: Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Negro League Baseball
Opening day for Major League Baseball is still a month away, but baseball purists can get their fix early at SAM with the 100th anniversary tribute to the Negro National Baseball League in its “Separate and Unequaled” artistic trip down memory lane. It includes a nod to Harrisburg’s own Giants that operated as part of the Eastern Colored League from 1924 to 1927. The exhibit opens this weekend at SAM. Play ball!

Susquehanna Art Museum is located at 1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg.

Millworks/Deja Vu?
It’s that time of the month again. Before you set the clock ahead Saturday night, celebrate the early arrival of spring with the Millworks “First Saturday” on March 7 from 2 to 5 p.m. for an afternoon of art, food and drink at the restaurant and gallery. Meet the artists on hand and see what’s “cooking” for spring in the gallery and in the kitchen.

The Millworks is located at 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg.

Walke this way at Zeroday
A sneak preview for a 3rd in the Burg event on March 20 may get you to walk this way… A one man show from Ted Walke of Gallery on Second can be found at Zeroday Brewing Co. Breakout the 3-D glasses on hand at the brewpub to view anaglyphs in filtered form, typically red and cyan. Who knew “shades” of the 1950s would return? Perhaps Zeroday will be showing “The Creature From the Black Lagoon” in its 3-D format.

Zeroday Brewing Co. is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg.

Harrisburg University fortifies testing capabilities, curriculum with new lab, new facility

March 6, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Student interns work at HU’s current User Experience Center, which soon will move to a new location on S. 3rd Street in Harrisburg.

Harrisburg University recently launched a new lab with the goal of giving students studying interactive media a platform to learn through real-world experience.

In the “User Experience Center,” students and faculty work with outside clients to test their products for user friendliness through data collection, analyses and generating reports, explained the director of the center, Adams Greenwood-Ericksen.

“Generally, what we do is make stuff work better,” he said. ‘We want students to get experience doing the work.”

The center goes hand-in-hand with the interactive media major, which has three concentrations students can hone in on: advanced media production, interaction and experience design, and purposeful game design.

From this major, five student interns test clients’ video games, websites, education software and other products and receive suggestions for improvements. The process for one client usually takes one or two weeks and in the end, students are left with experience and a resume booster.

The interactive media major has already doubled in undergrad enrollment since the three concentrations were added and with the center being constructed, it is expected to grow even more, explained Tamara Peyton, assistant professor of interactive media.

However, Peyton added that the program is also about giving back to Harrisburg.

“We are investing back in the area and augmenting workforce development in the region,” she said.

Other than Harrisburg University’s User Experience Center, Peyton knows of only two others in the nation. One is at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., where Greenwood-Ericksen taught before coming to Harrisburg. In fact, Greenwood-Ericksen brought much of HU’s current client base with him when he relocated here.

While the team is servicing many large-scale national and international clients currently, Greenwood-Ericksen mentioned they want to take on more local clients.

Coming late spring, HU will begin operating the User Experience Center out of new space on S. 3rd Street, further expanding the university’s footprint downtown. With rooms for testing and researching, this will allow them to expand their staff and take on more clients.

“We want to be a resource for locals,” Greenwood-Ericksen said. “The idea is to promote connections.”

Harrisburg University’s User Experience Center will be located at 10 S. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit https://harrisburgu.edu/hu-launches-user-experience-center/.

Sliced Right: ShakeDown ups the sandwich game at Broad Street Market

March 5, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Lauren Hunt, Chris Heilig and Sarah Heilig get ready for the lunch rush at Sandwiches by ShakeDown.

First came the smoke, now comes the toast.

Last weekend, a hungry crowd greeted the first weekend for Sandwiches by ShakeDown, with people gathering eagerly around the newest food stand in Harrisburg’s Broad Street Market.

Many long-time fans came to see—and, more importantly, taste—the latest concept by Chris and Sarah Heilig, who ran the much-loved ShakeDown BBQ in Grantville for eight years.

What would these long-time purveyors of smoked meats put between two slices of bread?

