Developer halts rezoning effort in Midtown Harrisburg, vows more community engagement in new year

November 14, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

These undeveloped parcels at Reily and N. 6th streets make up part of the area that a developer would like to rezone.

A Harrisburg developer has halted an effort to change zoning for a swath of Midtown Harrisburg, stating that his company will put off any further action until next year.

Ian Wewer, the director of development and operations for Seven Bridges Development, said on Thursday that his company will not immediately pursue a change in zoning for a 14-block area just north of the Broad Street Market.

“After collecting the feedback of the residents of Midtown Harrisburg and the surrounding areas, Seven Bridges is withdrawing the Zoning Amendment Application for the proposed area of Midtown,” Wewer said, in an email to TheBurg.

In April, the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority (HRA) named Seven Bridges as its potential developer in the Marketplace townhouse community. The HRA holds some 60 lots in the area, after buying them back earlier this year from State College-based S&A Homes, which stopped developing in the neighborhood more than a decade ago.

Before undertaking any projects, Seven Bridges stated that it needed to change the zoning for the area from “residential medium neighborhood” to “commercial neighborhood,” which would permit greater height, density and mix of uses. A split city Planning Commission recommended the zoning change in early October.

The company was due to make a presentation before City Council on Tuesday on the amendment, as council members need to approve any zoning change. That presentation has now has been cancelled.

“Our intent is to return in the new year with an application infused with greater community involvement and input in the design of the future of their community,” Wewer wrote.

Seven Bridges held a community meeting in September on its zoning change proposal and was met with a mix of support and skepticism from residents. The same occurred at a second, well-attended meeting last month, with several residents requesting greater detail on what Seven Bridges planned to build.

To date, Seven Bridges has been reluctant to reveal details about potential projects, saying only that they may include a mix of residential and commercial uses.

Sinkhole to Park: City unveils new open space in South Harrisburg

November 14, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

Mayor Eric Papenfuse spoke on Thursday at the unveiling of the South 14th Street Open Space, a new city park.

Five years ago, a sinkhole began to swallow up the 1400-block of S. 14^th Street in Harrisburg. On Thursday, the once-residential area began a new era as a community green space.

City, state and federal officials–and some former residents–gathered at the South 14th Street Open Space, a new, 2.4-acre city park, which, until recently, was occupied by rows of small, 1950s-era houses and a street.

“I just never saw so much open space over here,” said former S. 14^th Street resident Rhonda Scott, who had lived in the neighborhood for 28 years. “It’s bittersweet; everybody was over here for a long time.”

In 2014, the disaster affected 53 homes, throwing some residents out of their houses and endangering others.

Roads, sidewalks and yards were damaged as well—making it a problem the city needed to solve. At the time, Harrisburg, just out of receivership, was in no financial condition to be tackling an issue this big, Mayor Eric Papenfuse said.

However, at the urging of state and local officials, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded much of the sinkhole mitigation project, suppling the city with $1.65 million for it. Never before had FEMA approved a sinkhole project.

“This project changed national policy,” said Steve Ward, a FEMA federal coordinating officer who attended the ceremony.

An additional $4.55 million came from HUD’s Department of Community and Economic Development and Dauphin County’s Community Development Block Grant.

Using these funds, the city was able to buy all of the 53 affected units for their assessed market values. Residents were assisted in finding and purchasing new housing elsewhere. After a tedious, multi-year process, the buildings were demolished last April.

The site was excavated 10 feet deep, backfilled and regraded to help prevent future sinkholes caused by excessive rainfall, as copious rain from Tropical Storm Lee in 2011, passing through the porous ground in the area, likely caused the initial sinkhole outbreak. The area was zoned as a green space, meaning no future construction can occur there.

“This site will allow folks to reflect on local memories,” said Tom Hughes, state hazard mitigation officer for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA).

The new park includes a walking path, benches and newly planted trees. A permanent plaque will be installed to serve as a memorial to the neighborhood that once stood there.

Some neighbors do have concerns about how well the park will be taken care of.

“We know the community really appreciates it and because they appreciate it, they are going to treat it well,” said Rev. Roberta Thompson, associate pastor at Mount Olive Baptist Church nearby. “We do have some concerns about how we are going to keep it up.”

