A Special Space: African-American businesses, artists find support at La Cultura.

January 31, 2019 | by Yaasmeen Piper

From the outside, it looks like any ordinary building.

Aside from its size and triangular shape, the building’s traditional white paint and red bricks almost blend in with the surrounding homes. However, a few times a month, locals will hear the thump of music vibrating the building and people pouring in as the space known as La Cultura comes alive.

Located on Verbeke Street, La Cultura, or “The Culture,” is a new hub for vendors and artists. At least once a month, organizers host pop-up shops, art exhibits, open mics and more, featuring black-owned businesses and African-American artists.

“We need a space for us. We need a space to seek refuge where we feel respected and understood,” said La Cultura founder Elyse Irvis. “A space where we can enact our cultural practices, whether it’s hearing rap music without hearing someone complain about the choice of genre or selling hair products that are for us.”

Businesses such as The Natural Pick, Amma Joe, She is Shic shoes and art organizations like Artcan have used La Cultura for their pop-up shops and exhibits.

“There are so many up-and-coming creatives, artists and entrepreneurs in the area that don’t get the opportunity to showcase their greatness,” said Erin Moore, founder of The Natural Pick. “This space is unique because it can become whatever you want. This is a space where they seek what’s fresh and allows [businesses] the spotlight and exposure.”

La Cultura is an idea that Irvis pondered for awhile. After high school, she set off to college at Syracuse University with the intent of never returning to Harrisburg.

Post-college, she lived in Philadelphia for three years and in the Bronx for two. In both cities, people of color made up the majority of the population, and Irvis felt a connection there. She felt a sense of community.

In 2017, when she moved back to Harrisburg, her craving for community persisted. Immediately, she got involved. She began working for a local nonprofit, became the membership chair for the African American Chamber of Commerce and joined Young Professionals of Color of Greater Harrisburg (YPOC). These organizations put her in the center of the local black and brown community of young professionals, and she wanted to help advocate for these businesses and artists.

Last June, Irvis hosted a pop-up shop at a new, black-owned Airbnb located in Uptown Harrisburg. There, she saw that people seemed unaware of the number and quality of local, black-owned businesses. She soon came across the space on Verbeke Street, and everything came together.

“I really wanted to find a way to generate dollars back into the local black community by investing in the local black businesses that you don’t see everyday, as far as a set address,” Irvis said. “The fact that this space was walking distance from the Broad Street Market, two blocks from the Riverfront, right in the heart of Midtown, the location was good for doing consistent pop ups, which was what I wanted to do and where I saw a need.”

La Cultura officially opened its doors in August. The first event landed during 3rd in the Burg, with a plethora of vendors and dozens of attendees. According to Moore, La Cultura not only offers a sense of community and culture, but it helps businesses like hers, which run mostly online, show their face to their community.

“It’s one thing to have an online presence and a social media platform, but it’s truly an experience when you get to see regulars or potential clients in person,” Moore said. “The face-to-face interactions are priceless, and this is a space where I am able to do so.”

So far, La Cultura has hosted events such as “The 7th Sense,” a live art showcase created to “stimulate all your senses,” “Don’t Touch My Hair,” an event inspired by Irvis’ own experiences, where attendees heard from hair experts and purchased locally made products, as well as many other pop-ups.

“There are still places where black and brown people don’t feel comfortable,” Irvis said. “I want to be a solution to that.”

La Cultura is located on 214 Verbeke St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their Facebook page: LaCultura717.

D&H Distributing plans move from Harrisburg to Lower Paxton Township

January 29, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

D&H will be headquartered in this building in Lower Paxton Township.

One of the region’s largest companies is moving out of Harrisburg, as D&H Distributing has purchased a 50-acre parcel of land in the nearby suburbs.

D&H expects to make the move later this year, relocating from its longtime Harrisburg headquarters to 100 and 200 Amp Dr. in Lower Paxton Township, near I-81, according to the company.

Co-President Dan Schwab said that a need for more space led to the move. With 244,512 square feet of office space between two main buildings, the new headquarters will be about twice as large as the current location on the 2500-block of N. 7th Street in Harrisburg, he said.