“I’ve been looking forward to this ever since I heard they were opening in the market,” said customer Maggie Ricketts, before tackling the Ranch Hand, a staggering roast turkey, bacon and cheddar concoction and one of the stand’s five signature sandwiches.

As he geared up on Thursday morning for his second long weekend at the market, Chris Heilig said that he’s been pleasantly surprised by the reaction so far.

“It was a good, positive response,” he said, as he sliced fragrant blocks of provolone cheese and chopped up heads of lettuce. “Everyone who got our food seemed to enjoy it.”

Most customers last saw the Heiligs last year in their then-usual place, behind the counter of ShakeDown, which had become an out-of-the-way pilgrimage for fans of smoked brisket, pork and chicken.

Chris said that they tried to make the business work, but the remote location was difficult and running a small barbecue restaurant was taxing.

Meanwhile, they fell in love with the Broad Street Market, spending more and more time there. They were impressed by the ever-larger crowds and by the market’s renaissance over the past few years.

“We wanted to have a more centralized location than in Grantville,” Chris said. “The revitalization of the market was very attractive to us.”

So, they jumped at the opportunity after learning that a stand would be available—the former Mel’s BBQ in the stone building. But they wouldn’t be serving barbecue there. They wanted to do something simpler and more manageable, opting for sandwiches.

“We came in here and thought—what does the market need?” said Chris, adding that he welcomed a break after years spent in front of his enormous, 1,000-gallon smoker.

The Ranch Hand, a signature sandwich at Sandwiches by ShakeDown

The couple, he said, ate a lot of sandwiches outside of work, so they set to create an interesting, yet simple menu. They tested concepts on friends and family before coming up with five signatures sandwiches, including two carryovers from ShakeDown BBQ—the Ranch Hand and the VooDoo Chicken Salad.

For those who don’t eat meat, the stand also offers a vegetarian sandwich and a couple of salad choices.

“We like to eat healthier, too,” Sarah said.

Despite the couple’s emergence in the Broad Street Market, ShakeDown fans may still be regretting the loss of their favorite barbecue joint. For those folks, Chris is urging patience.

Shakedown is partnering with Zeroday Brewing Co. to open a restaurant next year at the new Susquehanna Union Green, a mixed-used town center development beginning to rise in Susquehanna Township. Chris wouldn’t state exactly what he plans there, but he left a tease.

“Let’s just say that we’re not done with wood-fired cooking and smoking,” he said.

He added that they’re considering hauling out the old mobile smoker for a future 3^rd in the Burg or two once the weather warms up. In the meantime, they’re settling into their new lives in the Broad Street Market, where several friends already have stands.

“It’s so cool to be part of something like this,” Chris said, looking around the market, as his fellow vendors began to prepare for the long weekend ahead, with more big crowds to feed. “The energy here is more our speed.”

Sandwiches by ShakeDown is located in the stone building of the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

March 5, 2020 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend! I can’t seem to make headway yet this month, but powering through nonetheless (though I did spend 30 min on the phone with my mom yesterday planning our respective gardens).

If you’re looking for something a little different, we’re hosting a morning networking event tomorrow (Friday) at Strawberry Square near Little Amps. I’ll cap my Friday with a private event at Open Stage!

Saturday I am market-bound. My pantry is stocked, but fresh food is low.

On Sunday, I’m hoping to pop-by the Pink Boots Society brew day at ZerØday, and by evening, dinner at my mom’s with my favorite foods (and pie!)

What are you doing this weekend?

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Density, parking concerns voiced over proposed Salvation Army building conversion

March 4, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

A front view of the Salvation Army Harrisburg building in Midtown

Density and parking emerged as the two principal concerns of Harrisburg residents on Wednesday night, as neighbors got their first chance to voice opinions publicly over a proposed residential conversion of the Salvation Army building.

About 30 residents attended the Harrisburg Planning Commission meeting, many to comment on a proposal to create a 25-unit apartment building from the long-time Salvation Army Harrisburg headquarters at Green and Cumberland streets.

