Harrisburg U completes land purchase for new downtown building, now planned for 19 stories.

October 30, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology plans to build its new tower at this site at S. 3rd and Chestnut streets in Harrisburg.

Harrisburg University has completed the purchase of four parcels of land in downtown Harrisburg, bringing it a step closer to starting construction of a new academic tower and hotel.

In mid-October, HU bought 24, 26 and 28 S. 3rd St., as well as 222 Chestnut St., for a total of almost $3.2 million, according to Dauphin County property records. As the new landowner, the university, next month, will begin going through the city’s planning and zoning processes, said HU President Eric Darr.

If all goes according to schedule, HU expects to begin clearing the site, which includes demolishing three small, 19th-century-era buildings, in late spring, and initiate actual building construction in the early summer.

“The plan was always to put together those different parcels for the project,” Darr said.

Darr said that he expects a two-year construction timeframe for the building, now projected to be 19 stories tall, with completion expected in the summer of 2021. Originally, the university had planned for the building to rise more than 30 stories, but the size was scaled back due to higher-than-anticipated costs.

“The cost of the project exceeded what we felt comfortable with,” Darr said.

As now envisioned, the 280,000-square-foot building will have two main components. An academic portion will house HU’s health sciences programs, as well as several other disciplines, including advanced manufacturing and interactive media. An on-site boutique hotel will include 190 rooms, Darr said.

HU, Darr said, is currently “in negotiation” with its hotel partner, which will operate the hotel privately. He added that he’s confident that Harrisburg easily can absorb a new hotel, as, already, the university attracts a large population of visiting students, who often must stay in hotels outside the city.

Many HU graduate students work in high-tech jobs throughout the United States and commute into Harrisburg several weekends per semester to take classes on site. In all, HU enrolls nearly 6,000 students, the far majority of whom are graduate-level.

“We bring in the demand on the weekends,” Darr said. “To have a hotel just makes sense to us.”

Another view of the future site of HU’s new building.

The original project plan included space for student housing, which, Darr said, remains a critical need. However, HU now expects to convert some underused downtown buildings to housing, which would be a less expensive alternative.

“We’re evaluating other properties close to us to retrofit for student housing,” Darr said.

The revised plan also eliminated parking from the project, which, Darr said, shouldn’t be an issue as the site is near several parking garages. The plan also calls for a first-floor restaurant.

In addition to shepherding the project through the city’s land use process, the university, in the coming months, will focus on firming up financing for the $130 million building. Darr said that he expects the academic portion of the project—estimated at $95 million—to be financed through a combination of university reserve funds and commercial loans or bonds. The hotel portion, estimated at $30 to $35 million, will be financed by the hotel owner.

Alex Wing of Stantec, an Edmonton, Canada-based design and engineering firm, is leading the project. Wing also designed HU’s existing, 16-story building on Market Street.

For more information about Harrisburg University, visit https://harrisburgu.edu.

Hundreds attend Harrisburg vigil honoring Pittsburgh shooting victims.

October 29, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

More than 200 people gathered on Monday evening at the Jewish Community Center in Harrisburg.

As the sun set over the Susquehanna River this evening, more than 200 people at the Harrisburg Jewish Community Center mourned the lives lost in a weekend shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue, where a gunman killed 11 congregants in what federal prosecutors are calling a hate crime.

The vigil was held two days after a 46-year old gunman burst into the Tree of Life synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, where he reportedly shouted anti-Semitic rhetoric before shooting congregants at Shabbat services. Eleven of the victims perished, and another six were wounded, including four police officers.

In the days since the event, communities across the country have held vigils in solidarity with the Jewish community in Pittsburgh. A ceremony in Squirrel Hill on Sunday night drew thousands of attendees, according to reports.

Gov. Tom Wolf was scheduled to attend a vigil for the victims in York on Monday. On Thursday, Harrisburg mayor Eric Papenfuse’s Interfaith Advisory Council will hold a memorial service at 5:30 p.m. at the Pine Street Presbyterian Church.