“The AMP Drive campus provides adequate space for continued expansion, future-proofing the D&H corporate headquarters for decades to come,” he said.

The new office will offer the company other amenities, such as easy highway access, a larger cafe, a full-service cafeteria, a state-of-the-art data center and a 900-space parking lot, according to D&H.

D&H bought the property for $8.2 million from TE Connectivity Corp., which will continue to occupy a portion of the campus. D&H will either sell or lease its current Harrisburg headquarters, Schwab said.

Founded in Williamsport as Economy Tire and Rubber, D&H last year marked its 100^th anniversary. Over the years, it evolved from a tire seller to become one of the country’s largest distributors of IT and electronics. It’s been at its current Harrisburg address since 1952.

Last year, Forbes magazine ranked D&H as No. 109 among the largest private companies in the United States. The company stated that it expects to add 30 jobs just this year.

“We’re loyal to Harrisburg,” said Co-President Michael Schwab. “The staff has admirably embraced this region over the years, and vice versa, including through local charity activities and community events. We wanted that relationship to continue well into the future, while providing a satisfying and effective work environment for our co-owners, even as we proceed on a rapid growth trajectory.”

This story has been updated to include additional information and comments from D&H Distributing.

TheBurg Podcast: “So Long For Now.”

January 25, 2019 | by TheBurg Staff

TheBurg Podcast is back with its last episode before a brief hiatus.

This week, Larry and Lizzy offer a roundup of recent city council activity, including the hullabaloo over a new Auto-Zone store and the decision to hire a lobbyist to help the city win over state lawmakers in 2019. They also discuss the school board’s impasse over the appointment of a new member — a matter that’s now headed to a Dauphin County judge. They end with a mournful discussion about the state of the local news business and the nefariousness of venture capitalists and newspaper parent companies.

A note to our listeners: TheBurg Podcast is on hiatus after this episode, since Lizzy is taking a new reporting job in Harrisburg on Monday. Thanks to everyone who’s listened and shared feedback! The Pod will be back after we find a new city reporter.

Stream the episode here, or subscribe to TheBurg Podcast in the Apple or Android podcast apps.

Read more about the topics discussed in this week’s episode:

Council overrides mayoral veto on AutoZone.

Mayor vetoes city council planning provision for AutoZone.

Mayor seeks new contract, broader goals for 2019 lobbying efforts.

Former news publisher appointed to oversee Harrisburg’s finances.

Harrisburg School Board delays decision on new member.

Appointment of new Harrisburg School Board member headed to county judge.

TheBurg Podcast is released semi-monthly by TheBurg Magazine. It is recorded in the offices of Startup Harrisburg and produced by Lizzy Hardison. Special thanks to Paul Coolley, who wrote our theme music.

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

January 24, 2019 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend!

This weekend, I’ll get to do some work and see some friends and colleagues over a couple beers, all of which is awesome. Outside of that, and the usual Market/Museum gig, it’s a “restful” weekend, or so I hope because I am tired.

But! There is ample live music, a beer/wine/bologna fest (! Save $10 with code “SARA”), brunch at Grand Illusion, and ample other options to keep things interesting.

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Former news publisher appointed to oversee Harrisburg’s finances.

January 23, 2019 | by Lizzy Hardison

A Harrisburg resident and former media executive has secured the final seat on Harrisburg’s new financial oversight board, a state spokesperson confirmed today.

David Schankweiler, former publisher of the Central Penn Business Journal, was appointed to the five-member Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA) by state Senate Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati on Jan. 17.

Scarnati’s office confirmed the appointment to TheBurg this afternoon.

Schankweiler will join UPMC executive Tina Nixon, nonprofit professional Audry Carter, attorney Kathy Speaker-MacNett, and property developer Ralph Vartan on the newly created ICA, which will oversee Harrisburg’s finances for five years.

Until 2016, Schankweiler was the CEO and owner of Journal Multimedia, which published the Central Penn Business Journal, NJBIZ, Lehigh Valley Business, Central Penn Parent and other industry publications.