“Thanks so much for coming up with a cool plan for this building,” said Penn Street resident Jonathan Henrickson. “My concern is that, while this does do a good job to make this a taxable property, it doesn’t fit in with the current zoning code. There are reasons we have zoning.”

The proposed developer, Michael Lam, explained that he was seeking a zoning variance because the current zoning code allows only four units for the 18,500-square-foot building. With just a few large units, he could not afford to undertake a renovation.

“Twenty-five units are very important,” he said. “Twenty-five units will satisfy the bank’s requirements for the project.”

Lam has the building under contract to purchase, but first must receive city approval. If he buys it, the currently non-taxable property would be put on the tax rolls.

Still, several residents said that 25 units would be too dense. Units would range from 500 to 700 square feet, with most apartments configured as duplexes with an internal staircase.

“I think it’s a good thing it won’t be vacant, but I agree that 25 units seems like a lot,” said Cumberland Street resident Karen Balaban.

Numerous residents also expressed concerns over parking. The project would come with a 34-space parking lot across the street from the building, but some neighbors said they were worried that residents would have more than one car or would have visitors, which would take available street parking.

“We may have something for the residents, but nothing for visitors,” said one Penn Street resident. “Visitors will be taking spots that we currently use.”

The proposal also includes a large commercial space, which raised additional concerns over parking. Lam said he hasn’t firmed up yet what that space might be used for.

A few residents spoke up in favor of the project, saying that apartments would be a good use for the building. The Salvation Army moved out last year after completing a new facility on S. 29^th Street.

“I’m constantly asked by individuals for . . . an apartment like this,” said a Penn Street resident who identified herself as a licensed realtor. “It’s very hard to find a location like this. I don’t know of anywhere else in the city of Harrisburg where you can have 25 units with parking.”

Planning commission members likewise seemed split on the project. Like residents, some commissioners expressed concerns over parking and density.

“I can’t vote for this just because of the density,” said Commissioner Shaun O’Toole. “There are too many units.”

Commissioner Zachary Monnier said he was concerned that if this plan doesn’t get approved, the building would sit empty for years, possibly becoming blighted. The Salvation Army’s realtor, Bo Mangam, told the commission that she has been trying to sell the building for five years already and has shown it to some 100 prospects during that time.

“Twenty-five units sounds like a lot, but . . . there is desire to live in this area,” Monnier said.

In the end, the planning commission tabled the issue. They asked Lam to return next month with more detailed drawings of the project and to use the time to meet with community groups to hear their concerns and try to gain their support.

Lam has said that he’d like to start the project in May. However, that timetable now would seem endangered. If the planning commission approves the variance application, it would need to be approved by the city’s Zoning Hearing Board. After that, Lam would need to file a land use plan for the project, which would need to be approved by the planning commission and City Council.

“I will come back at your next meeting,” Lam said. “Ultimately, if the community is against it, I’m OK with that.”

Developer pitches apartment plan for former Salvation Army building

March 2, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

The Salvation Army Harrisburg building in Midtown

In 2003, Michael Lam got his first taste of Harrisburg real estate when he bought the building that housed his uncle’s Chinese restaurant.

He still owns the Good Taste building in Midtown, even though his uncle has since retired.

Lam, however, can’t get enough of Pennsylvania’s capital city. Though he lives in Queens, N.Y., he’s acquired more than a dozen other properties, mostly old, small buildings with commercial space on the ground floor and apartments upstairs. In fact, he owns many of the buildings on the 1000-block of N. 3rd Street.

He’s now poised to begin his biggest project yet. He has a contract to buy the former Salvation Army Harrisburg building in the heart of Midtown, hoping to turn it into a 25-unit apartment building.

“The units aren’t huge, but they’ll be very done very nicely,” he said in an interview on Monday. “I’m going to bring a lot of New York style to it. They’ll be very trendy, very nice.”

Lam envisions a series of two-floor, duplex-style units, 24 one-bedroom and one two-bedroom apartments. He expects rents to average around $800 a month, with $1,000 a month for the two-bedroom, parking included for all units.