Papenfuse assured community members that the city will maintain the green space as it does other parks in the city.

Although devastating to those who lived there, the sinkhole project showed Ward the potential of city, state and national organizations uniting on a job that once seemed impossible.

“This is a perfect example of the community coming together and helping those families,” he said.

The South 14th Street Open Space is located on the 1400-block of S. 14^th St., Harrisburg.

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

November 14, 2019 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend!

It’s a sip @ soma weekend! Top-voted brewery, Levity Brewing, is in town TONIGHT and tomorrow — grab the few remaining tickets for tonight at 8 p.m., and if you missed out — you can stop in during open taproom hours tomorrow (Friday) from 1-5 p.m. Other than that, we have some family pics on Sunday (coming to a holiday card near you), and that’s about it! Will it be relaxing? I highly doubt it!

What are you doing this weekend?

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Harrisburg moves to sell historic Riverside Firehouse (condition: slightly used)

November 13, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

The Riverside Firehouse

Have you ever wanted to own a fire station—some reassembly required?

If so, now’s your chance.

On Tuesday night, the Harrisburg City Council passed a resolution that the city hopes will result in the eventual sale of the historic Riverside Firehouse, which the close-knit Uptown neighborhood has long used for community events and as a polling station.

The site at 3201-03 N. 4th St. is actually comprised of two parcels. One is owned by the city and the other by Riverside Fire Co. No. 15, one of many inactive volunteer fire companies in Harrisburg.

Technically, the resolution transferred ownership of the city’s parcel to the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority (HRA). The fire company has agreed to also transfer its ownership to HRA, according to the city.

HRA then is supposed to consolidate the lots and try to sell the property, according to the resolution.

“By doing this, we would allow the Redevelopment Authority to obtain both of these deeds and tie these parcels together so they can be sold for development in the future,” said council member Ausha Green, chair of the public safety committee, before the unanimous vote in favor.

According to Green, Fire Bureau officials supported the resolution, as the building is in need of significant repair. The bureau would like to see the building restored, even if for another, private use, Green said.

Pat Waller, for one, believes the 3,300-square-foot building, built in 1923 and largely empty for decades, would make a great private residence.

“It’s very unique,” said Waller, president of the Riverside United Neighbors community group. “I’m looking forward to when the sales sign goes up.”

As selling points, she pointed to the tin ceilings and historic charm, but added that a buyer would need to undertake a major restoration.

“I’m quite pleased with the effort so far, but the building is in bad shape,” she said. “It needs a lot of work.”

For the story of a successfully restored Harrisburg fire station, please read our feature on the Allison Hook & Ladder Co. from the November magazine.

Harrisburg revisits proposal to allow greater housing density in residential neighborhoods

November 12, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

A residential street in Midtown Harrisburg

Harrisburg is revisiting an ordinance that would allow greater housing density in residentially zoned areas, the latest move by the administration to spur development in the city.

On Tuesday, Harrisburg City Council introduced an ordinance that would remove density restrictions for the city’s two main residential zones—dubbed “residential low-density” and “residential medium-density.” These two zones cover most of the city’s residential neighborhoods.

According to Mayor Eric Papenfuse, this change would make city neighborhoods more attractive to developers and offer a greater variety of housing to residents at a range of price points.

“We need more units of housing developed,” he said. “We don’t currently have a climate in which that is easy to do.”

Under existing law, the low-density residential zone allows four to eight dwelling units per acre, while the medium-density residential zone permits eight to 20 dwelling units per acre. This ordinance would remove those density restrictions.

The proposal also would repeal the current requirement in another zoning district, the “commercial neighborhood” zone, that mandates a minimum of 1,200 square feet per dwelling unit.

Last week, the city’s Planning Commission, by a 5-1 vote, recommended against this proposal, citing possible adverse consequences by removing density restrictions, as well as concerns over parking.

This is actually the second time that the administration has proposed the zoning change. Last year, council also introduced the ordinance, but ended up taking no further action on it.

Papenfuse said that he decided to reintroduce the changes now in light of a “companion” proposal to rezone a swath of Midtown Harrisburg–the Marketplace neighborhood just north of the Broad Street Market.