Schankweiler sold Journal Multimedia in 2016 to New Media Inc. for $18 million, according to a report in the Central Penn Business Journal.

Since his retirement from the publishing industry, Schankweiler has served on numerous nonprofit boards, according to a biography on the Harrisburg University website. He also served for 10 years as the university’s founding board chair.

“[Schankweiler] has dedicated much of his life to bettering the Harrisburg community through involvement with nonprofit groups,” Scarnati said in a statement today. “I am confident that he will bring good perspective and strong leadership to the ICA.”

Scarnati’s spokesperson said Schankweiler came recommended by Harrisburg’s state senator, John DiSanto.

Now that the ICA is fully populated, its members can start the search for an executive director, who will draft an Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement with the city. They have a $100,000 budget to pay the director’s salary.

Once that agreement is in place, city officials can petition the state to release it from Act 47, the state oversight program for financially distressed municipalities.

From there, the ICA will work with local officials to adopt a five-year financial plan for the city. ICA will also review annual budgets and quarterly financial reports for the city through 2023.

The creation of the ICA was one of the terms of legislation signed this October by Gov. Tom Wolf, which allows Harrisburg to exit the Act 47 state oversight program while retaining its current taxing authority for five years.

The ICA will dissolve when Harrisburg’s taxing authority expires at the end of 2023.

Appointing power to the ICA lies with five members of state government: the governor, president pro tempore of the Senate, minority leader of the Senate, speaker of the House and minority leader of the House.

The appointees serve five-year terms, but can be replaced if there’s electoral turnover among the appointing authorities, Harrisburg city solicitor Neil Grover told TheBurg this fall.

The state secretary of the budget and Harrisburg’s finance director will also sit on the board as non-voting members.

Appointees must live or own a business in the city and must have financial management experience. They cannot work for the state or local government.

This story was edited to add that Schankweiler was recommended to Scarnati by Sen. John DiSanto.

Furloughed? Little Amps offers free coffee to unpaid federal workers.

January 23, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

The sign outside Little Amps on State Street.

A month into a partial federal government shutdown, many furloughed workers are beginning to wonder how they’re going to pay their bills.

In Harrisburg, there’s at least one expense they won’t have to worry about—their coffee tab.

Little Amps Coffee Roasters announced today that they’ll provide one free, 12-ounce coffee per day to furloughed federal workers for the duration of the shutdown.

“We’ve been hearing a lot of fed-up talk from federal workers who come to our shops, and so we’re doing our little bit to help out,” said owner Aaron Carlson.

About 800,000 workers have received no pay since Dec. 22 due to an impasse over funding for a border wall demanded by the Trump administration. Roughly 380,000 have been furloughed, while 420,000, deemed “essential,” are working without pay.

The free coffee applies to both, Carlson said, and is available at all three Little Amps shops in Harrisburg. Workers will need to show their federal IDs to get the gratis joe.

Carlson noted that Little Amps is in the business of both selling coffee and fostering community. Indeed, many locals regard Little Amps shops as something of a second office, where work is conducted and meetings held.

“Who knows, maybe a furloughed worker affected by the shutdown can meet someone in the same boat or maybe someone looking for temporary help,” Carlson said.

Little Amps Coffee Roasters is located at 1836 Green St., 133 State St. and inside Strawberry Square, all in Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.

Mayor seeks new contract, broader goals for 2019 lobbying efforts.

January 23, 2019 | by Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg solicitor Neil Grover and mayor Eric Papenfuse appeared alongside Ray Zaborney and Krystjan Callahan of Maverick Strategies at a City Council work session on Tuesday, Jan. 22.

Harrisburg’s mayor credits a local lobbying firm with helping the city chart a path out of Act 47 last fall, and now wants to retain the firm under a new agreement with a broader scope of work.

Harrisburg’s current $60,000, one-year contract with lobbying firm Maverick Strategies is set to expire at the end of January. In 2018, the firm helped the city secure bi-partisan support for legislation that will let Harrisburg exit Act 47, Pennsylvania’s financial oversight program, while retaining its current taxing authority for five years.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse is asking council to authorize a one-year extension of Maverick’s contract. Council already approved $60,000 for the agreement in the 2019 municipal budget.