The Salvation Army Harrisburg parking lot

Several years ago, the Salvation Army Harrisburg put its long-time home at Green and Cumberland streets on the market, after it made a decision to relocate to the 500-block of S. 29^th Street, near the city line. It made that move last year.

The organization has been asking $560,000 for the 18,500-square-foot building, which was constructed in 1954, plus another $330,000 for the 34-space accessory parking lot across the street. A second, smaller lot off of Penn Street has another eight parking spaces.

Before he can complete the purchase, Lam will make his case this month before the city’s Planning Commission and Zoning Hearing Board. He needs a variance and special exception for the project, which exceeds the residential density allowed under the site’s current zoning designation.

His project, he said, makes sense as this area is almost completely residential already. In addition, the sale would put the long-time exempt property onto the tax rolls, produce construction jobs and create a full-time property manager position, he said.

If all goes according to plan, he hopes to start work in May and complete the project by the end of the year.

“It creates jobs, tax revenue,” Lam said. “It just makes sense for everyone.”

In the meantime, he plans to continue work restoring two small buildings he bought recently on the 900-block of N. 3^rd Street and wants to finalize a renovation plan for the former Downtown News building on N. 2^nd Street, which he purchased last year.

“I’ve seen Harrisburg come a long way over the last 20 years,” he said. “I’m very optimistic about it.”

The Harrisburg Planning Commission is slated to hear this proposal on Wednesday, March 4, with the meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the city government center. The case is scheduled for the Zoning Hearing Board on Monday, March 16, starting at 6 p.m. in the city government center.

Timeless, powerful “An Enemy of the People” premiers at Gamut Theatre

March 2, 2020 | by Gina Napoli

For a story set in Norway, written by Henrik Ibsen 130 years ago and adapted to stage by Arthur Miller 70 years ago, “An Enemy of the People” could have been written or set anywhere or at any time.

Echoing the most entangled and corrupt elements of human nature, the actors take the audience on a journey paralleling innumerable uncomfortable moments in this young century and in world history.

The story hammers home the overarching theme, “You can’t fight city hall,” not even from the inside.

Dr. Stockmann and his brother, Mayor Peter Stockmann, sit on the board for Kirsten Springs, the main industry that put their small tourist town on the map internationally. When Dr. Stockmann tries to expose the springs as polluted, he believes the town will erect a statue of him in gratitude. He aims the revelation at his brother as a “gotcha” or “I told you so” moment rather than presenting an opportunity to fix the problem.

Already dinner friends with the town’s newspaper editor, Dr. Stockmann gains immediate backing from the local press. In fact, he has trouble believing anyone—even his brother—would argue with the facts of the study that he secretly commissioned.

Conflicted undercurrents emerge as each player divulges their respective agendas and biases. The editor is eager to wield the issue to overturn the current administration to a liberal one, and “will report on things he agrees with.” A reporter wants to use the exposure to start a revolution against the rich. The press owner will side with the majority and is unwilling to attack the current administration.

The local press corps watches the main conflict between the brothers play out in their office. Dr. Stockmann relies on his one report as proof that the water is poisoned. Mayor Stockmann enlightens his brother of the exposure’s economic realities: a two-year cleanup, pervasive unemployment, and a cost that would require a corporate bailout. Then the mayor asks his brother to sign a cover-up, veiling a blacklisting threat for non-compliance.

As the grapevine winds its tentacles through the town, larger economic concerns develop while opinions wax and wane. Dr. Stockmann’s wife is concerned about their social and financial standing. Several question the source data, citing possible flaws or varied root causes. The captain, who wasn’t concerned about politics until it directly affected him, finds himself as the only townie willing to host the resulting town hall meeting, which escalates a loudest-equals-rightest conflict that no one truly wins. Even doing what each believes is right can result in unintended consequences.

With each cast member playing their role passionately, Director F.L. Henley, Jr., was pleased with the audience’s emotional response. He saw the cast “create this energy where they flow to the stage, creating a feedback loop, bringing the message the audience walks away with.”

Henley said that, in dealing with this heavy play, “the actors showed their abilities in expanding characters’ text to the stage. It’s not about subject matter. It’s about beautiful creating moments for the audience. They create a real character exhibiting fear, love, sadness, hatred, anger.”

