The Week That Was: A summary of news and events around Harrisburg

April 5, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

What happened around Harrisburg last week? Here’s a summary of news and happenings that you may have missed.

Broad Street Market board of directors hired a new executive director to lead the 159-year-old farmers market. Joshua Heilman bested more than 80 hopefuls to replace Beth Taylor, who left in December after more than three years at the helm. He starts on Tuesday. Click here for the full story.

HACC announced a tuition increase and a pay freeze as it approved its 2019-20 budget. Under the $140 million spending plan, students from non-sponsoring districts will pay an average of 2.1 percent more in tuition to attend the community college, and salaries will be frozen for employees earning more than $40,000 per year. Click here for the full story.

Harrisburg announced that it began demolition of houses on the sinkhole-ravaged 1400-block of S. 14th Street. Following demolition of the 53 houses, which will take about 45 days, the city plans to grade the area and turn it into green space–a pedestrian pathway with grass and tree plantings. Federal emergency funds covered most of the $6.8 million project, with Dauphin County contributing $1 million.

Harrisburg Fire Bureau said that it deployed warning buoys around the Dock Street Dam a month earlier than usual, adding flashing LED lights to the buoys as extra caution to avoid the area. Last summer, a small john boat capsized at the dam, killing a mother and her daughter.

Harrisburg school board candidates introduced themselves to the public during a forum at the House of Music, Arts & Culture (HMAC) in Harrisburg. Seven of the 12 candidates gave short presentations, but none of the incumbent candidates attended. Click here for the full story.

Harrisburg Senators kicked off the 2019 baseball season with an 8-4 win over the Bowie Baysox at FNB Field on City Island, powered by a sixth-inning grand slam. The Senators are the AA-affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

Harrisburg University announced a new acoustic concert series, which will take place on the patio of Greystone Public House in Susquehanna Township. The “Music and Vines” series kicks off on May 10 with musician Gabriel Kelly. Other concerts include Frank Viele on June 14, Chris Pureka on July 12 and Sean Rowe on Aug. 9.

New Cumberland Farmers Market announced that it will open for the season on May 4. The market, which takes place at 4th and Bridge streets in the parking lot of Kelly Financial Services, will operate every Saturday through Oct. 26, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tracy Mansion soon will be home to 13 market-rate apartments, as the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board approved several exterior improvements to the project. Developer Jack Kay said that his company, York-based Susquehanna Real Estate, soon will begin extensive renovations to the historic Front Street property, with completion expected by year-end. Click here for the full story.

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

April 4, 2019 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend! My calendar is mostly blank this weekend (The Record Co. is on there … will I make it? Will you? You should.), but we’ll do some of the usuals. I’m hoping to make it out Saturday night for The Record Company at XL Live on Saturday, another hit from Harrisburg University Concert Series. Are you going? Last weekend we found a fun new brunch spot — and it was BYOB! What are your fave places to brunch? We have a poll in our #CheersHBG FB group. Join us and let us know your faves.

What are you doing this weekend?

Tracy Mansion renovation to finish, as developer set to start on 13 apartments

April 3, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Tracy Mansion in Harrisburg

It’s been a long time coming, but a developer is set to complete renovations to the century-old Tracy Mansion.

On Monday, developer Jack Kay received approval from the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board for several changes to the exterior of the property at 1829 N. Front St., including a new ADA-compliant ramp, outside steps, a landing and a covered canopy at the southern elevation of the building.

This will allow Kay’s company, York-based Susquehanna Real Estate, to begin converting the unused portions of the property to 13 market-rate apartments.

“We’re just waiting for the building permits to be issued, and we’ll begin,” Kay said today.

Industrialist David Tracy built the 30-room mansion as a private residence in 1918. In 1951, it became an osteopathic hospital and eventually a mental health facility.

Kay bought the property in 2005 with plans to convert it to an office condominium, adding a new, seven-story building in the parking lot next door. He received zoning board approval two years later, but the project died after the recession hit in 2008.

In 2012, Kay sold part of the building to Char Magaro, who opened the restaurant, Char’s Tracy Mansion, there. The restaurant, owned separately, is not part of the apartment project.

Kay expects construction to take up much of this year, with an anticipated opening in the fall.

The eastern portion of the property, including the carriage house, which is part of the apartment renovation.