Papenfuse explained to council last night that the legislation passed by state lawmakers in October is only the first hurdle in a long financial recovery process. In order to clear challenges that lie ahead, he said, Harrisburg should have a lobbyist on retainer.

For instance, Papenfuse said, the legislation that Gov. Tom Wolf signed for Harrisburg in October doesn’t include any provisions governing the state’s annual $5 million allocation to the city for fire and emergency services.

That figure is a perennial bargaining chip during the state’s budget negotiations, and city officials say Harrisburg can’t balance its books without it.

“Every year, it seem that $5 million is used as a political football,” Papenfuse said. “If we have Maverick on retainer, we can address any last-minute attempts to zero out the $5 million. If we don’t have them on retainer, we won’t be able to react quickly.”

He also wants Maverick to guide Harrisburg through the next steps of its financial recovery as outlined in the October legislation: adopting a five-year financial plan and working with a newly created Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, a five-member board that will oversee the city’s finances.

Papenfuse sees one other area where Maverick can exert pressure on state authorities: guiding Harrisburg through negotiations with PennDOT, which must approve the city’s infrastructure plans under its Vision Zero project – a long-term initiative to eliminate pedestrian fatalities across the city.

Among the projects that need state approval are the proposed “road diet” on upper State Street, which would eliminate traffic lanes and establish sheltered bike lanes, and the implementation of pedestrian improvements on Forster Street.

Both accident-prone roads are owned by the commonwealth and heavily trafficked by commuters.

Harrisburg officials have also pushed back against PennDOT’s proposal to widen I-83 to 12 lanes, saying it would increase congestion and eliminate taxable real estate.

“I think that we are moving towards a series of potential confrontations with PennDOT,” Papenfuse said. “These are political issues that would benefit a lobbyist assisting us, and they’re critical to the city’s future development.”

Papenfuse said Maverick can also help Harrisburg secure competitive state infrastructure grants, which could be instrumental to capital improvement projects under its new, five-year financial plan.

After the mayor and Maverick’s owners addressed city council last night, President Wanda Williams expressed disappointment that Maverick had not delivered quarterly reports to council over the last year.

“if you’re going to be a liaison for the city, you need to keep this council updated on what you’re doing and how you’re accomplishing it,” Williams said. “You’re asking for a contract, but I have no idea what your accomplishments were [or] how you did it.”

Maverick founder Ray Zaborney told Williams he happily would appear before council quarterly to provide progress reports. He also defended his firm’s record of advancing Harrisburg’s interests.

Zaborney and Papenfuse pointed out that Harrisburg was in a bleak position last summer after House Speaker Mike Turzai blocked a provision for Harrisburg from coming up for a vote in the state budget.

Building bi-partisan support for legislation that temporarily protected Harrisburg’s controversial tax rates was no small feat, Zaborney said.

“We’ve moved the city on a path out of Act 47,” he said. “I feel confident to say, without us, your taxing authority would have not been extended. It was hard to get it extended with us.”

Papenfuse said this morning that Maverick agreed to alter its contract with the city to require quarterly reporting and monthly, itemized invoices for services rendered.

Council’s next legislative session is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. in city hall.

Appointment of new Harrisburg School Board member headed to county judge.

January 22, 2019 | by Lizzy Hardison

The next member of the Harrisburg school board will likely be chosen by a Dauphin County judge, as board directors tonight were once again unable to decide between two candidates vying for a vacant seat.

Resuming a process that it tabled last week, the board split 4-4 on a decision tonight to appoint either Cornelius Chachere or Ralph Rodriguez to fill the seat formerly held by Melvin Wilson, who died unexpectedly last month.

The board conducted two rounds of voting tonight, but the results both times were the same. Board directors Carrie Fowler, Brian Carter, Judd Pittman and Ellis Roy supported Chachere, a non-profit professional and former substitute teacher at Sci-Tech High School.