Monday’s impromptu vigil was organized by Abby Smith, a member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg, and employees of the Jewish Community Center, who decided this afternoon to hold a public event. They publicized it on social media and by word of mouth.

The candlelight vigil was held in a field outside the Jewish Community Center, located on Front Street near Susquehanna Township. Two officers from the Harrisburg Police Bureau provided security from the back of the crowd.

JCC employee Andrea Weikart said the turnout far surpassed their expectations.

“It’s overwhelming to see this support from the community,” Weikart said.

Smith opened the ceremony with a moment of silence and then a prayer for the 11 victims. Rev. Russell Goodman of the Riverside United Methodist Church also offered a benediction, before Rabbi Eric Cytryn, leader of Beth El Temple, led the audience in Hebrew hymns and prayers.

Harrisburg resident Allen Fernandez, who is a Christian, attended the event to show support for the Jewish community.

“They’re hurting from a tragedy that no religious group should ever experience,” Fernandez said. “The Jewish community here has helped a lot of people I care about, and this is a moment to stand in solidarity and mourning with them.”

Fernandez said the vigil also offered an opportunity to reflect on the seemingly endless episodes of gun violence in the country.

“We’ve had shootings in schools, synagogues, churches, grocery stores – is there a place in this country where I won’t get shot?” Fernandez said. “Events like this bring me back from feeling numb about them.”

Federal prosecutors are investigating the Pittsburgh shooting as a hate crime. The alleged shooter, Robert Bowers, appeared in federal court today, where he faced 29 civil and criminal charges, including 11 counts of obstruction of exercise of religious belief resulting in death.

State prosecutors have also charged Bowers with 11 counts of homicide and six counts of attempted homicide.

The U.S. Attorney’s office in Pittsburgh announced on Sunday it would seek the federal death penalty for Bowers if he is convicted.

Renewed Hope: Historic Jackson Hotel set for new owner; restoration planned.

October 26, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

The historic Jackson Hotel at 1006 N. 6th St. in Harrisburg

One of Harrisburg’s most endangered historic properties has renewed hope today, as a local contractor has agreed to buy the building and take on the ambitious restoration.

Developer Matt Long said that he expects to close next week on the purchase of the former Jackson Hotel on the 1000-block of N. 6^th Street. He then plans to empty out the large quantity of rubble inside the building and stabilize it for winter.

“It probably will take us a month to pull everything out of it,” Long said. “Then we need to stabilize the foundation.”

Earlier this year, the city condemned the circa-1884, Second Empire mansion, which served for decades as the Jackson Hotel, run by hotelier German Jackson. Starting in the 1920s, Jackson ran the hotel and rooming house to serve a primarily African-American clientele, including many black celebrities, who were denied service in Harrisburg’s whites-only establishments.

Jackson, who died in 1993, willed the building to his friend Dave Kegris, owner of the Jackson House restaurant next door. But the building became caught up in a prolonged legal battle over Jackson’s estate and sat empty for years.

Recently, several Harrisburg residents have bought the building to try to save it, but the restoration has proven to be too extensive and expensive. A few years ago, much of the roof caved in, the interior staircase collapsed and the floors pancaked, leaving a large pile of debris inside.

The current owner, Jeremiah Chamberlin, said that he met Long recently while Long’s company, Harrisburg Commercial Interiors, was working on another challenging restoration—the dilapidated commercial buildings at the corner of North and Susquehanna streets in Harrisburg.

“I saw the work he was doing, and it’s quality work,” Chamberlin said, who described their meeting as “kismet.” “So, I decided to pass it on to someone else who is capable and can do a good job.”

Long said that his team will begin clearing out the Jackson Hotel soon after the sale, which is expected to close on Nov. 2.

After the building is emptied out and stabilized, Long’s company will construct a completely new interior and roof, he said. He said that he plans to build an open floor plan that can accommodate a variety of uses.

He hopes to save as much of the facade as possible, he said, including the large brick exterior wall that features a mural of prominent African Americans who once stayed at the hotel or who are locally famous.