In that proposal, the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority hopes to sell dozens of building lots to Harrisburg-based Seven Bridges Development. The builder, however, has stated that it would develop a project only if the 14-block area is rezoned from “residential medium-density” to “commercial neighborhood,” which is better suited for mixed-use projects, according to Seven Bridges.

Papenfuse said that, together, the two proposals offer greater incentive for building on the city’s many empty lots.

“It’s the hope that people would see the effort as not just Midtown, per se, but attracting more housing throughout the city,” he said. “We need this development everywhere in Harrisburg.”

As a next step, council would need to hold a hearing on the ordinance before possibly taking any action on it.

Council also needs to hold a hearing on the amendment to rezone the Marketplace neighborhood. That hearing, originally expected for next week, has now been delayed until December, said council member Danielle Bowers.

Harrisburg school administration issues revised budget, says district in deficit due to past “mismanagement”

November 12, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg school district receiver Dr. Janet Samuels and acting superintendent Dr. John George.

The Harrisburg school district issued a substantial budget revision late on Tuesday, stating that the previous administration mismanaged the district’s finances and drastically overstated revenue.

According to Acting Superintendent John George, the district’s 2019-20 budget has been revised downward to $152.1 million, nearly $6.7 million less than the approved budget, which was finalized in June.

The new budget yields a $2.6 million shortfall for the year.

“One of the first steps in returning educational prosperity to this school district is to stabilize our finances and ensure we are spending and accounting for funds appropriately,” George said, in a statement. “The amount of errors and mismanagement we have uncovered is egregious and truly unfair to the students, staff and taxpayers of this school district.”

Much of the shortfall—$5.1 million—is due to the prior administration overestimating state revenue that the district would receive, according to the district.

Soon after receivership began in June, the district’s new administrative team began to piece together the district’s finances. At the time George, appointed to his post by Receiver Janet Samuels, told TheBurg that the district’s finances were fragmented and in disarray.

The findings released on Tuesday are the result of four months of “painstakingly pouring through Harrisburg’s financial records and systems,” according to the district.

Other findings include a $1.9 million underestimation of tuition payments to charter schools and payments to “ineligible employees.”

The district also lost $2.8 million over the past two years in federal School Improvement Grant funding at John Harris High School, a program designed to help failing students get back on track. The district didn’t properly administer the program, and didn’t provide documentation to the government of how funds were spent, according to a school district statement.

George stated that the district is implementing “a number of financial strategies” to save money for the remainder of the school year. These include:

refinancing debt with lower-interest loans
reviewing medical benefits contracts
recommitting to the sale of dormant assets, such as William Penn High School and Woodward Elementary
pursuing new grants and other non-traditional revenue sources
lowering charter school costs

“Truly, every financial aspect of this school district will continue to be analyzed,” George said. “We will examine contracts with major service providers such as Aramark and our energy management providers. We’ll also be digging into the district’s outstanding legal matters that may have some major financial implications.”

George said that the district already has begun to put in place procedures and training to improve business practices, approval processes and other financial checks.

The district has also established a fraud reporting hotline. Tipsters should call 717-703-4135 or email [email protected].

Sales and prices up again as strong Harrisburg-area housing market continues

November 11, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

A house for sale in Midtown Harrisburg

Inventory dropped and prices rose in the latest monthly accounting of Harrisburg-area home sales.

The Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR) reported on Monday that, for October, home sales increased by 8.5 percent while the median sales price jumped by 8.1 percent for its three-county region, compared to the year-ago period.

For the area, listing inventory dropped by 10 percent, while the median cumulative days on the market also fell, according to GHAR.

In Dauphin County, sales totaled 302 units, up from 288, while the median price was $171,500, compared to $160,000 last October. Sales in Cumberland County also rose, totaling 324 units versus 290, with the median price increasing to $218,950 from $206,000, according to GHAR.

In Perry County, 37 units sold versus 33 a year ago, while the median price rose to $179,900 compared to $172,500 in October 2018.

As it has in recent months, GHAR primarily credited lower interest rates for the stronger home sales market. In October 2018, the average interest rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 4.86 percent. Last month, the average was 3.78 percent, according to the economic research company Macrotrends.