Many parallels have already been drawn from this play to the present-day Washington, D.C., Beltway class. However, the toxic group dynamics the actors unfold for the audience wouldn’t necessarily need a world stage to play themselves out. A similar situation could easily transpire at micro-levels: a homeowners association, a party planning committee, a PTA meeting.

“An Enemy of the People” is a “Groundhog Day” of sorts, echoing the most corrupt elements from numerous plots of both fiction and real life. Politics play out onstage as they did in Greek and Roman times, in kangaroo courts, and the Salem witch trials. Brothers feud like Cain and Abel, or Liam and Noah Gallagher. Egos and agendas reign instead of common sense. Divisive opinions are touted as truth. Authority pressures conformity.

Why? Because human nature doesn’t change. Fast-forward to audiences centuries from today, and they will likely wonder if Ibsen/Miller wrote this play for their own time and circumstances.

“An Enemy of the People” runs through March 15 at Gamut Theatre, 15 N. 4^th St., Harrisburg. For more information and tickets, visit www.gamuttheatre.org/enemy.

Big Days for Zeroday: Harrisburg brewer expanding, opening restaurant, event space

February 29, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Co-owner Theo Armstrong stands in the future space of the new Zeroday Taproom in Midtown Harrisburg.

Five years ago, when Zeroday Brewing Co. opened its Midtown brewery and tasting room, the owners placed a framed picture behind the bar.

It’s an old, black-and-white photo of Fink Brewing Co., located for many years at Forster and James streets in Harrisburg.

Well, sometimes, beer history works in very mysterious ways.

Soon, Zeroday itself will be brewing beer nearly on the exact site where, for decades, Henry Fink and his sons produced more than 20,000 barrels a year, before Prohibition knocked the stuffing out of their business.

In early summer, the Harrisburg-based brewer will open the Zeroday Taproom on the 900-block of N. 3^rd Street, across a narrow alley from the old Fink brewery, which, in the height of alcohol ironies, is now the site of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

Why the new space? According to co-owner Theo Armstrong, the craft brewing industry has changed a lot in recent years. Today, customers don’t just want better, more flavorful and local beer. They want it all: great beer, great food and a great place for a party.

That’s what Armstrong intends to offer as Zeroday opens its full-service brewery/eatery near the state Capitol complex.

“The newer craft breweries are opening as full-service restaurants,” he said. “Now that the industry is more advanced, that’s what people are embracing.”

Armstrong said that he’s seen this trend develop ever since he opened Zeroday’s existing tasting room on Reily Street in back of Midtown Cinema.

At first, Zeroday offered only bar snacks such as big pretzels and meat-and-cheese plates. Pizza came next, and, now, you can get a sandwich and soup there.

However, those were incremental steps that didn’t go far enough, he said. People increasingly wanted a full menu to accompany his award-winning craft beer.

Therefore, he and his business partners were open to new options when they learned that WCI Partners was looking for an anchor retail tenant for an apartment building they purchased last year.

Negotiations ensued and, recently, Zeroday’s owners—Armstrong, John Tierney and Matt Tunnell—signed a lease for the currently gutted, 5,000-square-foot, first-floor retail space at 925 N. 3^rd St.

The location will give Zeroday more than twice the customer space, with room for a full-sized kitchen, a larger bar, tables, three fireplaces, comfortable seating areas, a cold storage room and a three-barrel pilot system for small-batch brews. The site offers two other key amenities—a separate room that can be closed off for private parties and a courtyard for sitting outside when the weather’s warm.

And expect the food to be good, too. Zeroday is partnering with downtown neighbor Cork & Fork to bring a Mexican and tapas-inspired menu to 3^rd Street.

“We want to be a meeting place for the community,” Armstrong said. “We want to be Midtown’s living room.”

The exterior of the future Zeroday Taproom on the 900-block of N. 3rd Street.

Zeroday will retain its space in back of Midtown Cinema, dedicating the entire 3,000 square feet to beer production. According to Armstrong, the company will need it.