For the project, Long has engaged structural engineer Ed Davis of Schuylkill Haven-based Miller Brothers Construction. They also worked together on the North Street project.

“We applaud this very encouraging step,” said David Morrison, executive director of Historic Harrisburg Association. “The Jackson House has been on our ‘Preservation Priorities’ list since 2000.”

TheBurg Podcast: “Time will Tell” Edition.

October 26, 2018 | by Admin

Fall colors at the riverfront Peace Garden in Uptown Harrisburg.

Harrisburg entered a brave new world this week when Gov. Tom Wolf signed the Municipal Financial Recovery Act (HB2557) into law, granting the city a one-way ticket out of Act 47 and financial distress.

In this week’s episode of TheBurg Podcast, Lizzy and Larry answer all your burning questions about what comes next. They also break down the findings of a recent city-wide housing study, which predicts a shortfall of more than 200 rental units in Harrisburg over the next three years.

Listen to the episode here, or subscribe to TheBurg Podcast in your Apple or Android podcast app.

Read more about the topics discussed in this episode at TheBurgNews.com

Senate passes Harrisburg Act 47 bill, ending city’s financial distress and preserving taxes for five years.
Harrisburg convinced lawmakers to let it leave Act 47. What’s next?
Housing Study: Harrisburg faces shortage of rental housing now, expected to get worse
Please Unleash Me: Harrisburg’s first dog park set to open.

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.

Please Unleash Me: Harrisburg’s first dog park set to open.

October 25, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg’s first public dog park is built and about to open its gates.

Calling all poodles, labs and greyhounds

All purebreds and mutts.

All canines, large and small.

For the first time, Harrisburg has a legal place for you to walk, scamper and romp untethered.

This Monday, Friends of Midtown and city officials will inaugurate Harrisburg’s first public dog park with a ribbon-cutting on the site at N. 7^th and Granite streets.

The opening will culminate years of work by Friends of Midtown to raise funds for the park, then build it.

“We are so grateful for the generous donations and efforts of Harrisburg residents, businesses and community organizations to make this park come to life,” said Annie Hughes, who, along with husband Andy, headed up the dog park task force.

The couple began the project about two years ago after moving to Midtown and wanting more space for their energetic dog to run off-leash. They approached Friends of Midtown, which encouraged them to pursue the idea.

Developer Vartan Group agreed to donate an empty plot of land, and the task force began raising the funds needed to build the park and run it for two years. More than $9,000 was raised from people, businesses and community organizations to get the park up and running. However, an additional $5,000 is required to maintain operations over two years, so fundraising continues.

For the past several weekends, volunteers have worked to fence off the ½-acre site, install signs and otherwise prepare for the grand opening and the arrival of dogs and their owners.

“This dream has been more than two years in the making and has been realized by the incredible and determined efforts of Annie and Andy Hughes. They have been leading the charge the entire time,” said Kate Moyer, Friends of Midtown president. “Friends of Midtown is thrilled to have been a part of bringing this much needed and oft-requested amenity to the City of Harrisburg.”

The Midtown dog park is considered to be a pilot project and expected to be in place for two years. The city plans to use data from the pilot to construct a permanent public dog park. A dog park is included as part of its Reservoir Park Master Plan improvements.

The dog park, which is free to use, will be open dawn to dusk, seven days a week.

The Friends of Midtown Community Dog Park is located at 1730 N. 7^th St., Harrisburg. It will officially open on Monday, Oct. 29, at 4 p.m., with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Dog bandanas and travel dog bowls, donated by Mid Penn Bank, will be given to the first 30 or so dogs.

To make a donation, please visit https://chuffed.org/project/fomdogpark.

A full list of dog park rules & regulations is available on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FOMComDogPark/.

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

October 25, 2018 | by Sara Bozich

Happy Weekend!

Couple of important things. Quick poll: Trick or Treat?

Also, should I provide candy for the neighborhood even though it’s really in the middle of dinner time and bedtime?

Also, uh, my kid turns 1 on Monday. Yes, time flies (except those first 6 months). We’re throwing him (us) a party on Sunday to celebrate, so aside from visiting a pumpkin patch/apple orchard today (#basic), that’s my weekend. Alert: The Steelers game is not televised. Here are your solutions.