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

November 8, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Signs of Election Day sprouted up everywhere this past week.

Election Day came and went, with few surprises for Harrisburg-area voters. But we also highlighted many other non-election stories and features this past week. If you missed any of our coverage, now’s your chance to catch up.

An Allison Hill firehouse seemed all but gone until a Harrisburg firefighter took on a massive restoration project. The historic structure has now returned to its original glory, and the small volunteer company attached to it is also back in business. Check out our feature story from the November issue.

Election night was a bit of a snoozer in Harrisburg, as City Council and school board races had basically been decided during the May primary. Dauphin County, though, was competitive, as our online story explains.

Gamut Theatre is set to open its new season with a long-time family favorite, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” But, as Director Melissa Nicholson explains in our theater feature, expect the unexpected.

HACC will end its long-running “Live at Rose Lehrman” performing arts series. The college cited declining revenues and attendance for the decision. Read the details in our online story.

“Harriet” opened last week at Midtown Cinema, a powerful biopic of the abolitionist Harriet Tubman. The film continues throughout the weekend and is very worth seeing, according to our cinema writer.

Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline is a local boy who rose up through the ranks. A serious health scare, however, made him re-examine how he was leading his life. Read about his journey in our recent magazine feature.

Homeland Hospice marks its 10-year anniversary this month with a musical celebration at the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Our feature story explains how you can attend and contribute.

Influencers are the new trusted marketers in the social media age. The Harrisburg area has its own crop of influencers who let people know what’s hot in fashion, restaurants and things to do. Read our magazine story to find out who to follow.

Neighbors & Smith is the newest contribution to retail along Camp Hill’s Market Street. Several shops and boutiques have opened or relocated there, making it a timely story for our November “Shop Local” section.

Paxtang Art Association holds it annual show and sale this weekend at the borough firehouse. There’s something for every taste, says our visual arts columnist.

Sara Bozich has your full slate of events for a very autumnal weekend. With this long list, you should stay well occupied until you return to work next week.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily email digest of news, features and events? If not, subscribe here!

HACC to end long-running “Live at Rose Lehrman” performing arts series

November 8, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

The entrance to HACC

HACC will discontinue its long-running Live at Rose Lehrman performing arts series following the conclusion of the current season.

In March, the community college will end the 45-year-old series, which brought world-class performing artists to the college campus in Harrisburg during the fall and spring semesters.

The main factors were lower revenues and lower attendance, according to a statement today by HACC President John “Ski” Sygielski.

“The decision to end Live at Rose Lehrman was not an easy one to make,” Sygielski said. “However, it is among the many necessary steps the college is taking to be fiscally responsible.”

According to HACC, from 2009 to 2019, total expenses to present the series were $3.9 million, while total revenue was just $1.7 million. During that 10-year period, HACC contributed $2.2 million out of its operating budget to offset these losses, an average of $221,000 annually.

Meanwhile, attendance has also declined, which HACC believes is mostly due to competition from other performing arts venues in and around Harrisburg.

Live at Rose Lehrman ticket sales declined from 4,120 in 2011-12 to 1,203 in 2018-19. Attendance by students has also dropped, from 37 percent of total attendance in 2011-12 to 14 percent of total attendance in 2018-19, according to HACC.

Two support positions will be reassigned within the college, while the director position, which has been vacant, will be eliminated, HACC said.

Sygielski stressed that this decision will not affect other arts programming at the college. The Rose Lehrman Art Gallery, HACC Theatre and HACC’s academic art programs will continue, he said.

“I want to emphasize HACC’s continued commitment to the arts, both at the college and in the community,” he said.

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

November 7, 2019 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend!

I’ve been in Hunting Widow Mode all week, and overall it’s been fine. The house is clean(er), things are a bit more organized, but I didn’t have the onslaught of spare time I expected. Oh well! This weekend, I’m headed to a couple of birthday celebrations, then on Sunday, I’m excited to help host some local influencers for an event at Elements Massage of Mechanicsburg. Have you been? They are under new ownership, and they’re in the process of refreshing the entire studio! Stay tuned for some great holiday deals coming soon, too.

What are you doing this weekend?

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