Board president Danielle Robinson, vice president Lola Lawson and directors Patricia Whitehead-Myers and Lionel Gonzalez voted for Rodriguez, a Harrisburg High School graduate and father of five.

Pennsylvania School Code states that vacant seats must be filled by a majority vote among remaining members of a school board. Since eight members remain after Wilson’s death, a new candidate needs five votes to secure a seat.

State law gives the board 30 days to fill a vacancy. Wilson died on Dec. 16, and Chachere and Rodriguez first appeared before the board on Jan. 16 to declare their candidacies and sit for interviews.

But with Gonzalez absent from the appointment meeting, only seven members were present to cast votes.

The board split 4-3 in favor of Chachere, with Robinson, Whitehead-Myers and Lawson in the minority.

Even though he got support from the majority of voting members, Chachere still needed five votes to take the seat, said school solicitor Samuel Cooper.

Cooper reaffirmed his reading of School Code tonight, and said that the Pennsylvania School Board Association agreed with his judgement.

The board tabled the decision last week and put it on the agenda for this week’s regular meeting. But since neither candidate got the necessary five votes tonight, district residents have the power to petition the Court of Common Pleas to fill the seat.

Section 315 of Pennsylvania School Code says that, if the board has not filled a vacancy in 30 days, 10 residents can petition the court to fill the seat with “a suitable person” who lives in the district.

Cooper said tonight that residents can submit any candidate on their petition, including those who did not appear before the board to apply for the seat.

After the board reached another impasse tonight, Robinson proposed re-opening the field to applicants, in hopes of finding one a majority of the board could support.

But her colleagues voted 5-3 in an informal vote against Robinson’s proposal.

Based on the process outlined in School Code, however, it’s unclear whether the board could have forestalled a court appointment, given the time that has elapsed since Wilson’s death.

Kia Hansard, a founding member of the citizen-led school reform group CATCH (Concerned About the Children of Harrisburg) said tonight that she and other citizens plan to petition the court to appoint Chachere.

She said she can easily muster the 10 signatures required by state law.

Harrisburg U takes prime space in Whitaker Center for new student center

January 22, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Whitaker Center in downtown Harrisburg

Harrisburg University is spreading out once again, this time expanding into space in Whitaker Center for a new student center.

Beginning Feb. 1, HU will lease about 7,000 square feet of space on the top floor, arcade level of the Harsco Science Center, now occupied by KidsPlace, a longstanding activity and exhibit area for children.

“Harrisburg University for Science and Technology is growing rapidly, having already established itself both locally and internationally as a first class STEM University,” said HU President Eric Darr, in a statement. “It is only fitting that we would partner with Whitaker Center to provide our students with first class space in an outstanding STEM setting for them to gather and further their learning.”

HU plans to open its student center following a full renovation of the space, which will be funded by the university. It has essentially run out of room at its main academic building on Market Street.

HU’s new student center will take up about 5 percent of Whitaker Center, which totals about 130,000 square feet. HU also leases space in the basement of Whitaker Center for its e-sports program and sometimes uses Whitaker theaters for e-sports tournaments.

Whitaker Center debuted as an arts and science venue in downtown Harrisburg in 1999.

Current exhibits on the arcade level will be moved to locations throughout the science center, according to Whitaker Center. To facilitate the move, KidsPlace will close entirely from Jan. 28 to 31.

For the past few years, HU has taken up increasing amounts of space downtown. Several old office buildings have been renovated for student housing and, in 2017, HU purchased office space at 225 Market St. from Whitaker Center. Then, last year, it bought land at the corner of S. 3^rd and Chestnut streets for a new, 19-story academic tower and hotel.

For its part, Whitaker Center said it plans to reimagine the science center, seeking to better use the space and bring in new exhibits. It also hopes to expose more young people to the facility.

“For 20 years, Whitaker Center has been a cultural resource for the Harrisburg region, and collaborating with Harrisburg University builds on our core mission as a community hub for learning and creativity,” said CEO Ted Black. “This lease arrangement gives us an opportunity to attract the next generation of young professionals who will help shape the community, giving these young minds a first-hand understanding of the critical role the center plays in our community’s cultural enrichment.”