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Heartbreak, in Art: “Familias Separadas” installation arrives in Harrisburg.

October 25, 2018 | by Rachel Jenkins

“Familias Separadas” installation concept for Capitol steps. All photos Michelle Angela Ortiz.

United we stand, divided we fall. It’s a strong sentiment to consider, especially given America’s current state of political unrest.

Starting today, artist Michelle Angela Ortiz is bringing one of the most divisive issues right to Harrisburg—immigration—particularly the treatment of certain immigrant families who came to Pennsylvania seeking refuge.

The issue of immigration may not seem prominent in central Pennsylvania, far away from the U.S. southern border. But, through her art, Ortiz shows that the issues surrounding the treatment of immigrants seeking asylum in the United States is much closer than we think.

She’s putting faces, stories and families to something that is often left anonymous and not discussed—the word immigrant. Her project, titled “Familias Separadas,” shines a spotlight on immigrant families that have been held in the Berks Family Detention Center in Berks County.

“Familias Separadas” billboard

Better Lives

Familias Separadas will offer an intimate look at the stories of four mothers and their desires to give their children safe and bright futures. Installations will be placed throughout Harrisburg to help engage residents and visitors to the city.

Through Ortiz’s art, mediums will include billboards, bus shelters and even the Capitol steps, all acting as a voice for mothers who have felt silenced.

In addition to the installations, videos of interviews will be released, as will a small publication of writings and drawings inspired by Ortiz’s conversations with these families. The project, designed to heighten public awareness, will be centered around the connection and love each of the women has for her children.

“The love of children is missing when we look at the larger narrative of immigration and when it’s specific to family detention,” said Ortiz. “The media’s quick to label the families’ mothers and fathers as criminals breaking the law. But, really, the risk of leaving their home country is based on seeking a better life for their child and love for their child and for the future of their child.”

The first phase of this project began in Philadelphia in 2015, when installations were placed around the city to depict the stories of families torn apart by deportation. This award-winning project featured the phrase, “We Are Human Beings, Risking Our Lives, For Our Families and Our Future,” stenciled outside the ICE building, proving that Ortiz is no stranger to making her art known to the people she believes need to hear it most.

“Living in Philadelphia, we have the Liberty Bell. We have the Declaration of Independence. We have all of these symbols of the foundation of what we call our democracy and freedom,” Ortiz said. “And what does that mean when, an hour and a half away from Philadelphia, we have a prison that incarcerates children? And their parents, who are just seeking protection.”

That’s why Harrisburg became Ortiz’s choice for phase two of “Familias Separadas.”

The Berks County-run center, about an hour’s drive from Harrisburg, receives $1.3 million in federal funds to imprison families, including children, toddlers and infants, according to Shut Down Berks Coalition’s campaign coordinator Jasmine Rivera

“It’s not legal on the federal level or the state level,” said Rivera. “I want to be abundantly clear that there is no legal way to put families in prison. Not in Pennsylvania, not anywhere in our country. Every single day families are incarcerated, the law is being broken.”

Rivera has worked with Ortiz on projects in the past and recognizes the importance of her work in spreading the word and empowering people to take action.

“[Ortiz] has been able to really utilize art as another way to not only work with the mothers and provide that healing, but as another way to educate people through a different means,” she said.

Artwork from a child formerly detained at Berks

Deep Connection

Politics and removal orders aside, this art is a connection between Ortiz and mothers with lives, children and aspirations of their own.

When Ortiz began phase two of “Familias Separadas,” she connected with 14 mothers and families that were being held in the detention center. Ten of these women were deported soon after, creating a feeling of uncertainty for the remaining mothers.

“[The mothers] were tired of talking about their stories for their court cases,” Ortiz said. “They were fed up with writing campaign letters. If anything, they saw this as a loss, the 10 mothers being deported. So, I came at a moment where I wasn’t really asking them to do a campaign letter or do something to advocate.”