Five two-bedroom and eight one-bedroom units are planned for about 12,000 square feet of space in the building. They will range in size from 750 to 1,200 square feet, and rents are expected to be about $900 to $1,500 a month. Some units will sprawl over two levels, and all will have a view of the Susquehanna River, Kay said.

“We are trying to create interesting spaces in the interior with all the modern conveniences,” he said.

Kay said that he undertook the project, estimated at about $2 million, due to the revival of both the city and the neighborhood.

“Over a period of time, we came to realize the interest in living in town, especially in a nice location, and that encouraged us,” he said. “With Midtown improving, we felt it was the right time to do this.”

Kay expects to set up a website with more information on the project. In the meantime, he can be reached at [email protected].

HACC announces tuition increases, cost cuts to close budget gap

April 2, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

HACC’s Midtown 2 building in Harrisburg

HACC has adopted a spending plan for next school year that will raise some tuition rates modestly and freeze many full-time salaries to close a substantial budget gap.

The five-campus community college announced late today that its board of trustees approved a $140 million budget for the 2019-20 academic year that will raise tuition an average of 2.1 percent.

The budget includes a $5-per-credit-hour increase for non-sponsoring school district campuses and out-of-state tuition rates. Tuition would not increase for HACC’s 22 sponsoring school districts, which include most districts in the immediate Harrisburg area.

“The 2019-20 budget reflects initiatives to increase revenues as well as several cost-saving measures,” said HACC President John J. “Ski” Sygielski.

HACC faced a revenue shortfall of about $9.7 million for the next school year, according to the college.

The tuition increase will yield additional revenue of $1.2 million, according to HACC. Last year, HACC raised tuition an average of 2.9 percent for the current, 2018-19 academic year.

HACC also plans internal cost-savings measures to save another $5.5 million. These include freezing salaries of employees earning more than $40,000 annually, freezing or eliminating current open positions and increasing minimum class sizes.

Employees earning less than $40,000 a year will receive a 2-percent salary increase, according to HACC.

The remaining deficit of almost $2.8 million will be covered by drawing on HACC’s reserve fund balance, Sygielski said.

In a press release, HACC stated that it suffers from issues similar to colleges throughout the country.

“Over the past decade, HACC, like other colleges and universities across the commonwealth and nation have seen a decline in their student enrollment, having a profound impact on our financial operations,” Sygielski said. “During the same time period, for example, HACC has experienced a 25-percent reduction in enrollment, a significant reduction in financial support from sponsoring school districts and very modest increases in state funding.”

Sygielski also stated that HACC is developing a new organizational structure, a “one college philosophy,” which should be fully implemented by the end of next year.

“We anticipate the new structure will better align our employee complement with the changing needs of our students and the business community and reflect current enrollment trends,” he said.

In addition to its Harrisburg location, HACC has campuses in Gettysburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York. For more information, visit www.hacc.edu.

Broad Street Market names new executive director, person chosen from 80+ applicants

April 2, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

The Broad Street Market’s stone building, looking up Verbeke Street, in Harrisburg

After a months-long search, the Broad Street Market has a new day-to-day leader, as Harrisburg resident Joshua Heilman soon will take the reins of the historic farmers market.

Heilman is slated to start next week as the market’s new executive director, confirmed Amy Hill, president of the market’s board of directors.

“We are really excited about this,” Hill said. “What appealed to us about him is that he has quite a few years of management experience. He also understands food and, most of all, he has the heart of the community.”

The title of the position will change from “manager” to “executive director” to reflect the market’s status as a nonprofit entity, Hill said.

She said that the choice was difficult due to the number and quality of applications, which numbered more than 80. A four-person “transition committee” reviewed the applications and recommended finalists before the full board made a decision.

Heilman has many years of experience in the local food industry, most recently as manager of the Provisions grocery store in downtown Harrisburg.

“I think he’ll take the market and the nonprofit mission that drives us to the next level,” Hill said.

Heilman replaces Beth Taylor, who ran the market for more than three years before stepping down in December. Taylor is now general manager of the Millworks, a restaurant and brewery across the street from the market, with plans to open a second tasting room and smaller restaurant in Camp Hill.

Heilman arrives at an optimistic time in the 159-year history of the market, which dates to the Civil War era. After decades of struggle, the market has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance in recent years and, last year, announced that all its vendor slots were filled.