Impasse over Public Works building continues, as Harrisburg asks court to withhold judgment on civil suit.

January 18, 2019 | by Lizzy Hardison

image of Public Works Department building, located at former Brenner autodealership

Harrisburg has not paid rent to the owner of its Paxton Street public works headquarters since 2017.

Harrisburg officials want to keep fighting a civil suit that seeks to eject the city’s Public Works Department from its headquarters on Paxton Street, even though it has not paid rent to the building’s owner in more than a year.

On Wednesday, the city’s law bureau asked a Dauphin County judge to delay awarding judgments in favor of Michael Brenner, owner of the property at 1802 Paxton St. that houses Harrisburg’s public works department.

Brenner brought a civil suit against Harrisburg in October, accusing the city of breach of contract and trespassing. He says Harrisburg stopped making the $16,000 monthly rent payment on the building in 2017 and continues to occupy it illegally.

The suit came weeks after Harrisburg City Council authorized the use of eminent domain proceedings to acquire Brenner’s property.

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse has said the Paxton Street property is the only suitable site in the city to house the department, since the former car dealership is located outside of a flood plain and can store heavy equipment.

City officials began negotiating a sale with Brenner in 2017, but Papenfuse said this summer that they reached an impasse when Brenner demanded an inflated price.

Papenfuse said the city stopped paying rent on the building shortly thereafter, but intends to pay him what he’s owed when the city acquires the property.

Council authorized the eminent domain proceedings in August.

In October, Brenner asked the courts to eject Harrisburg from the Paxton Street property, which has served as its public works facility since 2014. He also seeks more than $700,000 in unpaid rent, real estate taxes, repairs and court fees.

Since the initial complaint was filed on Oct. 20, the city’s law bureau has filed one response to Brenner’s allegations in addition to the motion to postpone judgements.

According to Brenner’s lawyer, neither document provides a substantive legal justification for staying in the property without paying rent.

“There really is no good rationale I’ve heard,” attorney Adam Klein said. “This is money that’s owed to us… [and] I don’t know what they would come up with as a reason for why they can squat on the property.”

The suit against Harrisburg listed more than a dozen complaints, including that the city failed to pay real estate taxes and rent on the building starting in 2017 and failed to reimburse Brenner for roof repairs.

All actions violate the terms of the city’s lease, the suit says, making the city’s continued presence at the Paxton Street property an act of trespassing.

Klein said that Harrisburg’s law bureau offered “general denial” to many of the complaint’s allegations. Absent substantial evidence or rationale, civil court procedures allow a judge to interpret a general denial as an admission, Klein said.

As a result, Klein petitioned the court in December to make a judgment in his client’s favor.

“It’s clear we’re entitled to relief, so going through the dog and pony show is really a waste of everyone’s time if we’re owed for judgment,” Klein said, noting that Brenner does not seek any punitive damages in the case.

But Harrisburg’s law bureau asked the judge on Wednesday to delay the judgment and allow both parties to keep litigating the case.

If the judge complies, both parties will submit briefs and could be called to make oral arguments.

While the city admits that it stopped paying rent to Brenner, it denies that it breached the terms of its lease.

The city also disputes its responsibility to reimburse Brenner for roof repairs, and, moreover, argues that a municipality can’t be ejected from a building it’s using to perform a public service.

The city has not initiated eminent domain proceedings to acquire the building, nor has it resumed negotiations with Brenner to purchase the building outright, deputy city solicitor Tiffanie Baldock said today.

Baldock otherwise declined to comment on the ongoing litigation against the city.

Klein doesn’t dispute the city’s right to seize his client’s property by eminent domain, as long as it pays a fair price.

He also said it’s normal for property owners to fight eminent domain proceedings as they jockey for a better settlement value.

But he doesn’t see any legal justification for withholding rent just because his client stalled a real estate transaction.

“If I were a property owner looking to lease property to the city, I would look at this and be very hesitant to do so,” Klein said. “This is not a good precedent for any city to set.”

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