Instead, she asked to have a conversation. Ortiz wanted to listen to the women talk about their lives before imprisonment and learn what was happening to them within the center. She ultimately discovered a deep connection in that all of their lives were centered around their children.

Detained mother with her written story.

During the making of this project, the four mothers that Ortiz worked with were released from the center and sent to live in different cities throughout the country. While this created a new logistical challenge for Ortiz, the releases worked in her favor by allowing the mothers to speak more freely about their experiences in the center.

The identities of the women in Ortiz’s art will be protected while their stories are shared through murals, quotes and videos online.

While this art is focused on human connection and empathy, Ortiz knows her art comes at an important time of year.

“We have the power to demand from our representatives to make the changes that are necessary,” said Ortiz, citing this month’s election. “We can end family detention here in Pennsylvania. So, this art is about informing people and giving them the tools to take action.”

For more information on Michelle Angela Ortiz and the “Familias Separadas” installations, visit her website at www.michelleangela.com/familias-separadas. A press conference is slated for Nov. 3 on the steps of the state Capitol.

Harrisburg convinced lawmakers to let it leave Act 47. What’s next?

October 24, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

It’s been one week since the state lawmakers passed a bill that will let Harrisburg exit Act 47, but a lot has to happen before the city can shed its status as a distressed city.

The Municipal Financial Recovery Act, which will allow Harrisburg to keep its augmented taxing power for five years after it exits state oversight, was signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf this afternoon, one week after state Senators approved it on a 48-1 margin.

Wolf’s signature will trigger a series of actions designed to lead Harrisburg to financial stability, starting with the formation of a five-member appointed body that will oversee the city’s finances. The Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA) will stand until Harrisburg’s taxing authority expires in December 2023.

The duties of the ICA are spelled out in the legislation Wolf signed today: its members will approve a five-year financial plan for the city and review its annual budgets and quarterly financial reports through 2023.

But who will serve on the board is still a mystery.

Harrisburg solicitor Neil Grover said on Tuesday night that the appointees must live or own a business in the city and must have financial management experience. The authority members cannot work for state government, which significantly limits the number of eligible residents, Grover said.

Grover said that appointees will likely be experienced lawyers, accountants or retired government officials.

A review of the five-member ICA board in Philadelphia, which was created in 1991, suggests he’s right. Its members include a former mayoral aide, an attorney, a professor of public health and an investment broker.

“It’s anyone’s guess who they’ll be,” Grover said. “But I’m sure phones started ringing before the [Senate voted.]”

The power to appoint the board 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 will each appoint one member of the authority. They have 30 days to choose appointees after Wolf signs the Recovery Act into law.

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

The appointees will serve five-year terms, but can be replaced if there’s electoral turnover among the appointing authorities, Grover said. They will also control a $100,000 budget, which they will use to hire an executive director.

Once hired, the executive director has 60 days to draft a formal agreement between the ICA and the city.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that he doesn’t yet know exactly what that agreement will say. At the very least, it will give the authority members broad access to Harrisburg’s financial data.

Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have both entered ICA agreements, which gave their boards some of the same duties as Harrisburg’s proposed authority – including the approval of budgets and of quarterly financial reports.

But they also had some broader powers. The agreement that Philadelphia entered, for example, allowed its board to issue bonds for capital improvement projects.

The scope of Harrisburg’s agreement will be more limited, Grover said, given the city’s smaller population.

Once the ICA board and the city sign an agreement, Harrisburg can petition the state Department of Community and Economic Development to release it from Act 47.

That day likely won’t come until the spring, Grover said.

Even if DCED allows Harrisburg to exit Act 47, the terms of the ICA agreement mean Harrisburg will effectively trade one form of oversight for another.

The city will still submit yearly budgets and quarterly financial reports to the ICA board, as it did to its DCED coordinator. And, just as Harrisburg entered a five-year recovery plan under Act 47, it must now hatch a new one dictating its long-term budget priorities through 2023.

Papenfuse is optimistic about the new system and says the ICA’s imprint won’t be any greater than the state’s was under Act 47.