Hill said that, in addition to the regular duties of running the market on a day-to-day basis, Heilman will oversee the launch of a “Friends of the Market” membership program. She also would like to see a renewed effort in trying to secure grants for the nonprofit market.

“We needed someone who could help us launch our community engagement mission,” Hill said. “It was a tough decision. There were many, many qualified candidates.”

The Broad Street Market is located at Verbeke and N. 3^rd streets in Harrisburg. For more information, visit https://broadstreetmarket.org.

First Look: At forum, Harrisburg school board candidates criticize sitting board, district administration

April 2, 2019 | by Mary Imgrund

Challenger Steve Williams speaks during a school board candidate forum at HMAC on Monday night

Harrisburg got its first look at the large field of candidates for the hotly contested race for school board on Monday night, as seven of the 12 candidates gathered for a forum in Midtown.

All of the candidates attending the evening of speeches were challengers for the five, four-year seats, though all 12—including the incumbents—were invited to attend, said Carrie Fowler, a sitting school board director who helped organize the forum.

Challengers Jayne Buchwach, Doug Thompson-Leader, Lewis Butts Jr., Steve Williams, Cory X. Williams, Gerald Welch and James Thompson took turns speaking, presenting themselves, many for the first time, to residents gathered at the House of Music, Arts and Culture (HMAC).

They’re running against incumbents Lionel Gonzalez, Patricia Whitehead-Myers, Lola Lawson and Ellis R. Roy, none of whom were present. Challenger Ralph Rodriguez was also absent.

The audience of about 50 wasn’t large, but it was passionate, cheering often at the shared message of the candidates—a need for swift and decisive change.

“Despite being an off-year election, the people I meet while canvassing care about this race, and they want to hear about policy,” said candidate Steve Williams.

Jayne Buchwach echoed that sentiment, adding that she was pleased with the turnout at the event.

Despite the crowded Democratic field, the candidates were positive and seemed unified against a common enemy – the current school board members who generally support the policies of the district’s administration. Williams suggested that, no matter who ultimately won, any one of the eight challengers would be an improvement over the existing board.

Buchwach began the night of informal speeches with personal anecdotes about her husband, her children and her own struggle with cancer. She called her platform one of restorative justice, claiming that zero-tolerance policies in schools rob children of their education through the misuse of disciplinary action.

Thompson-Leader shared his frustrations as a parent of an elementary-aged daughter in the Harrisburg school district and promised to provide teachers with the tools they need, while Lewis Butts, Jr., spoke of his personal experiences in the district and suggested that Harrisburg students should have access to the resources already available within the city.

Steve Williams lamented that the school district’s poor reputation often pushed young couples out of the city, in hopes of giving their children a better education. Given that the district spends so much money per student, there’s no excuse for graduating seniors to be so ill equipped with critical thinking and life skills, he said.

Corey X. Williams also emphasized his personal relationship with the district. He admitted that he may not have the policy expertise of some of the other candidates, but said that he knows the district and its needs, and he challenged city leadership to do better by its children.

James Thompson, a former school board director, touted his past success on the board. Thompson suggested that, since his departure, early childhood education was threatened amidst budget negotiations and that the most at-risk students were being penalized by funding decisions. He said that he would focus on reinstating Head Start classrooms in the district.

Finally, Gerald Welch shared that he could empathize with struggling students, having dropped out of high school himself, only to receive a master’s degree in social work later in life. Rather than making it easier for students to graduate without the necessary skills, the school board needs to use taxpayer dollars more wisely by reinvesting in students, he said.

All the candidates were critical of the current school board, and many of their stated policies aligned. This batch of challengers repeatedly questioned where and how the district is spending its money and said that they hope to empower teachers and students to reach educational attainment goals.

The candidates plan to hold more formal debates throughout April and May. Their first debate will be held on April 18 at HMAC from 6 to 9 p.m. The primary election is on May 21.

Spring Cleaning: Earth Day means the Harrisburg area gets a good scrubbing.

March 29, 2019 | by Karen Hendricks

John Naylor started an Instagram account to document all the plastic he was pulling out of the Susquehanna River and into his canoe.

Two years later, the “lifelong Yorker” has personally discovered and disposed of 6,000-plus items—mostly plastic bottles and bags—plus the occasional tire, even an old couch. (That didn’t go into the canoe.)