Yes, Zeroday expects to sell a lot more suds at its new, full-service restaurant, but the company also plans to expand retail operations, complete with a new canning line. In addition, the owners have designs to open two other locations.

First off, Midtown Cinema, as part of its major renovation, is converting its front lounge area into a Zeroday Outpost with a 10-seat bar and additional tables. Therefore, the company will retain a central Midtown location for folks who consider the current, Reily Street brewery to be their neighborhood bar, as well as allow movie patrons to stroll into the theater with a pint.

An exterior rendering of the Midtown Cinema renovation, which has started

And Armstrong has something special for you suburbanites, too.

Zeroday is partnering on a restaurant concept with the owners of the former ShakeDown BBQ. It will open in 2021 in Susquehanna Union Green, a mixed-used town center development under construction at Linglestown Road and Progress Avenue in Susquehanna Township, Armstrong said.

Nonetheless, Zeroday’s heart will always be in Midtown Harrisburg. That’s where they got their start and where, soon, they will have three locations: the Zeroday Taproom on 3^rd Street, the Zeroday Outpost at Midtown Cinema and the Zeroday Outpost in the Broad Street Market.

“I’m confident that the 3^rd Street launch will help us be a better part of the community,” Armstrong said. “Speaking as a business owner, we want everyone to be welcome.”

For more information about Zeroday Brewing Co., visit their website.

Disclosure: Alex Hartzler, a principal with WCI Partners, is co-publisher of TheBurg.

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

February 28, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse held a news conference to announce details of next weekend’s Ice & Fire Festival.

Our coverage this past week had a little of everything—hard news, events, culture, features. In case you missed any of it, we have it all listed and linked below. Happy Leap Day, everyone!

Art Association of Harrisburg held a big opening show during last week’s 3^rd in the Burg, featuring the art of two talented locals, Charlie “Bootleg” Feathers and Reina “R76” Wooden, in addition to another exhibit called, “Hear Me?” Our arts blogger was on hand, and you can read what he had to say.

Civil Rights Movement was one of the most important historical eras in U.S. history. A photographer, Danny Lyon, captured many of the movement’s key events, his images now featured in an exhibit at Lebanon Valley College. Our magazine story gives you the picture.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania plans a new, three-story building on 7^th Street, the former home of D&H Distributing. The builder was in town to give the Uptown community a briefing on the project, and we were there to report what he said.

Gamut Theatre opens its newest production, “Enemy of the People” this weekend. Our preview story explains why the play was selected and what it means for our day and age.

Harrisburg and the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority had some tense moments during last week’s meeting, as the city filed a lawsuit against the state-appointed financial oversight board. Read what’s at issue in our online story.

Harrisburg’s Ice & Fire Festival is next weekend, so the city had a press briefing to let the public know all about it. The daylong event on March 7 will feature ice sculptures, an ice skating rink, fire dancers and much more. Click here for all the details.

Historic Harrisburg Association recently gave a presentation on its “Preservation Priorities” for 2020. In a blog post, our editor took this occasion to offer his kudos to individuals, groups and companies that recently have helped preserve the city’s historic heritage.

Kesher Israel is moving further Uptown, having purchased the former Riverside United Methodist Church. The synagogue plans a move later this year, located closer to where much of its congregation lives. Our online feature has the full story.

L&L Beauty Supply recently opened on Reily Street in Midtown Harrisburg. This business is truly a family affair, as our magazine feature explains.

Penbrook recently elected its first African-American mayor, John McDonald. Our magazine feature story tells of his life of devotion to family and community.

TheBurg came out with our March edition on Friday, with a focus on “Women in Business” around the Harrisburg area. As always, you’ll find a great mix of news, features, columns and events. Click here to read it online.

TheBurg won five awards in the annual PA NewsMedia Foundation’s advertising contest. Find out what our peers judged to be among the best ads in the business and see our first-place award winners.

Sara Bozich issued her weekly, lengthy list of goings on around Harrisburg, complete with music, arts, food and drink events. There’s still plenty of time left in the weekend to go do something fun.

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What are you doing this weekend?

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