“There’s a lot to work on, but I’m very positive,” Papenfuse said.

Donate Here: Bethesda Mission starts up annual fall food drive

October 24, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

Bethesda Mission in Harrisburg

Bethesda Mission this week began its annual fall food drive, with a goal of collecting more than 100,000 pounds of food by Christmastime.

The drive, which runs through Dec. 22, will help the mission distribute more than 1,200 bags of food and serve more than 20,000 meals this holiday season, according to the mission.

“Recently, it’s been challenging to keep our inventory stocked year-round with staple, non-perishable food items, but the food drive continues to be a way for us to receive the food we need for the holidays and into the upcoming year,” said Zachary Kinard, director of outreach for Harrisburg-based Bethesda Mission. “It’s amazing to watch how generous our friends and neighbors in Central PA have been in providing these food donations.”

There are several donation options:

Non-perishable food items (no glass containers) may be dropped them off at Bethesda Mission (611 Reily St., Harrisburg), M&T Bank branches, Dauphin County Library branches and Fred Beans Ford and Kia dealerships in Mechanicsburg.
Businesses, churches and community groups may hold their own food drives. To do so, groups are encouraged to contact Jessica Henry at 717-257-4442 x229 or [email protected] for support materials.
Financial contributions to purchase fresh meat, produce and dairy are accepted online at bethesdamission.org/donate or by mail to Bethesda Mission, P.O. Box 3041, Harrisburg, PA 17105.

For suggested food items and a full list of collection points, visit BethesdaMission.org/event/food-drive.

As a result of last year’s drive, Bethesda Mission collected 98,305 pounds of food, distributed 1,050 food bags and served 20,805 meals. The mission estimates that 65 churches, schools and businesses participated by collecting canned goods through December 2017.

For more information about Bethesda Mission, visit www.bethesdamission.org.

Harrisburg Chamber names TheBurg as 2018 Catalyst Award winner

October 24, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

TheBurg was named today as the recipient of the 2018 Catalyst Award, an annual honor given by the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC.

The award is intended to honor “those making a difference in our communities, creating more opportunities for businesses, and building a brighter future for our region,” according to the Chamber.

“TheBurg is deeply honored by this recognition,” said Larry Binda, TheBurg’s editor-in-chief. “As we celebrate our 10^th anniversary, this award helps validate the hard work we do every day to contribute positively to the greater Harrisburg community.”

TheBurg’s products include TheBurg Monthly, its flagship monthly magazine, TheBurg Daily, which features breaking news and original local reporting, and 3^rd in the Burg, Harrisburg’s monthly arts, culture and nightlife event. TheBurg also sponsors many events in the community and is the lead sponsor for the Harrisburg Mural Festival.

The Chamber has given out the Catalyst Award since 1990 and regards it as “the most prestigious award given by the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC,” according to the Chamber. Last year’s recipient was the Joshua Group. Decisions on winners are made by an independent awards committee.

In addition to the Catalyst Award itself, the Chamber announced other awards today that fall under the Catalyst Awards program. The categories and recipients are:

Athena Award: Kristal Turner-Childs of Eyes Wide Open LLC and the PA State Police
Business Diversity Champion: Hamilton Health Center
Corporate Citizen of the Year: Capital BlueCross
Emerging Business Leader of the Year: Mike Wilson, Members 1^st Federal Credit Union
Entrepreneur of the Year: Jason Klock, Klock Entertainment
Government Leader of the Year: Robert “Bob” Riley, former deputy chief of staff for former Rep. Todd Platts and Rep. Scott Perry
President’s Award: Kathleen Pavelko, WITF
Small Business of the Year: Mountz Jewelers
Volunteer of the Year: Lynda Morris, Capital Region Partnership of Career Development

The awards ceremony will take place on Dec. 6, starting at 5:30 p.m., at the Hilton Harrisburg and Whitaker Center, Harrisburg.

Pictured above: TheBurg’s full-time staff, from left: Lizzy Hardison, Lauren Maurer, Larry Binda, Kelsey Tatge and Megan Caruso.

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