“The Susquehanna is geologically the most significant feature in the region,” said Naylor, 54, who regularly enjoys canoeing between the Columbia/Wrightsville area, south to the Maryland line.

How many pieces of plastic trash can he fit into his canoe? On Earth Day last year, he scoured 505 items from the river, put them into his canoe, paddled it all back to land, into his pickup truck and, eventually, into recycling bins.

“The most upsetting thing I’ve ever found was a huge Styrofoam block, birds were drilling and eating,” he said. “My dad influenced me to give a damn about the natural world and have respect for it.”

If you’re curious, Naylor tracks everything he finds on social media under the handle susquehanna_plastic_pickn_1000.

He’s found numerous blue, 55-gallon plastic drums floating in the river—he can fit three into his canoe at a time. He counts each as one piece of plastic for his tally. Small items go into his green York City recycling bin. When he’s on the river’s Lancaster County side, he takes plastics directly to LCSWMA. Other items, like the old couch, go to the York incinerator.

“I’ve had comments like, ‘You can’t clean the whole river yourself,’” said Naylor, 54. “My return is, ‘Well I can clean a little bit of it and, along the way, give some exposure to the challenges of single-use plastic.’”

Naylor occasionally joins a larger environmental effort, patrolling the river with the Lower Susquehanna River Keepers. The nonprofit, dedicated to protecting the ecological integrity of the Susquehanna watershed and Chesapeake Bay, relies on grassroots “pollution patrols” by volunteer boaters. They’re looking for violations by wastewater treatment facilities and other major sources of contaminants.

He has also made a difference in his workplace of 21 years, the Starbucks York Roasting Plant and Distribution Center. About 20 years ago, he went to his superiors and proposed a stretch-wrap recovery program, recycling the plastic wrap from warehouse pallet loads. They agreed, and, at that time, the facility was recycling 900 pounds a week. Since then, he said, the amount has undoubtedly escalated. The plastic wrap is manufactured elsewhere into durable decking material and park benches.

Naylor encourages others to make small changes in their habits.

“Ask yourself what you can do to reduce the amount of single-use plastic,” he said. “It will become second nature to you and make a positive change in the environment.”

Ripple Effect

Naylor’s example is especially fitting at this time of year as Earth Day is April 22, a celebration of environmental awareness dating from 1970.

In Harrisburg, volunteers will join forces for the 7th Annual Great Harrisburg Litter CleanUp on April 13. Coordinated by Tri County Community Action, the event provides T-shirts and cleanup supplies to all who lend a hand.

Last year, nearly 500 volunteers removed more than 28 tons of trash from Harrisburg’s public spaces. About 100 of those volunteers, working along the Capital Area Greenbelt, removed 150 bags of trash and more than 100 tires.

“About 70 of the tires were near 19th Street on top of a steep slope,” said Mary Ann Furedi, a city resident and Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA) board member.

Volunteers, working in assembly-line style, rolled the tires downhill for loading into open bed trucks driven by volunteers to the city’s waiting dumpsters.

“Someone had definitely dumped these tires in the night,” Furedi said. “The area was also littered with a lot of oil cans, and it looked like someone had owned a garage years ago.”

She said that volunteers’ spirits were high throughout last year’s efforts, despite working through patches of poison ivy, a cache of dirty diapers, old transistor radios, needles, old beer cans and plenty of plastic bottles and straws.

“A lot of people realize how far the city has come, and they realize the Greenbelt is a valuable, beautiful resource,” Furedi said. “There’s a sense of pride that comes with a sense of responsibility, and it makes you angry about what people throw away.”

Greenbelt volunteers included both individuals and groups, including Highmark Blue Shield, The Vista School, Philadelphia Insurance Co., Penbrook Leo Club, Caleb’s Legacy Fishing Group, Harrisburg Area Road Runners and River Runners.

“Earth Day is perfect timing for a cleanup because the tree canopy hasn’t opened up, and you can get to the refuse,” said Mike Shaull of Harrisburg, a CAGA board member who works at Highmark Blue Shield and coordinated last year’s team of 20 volunteers. “Plus, people have a little cabin fever.”

He said that it was rewarding to see the fruits of their labors—bags of trash—at the end of the day.

“Part of our issue is our throwaway culture,” said Ann Brooks of Mechanicsburg, who volunteered with the Highmark team. “I’m old enough to remember when we returned Coke bottles to have them refilled.”

The dental IT worker enjoys biking on the Greenbelt, and she plans to pitch in again this year.

The one thing that all volunteers note: Earth Day cleanup efforts are primarily successful due to old-school, grassroots efforts that rely on volunteers doing hands-on work.

Another common theme—consumers need to evaluate their habits.

“It’s cliché, but if people just thought more about reducing their amount of trash—simple things like refillable water bottles or coffee mugs—it can make a difference,” Furedi said.

And it’s a ripple effect, she added.

“In relation to the Susquehanna River, everything that gets tossed in Harrisburg has the potential to end up in the river, which then ends up in the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean,” she said.

For more information, see cactricounty.org/great-harrisburg-litter-cleanup and www.caga.org.

Stories on environmental topics are proudly sponsored by LCSWMA.

The Painted Word: For spring, a trip to Carlisle, a loop around Wildwood.

March 29, 2019 | by Bob MacGinnes

Spring is its own reason for a road trip just 30 minutes away to view great art and visit a quaint boulevard.

Anyone looking for charm in historic Carlisle need look no further than Pomfret Street. At first glance, you may think it is perhaps a street in Georgetown or Colonial Williamsburg. Pomfret is one block, chock full of great restaurants, a teahouse, gift shops and one-of-a-kind stores.

The gem that anchors it all is the Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC). Art gallery and educational emporium rolled into one, CALC is located at 38 W. Pomfret St. in the old firehouse building. CALC truly stands out as a distinguished destination for all art lovers, no matter which side of the river they live on.

CALC recently celebrated 25 years of building community through the arts. Exhibits change bi-monthly under the creative vision of gallery Curator Cathy Stone and Executive Director Becky Richeson. CALC generates almost half its revenue with contributions, with grant funding providing the balance.

Upcoming events for spring start unfolding April 26, with a dual-artist show entitled “Imagery and Field.”

This exhibit features a contrast from Harrisburg-based artists Mary Hochendoner and Maaike Heitkonig in the lower gallery street level.

Hochendoner paints with detailed imagery that is juxtaposed with Heitkonig’s subtle, color fieldwork. Her dreamlike style is simultaneously symbolic and narrative, providing a pivotal point to Heitkonig’s works, which more engender spatial and emotional feelings.

Upstairs, the CALC collaborative will house “The Real Faces of Homelessness” from Carrie Breschi, a founding force of CALC and former gallery director. Mounted through 2-D and 3-D installations, Breschi’s works will explore the faces of homelessness and the community misconceptions that accompany this profound societal problem. Her work shines a spotlight on what too-often is an invisible population.

CALC’s far-reaching educational components include classes available to the public across all mediums of the fine arts. Summer art camps for children ages 5 to 15 start when school ends and run through the start of the new school year in August.

“S.E.E. Art Salon” is another program through CALC, featuring in-house art salons through lectures and field trips. Of interest on May 9 is a trip to the Glenstone art museum, located in Potomac, Md. The exhibit includes the works of Louise Bourgeoise and a guided tour of the monumental sculpture garden. This trip is free by carpool so RSVP by April 17 at 717-249-6973.

The acronym, CALC, represents the first four letters of “calculated.” It’s a destination you will want to make plans for in the near future. No risk involved.

Art in the Wild

By its very nature, spring is unpredictable. However, eventually, the birds return, the bunnies bound, and we humans come out of our winter hibernation.

To partake of the local offerings amid the beauty of seasonal change, a good place to start is in your own backyard—figuratively speaking.

For the seventh year since its inception in 2012, “Art in the Wild,” sponsored by Dauphin County Parks and Recreation and Friends of Wildwood, will unveil a group of art created with a love of nature.

By definition, “Art in the Wild” lends itself to its founding premise—that the art be formed by found objects within the framework of the park. Fallen limbs, gnarly grapevine, trustworthy trees and verdant moss abound for artists to cull and create their vision around a unifying theme.

Unveiled to the public on April 13, the installations are available for viewing through Oct. 31. The theme this year is “Playful,” perfect for inspiration after our long, cold winter.

Wildwood Park and “Art in the Wild” are environmental and cultural gems. Just traversing the six miles of trails amidst the park’s 229 acres, which includes 90 acres of wetlands, is a visual treat no matter the season. And the subtle changes the seasons bring to the installations are noteworthy in that nature alters the canvas to suit its will.

Perhaps the greatest insight for reflection is to catch “Art in the Wild” early in April, then again at the height of summer and again before its last breath at October’s end.
The Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC) is located at 38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle. For more information, visit www.carlislearts.org.

Wildwood Park is located at 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.wildwoodlake.org.

“The Painted Word” will appear every few months to highlight a group of upcoming artistic exhibitions in central Pennsylvania.

Harrisburg Needs: A lot has been accomplished over the past decade. Let’s build on that.

March 29, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck

Back on a chilly weeknight in mid-February, I sat among a few hundred others at the annual meeting of Harrisburg Young Professionals.

TheBurg was there in force because we had been nominated for one of HYP’s annual awards—namely, the “community engagement” award.

I bring this up neither to boast nor complain (we didn’t win) but because of what I saw around me.

Sitting in the auditorium of the State Museum, I felt delightfully ensconced in a type of ad hoc club—one that I definitely wanted to be a member of (sorry, Groucho).

I had tremendous respect for the people surrounding me because they’d accomplished so much.

Blake Lynch, who’s made it his mission to improve outreach between the community and the city’s police bureau, was in our category. So were the good people from Friends of Midtown, led by Annie and Andy Hughes, who spent two years organizing, raising funds for and building Harrisburg’s first public dog park.

Sitting right in front of me was Meghan Jones, co-founder of the HBG Flea, and, right in front of her, the young folks who organized HUE Fest, Harrisburg University’s block party and e-sports tourney. Off to the right sat Sara Bozich and her contingent from Harrisburg Beer Week, an event-rich celebration of local craft beer, and, in front of her, Andrea Grove and the people of Elementary Coffee Co.

All were nominees for various community and business awards.

Then, on the stage was keynote speaker Amma Johnson of the AMMA JO boutique and new HYP President Adam Porter, who has co-founded two city businesses, st@rtup Harrisburg and Provisions grocery store.

And sitting right next to me was TheBurg’s own Megan Caruso, a 2018 HYP award-winner for co-founding the Harrisburg Mural Festival.

Wow, what a group!

In recent years, these folks have helped transform Harrisburg with new events, new products, new businesses and a new energy. When TheBurg began, 10 years ago, none of this existed.

And 2019 promises more of the same. At least four Broad Street Market food vendors are expanding to storefronts on or near 3rd Street (Knead, Urban Churn, Elementary Coffee and Radish & Rye), and another HBG Mural Festival will paint the town for 10 days starting in late August.

But all this has at least one guy (me) wondering—what comes next? What other great ideas are out there? Harrisburg has come a long way in a short time, but there is still much to do to complete this city’s transformation from post-industrial poster child to shining city on a river (this time, apologies to Ronald Reagan).

When people talk to me about what Harrisburg most needs, the conversation often turns to better schools and more and better housing. I agree. However, those two issues seem so large, the problems so overwhelming, that they can be a formula for inaction. Since we, as individuals, can’t seem to do much about these, why not just crack open another beer and watch more “Judge Judy?”

No.

Individual action is exactly what’s needed. America’s cities have improved largely due to the cumulative effect of countless small actions by ordinary citizens, just like we’ve already seen here. And, just like in Harrisburg, many of these cities, unfortunately, still have huge housing problems and underperforming schools.

I’ll start the conversation.

Harrisburg needs retail. Duh, right? In Harrisburg’s hierarchy of needs, more and better retail often ranks right up there behind better schools and housing. Retail is a tough nut, but, heck, I’m a guy who started a print magazine—I never said it would be easy. Looking at other cities, specialty shops and boutiques seem to be the type of retail that can work in an urban environment, though stores typically need to be concentrated to create critical mass in an attractive, walk-able area.

Harrisburg needs community assets. The dog park is a perfect example of a community asset that people long said was needed—and then a few intrepid pooch-lovers made it happen. A farmers market on Allison Hill could be another great community project, and Riverside desperately needs a gathering place, such as a café. Speaking of gathering places, I would love for the city to do something useful with its warren of desolate alleys downtown. Many cities have created vibrant pedestrian zones, event spaces and shopping areas from underused, well-located alleys, just like those around 2nd Street.

Harrisburg needs attractions. The city can’t afford grand building projects, such as museums, nor would I ever suggest one. But smaller attractions (the HBG Flea, Beer Week, Mural Fest) have proven to be big winners. How about a multi-weekend Christmas market on City Island, more food-focused events or better, more frequent use of the plaza at the Broad Street Market? The state could even throw us a bone by opening up the old Archives building (once emptied) as an observation tower or encouraging better use of the vast, empty plaza behind the State Museum—talk about an underused asset.

Harrisburg needs people. Most of all, Harrisburg needs people. It needs more people to live here, visit here, shop here—bringing their checkbooks with them. This situation has improved immensely from 10 years back, when I often felt that I was the only person walking down 3rd street. Still, city businesses would benefit greatly from more foot traffic and more customers.

I would like to close out this column with a disclaimer. Naturally, these ideas are mine alone, a little spit-balling exercise to get the discussion started. What are yours? I would love to know. And, most importantly—like Amma and Annie and Meghan and Adam—are you ready to make them happen?

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

A Brew for You: Harrisburg Beer Week is back, with something new on tap.

March 29, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Over its five-year history, Harrisburg Beer Week has become known for its signature events.

The Little Big Beer Fest, a tribute to high-octane brews, sells out fast, and I know a married couple from Shipoke who actually delayed the start of their European vacation so they could attend their favorite event this month—the annual Battle of the Homebrewers.

Then there’s the 717 Collaboration.

Each year, several Harrisburg-area breweries band together to create a signature Beer Week beer, which is then served over the course of the 10-day suds spectacular.

The “Collab,” as it’s known, is meant to demonstrate the communal spirit and creative power of Harrisburg-area brewers. However, by the organizers’ own admission, the resulting product hasn’t always been a crowd-pleaser.

“It shouldn’t just be for the people brewing the beer,” said Chelsie Markel, Beer Week co-organizer and brewery liaison. “We want to appeal to the entire Beer Week community.”

So, last August, four breweries—Zeroday Brewing Co., Troëgs Independent Brewing, Appalachian Brewing Co. and Boneshire Brew Works—got together to begin noodling concepts for the 2019 Collab.

“They wanted to create an approachable beer,” Markel said. “Nothing crazy or zany.”

At the same time, the brewers wanted to make something unique, which would stand out from all the IPAs and sours on tap everywhere.

After many meetings and test batches, they decided on a final recipe for a helles bock, a crisp, malty lager that is a relatively uncommon offering among central PA craft breweries.

“When this got started last summer, we all went around and talked about styles, ingredients and techniques we were interested in,” said Troëgs brewmaster John Trogner. “Classic styles of beer started to pop up in the conversation, and eventually we settled on a subtly complex lager.”

Last month, area brewers gathered together at Troëgs in Hershey for “717 Collab Brew Day” to ceremonially push the button and let the brewing begin.

Zeroday’s Theo Armstrong said that he and his fellow brewers wanted a beer that average consumers would enjoy, but that would also would hold their interest as beer-makers.

“We asked, ‘What inspires us? What do we like to drink when we get off of work?’” he said. “We all agreed that we like to drink these clean, crisp lagers.”

John Straitiff, head brewer at ABC, described the beer as “light and refreshing with some nice floral notes.”

“It’s meant to be a beer for the general public that is also very distinctive,” he said.

Starting April 26, you’ll be able to find the 717 Collab at more than a dozen breweries and pubs from Carlisle to Elizabethtown to Dillsburg. For the first time, you can also purchase the beer in cans, as 300 cases will be distributed throughout greater Harrisburg.

So, after attending one of Beer Week’s many firkin evenings, tap takeovers, pint nights or special events, you can grab a four-pack to go.

Beer Week co-organizer Sara Bozich emphasized the charitable aspect, as $1 per draft sold will be donated to the event’s beneficiary, Harrisburg River Rescue. Last year, Harrisburg Beer Week donated $40,000 to the River Rescue, with hopes of exceeding that goal this year.

“We want to make sure as many people as possible can enjoy this beer during Harrisburg Beer Week and, by doing that, contribute to a great cause,” she said.

Harrisburg Beer Week takes place April 26 to May 5 at many locations throughout central Pennsylvania. For more information, including a list of where to buy the 717 Collaboration and a full schedule of events, visit www.harrisburgbeerweek.com.

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