Burg Blog: You Might Also Like Harrisburg

October 19, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

The former Harrisburg State Hospital grounds, which is being proposed as the site of Amazon’s second headquarters.

Today marks the application deadline for what is certainly one of the strangest episodes in American business history—the race among cities, towns and states for the second headquarters of online retail giant Amazon.com.

For a pop culture analogy, one need look no farther than that wacky classic movie, “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.”

In the 1963 film, a bunch of colorful characters scheme, compete, cooperate and go crazy with greed after a notorious thief, about to die, tells them that he has buried a fortune in a public park.

In the real-life case of Amazon.com, CEO Jeff Bezos put in motion the madcap treasure chase, but among America’s mayors, city managers and county commissioners with the lure of 50,000 high-paying jobs.

And madcap it has proven to be.

New Jersey has proposed $7 billion in tax breaks; Frisco, Texas, has volunteered to turn itself into a company town; and tiny Stoneville, Ga., has proposed renaming a part of itself “Amazon.”

These are the governmental equivalents of renting a sputtering biplane to beat everyone else to a sack of money buried beneath a giant “W.”

So, where does that leave south-central Pennsylvania?

Back in early September, when Amazon unleashed the madness, the company listed several criteria that it wanted for its second headquarters, including an urban center with a population of at least 1 million people, a “business-friendly” environment and the ability to attract and retain technical talent. It’s also believed that Amazon would smile upon access to transit, strong cultural and nightlife amenities and a generally progressive environment—i.e., things favored by a young, educated, IT-savvy workforce.

Given these criteria, the Harrisburg area would seem unlikely to make the cut. However, to me, the fascinating thing is this—our area is actually a great fit for so-called HQ2, if only Amazon were willing to think outside its branded cardboard box.

First, let’s tackle the population requirement, which seems, right off, to knock our area out of competition. Sure, Harrisburg proper is tiny, but, as has been pointed out by local boosters, south-central PA combined does approach 1 million people. However, why does this matter at all?

I think the requirement exists because Amazon doesn’t want to be in the middle of nowhere. That’s understandable. But location is actually one of our area’s strongest draws for people who move here. It’s perfectly situated near several major metros, but also isn’t trapped inside any of them (if you’ve ever been stuck in traffic on the Washington Beltway, you know what I mean by being “trapped” in a city). It’s often faster to drive from Harrisburg to Rockville, Md., than to drive to that suburban boomtown from parts of neighboring Prince George’s County.

There’s also room to grow. Our area has large amounts of available, buildable, affordable land, as well as a city with an enormous quantity of underused, undervalued, ramshackle and even empty housing, much of it historic and potentially beautiful if restored. Harrisburg was built to accommodate about 100,000 people, but today has only half that many.

Certainly, with HQ2, there would be growing pains and a need to improve roads, but that’s true of any metro area that lands the coveted prize. It’s hard for me to imagine how several cities that seem to be leading contenders, such as Boston and Washington, D.C., can absorb 50,000 more workers—and their cars. Meanwhile, Harrisburg also has the benefit of easy access to an underutilized airport and a rail infrastructure that once accommodated hundreds of trains a day.

In addition, Harrisburg has what many major East Coast cities lack—easy, fast ways out. Within a short drive, you can be hiking or camping or at the beach or mountains. Or you’re in the famous Pennsylvania Dutch countryside or at a brewery or winery. Or you’re in Lancaster or York or Carlisle exploring shops, galleries and restaurants in those historic, quaint towns.

But that last point brings me to why, despite a valiant effort, our area won’t be taken seriously as a contender.

No, it’s not a lack of population or insufficient tax incentives or even our dysfunctional state government. Harrisburg’s application won’t be considered because our area is far, far off of Amazon’s radar. There’s little chance that the site selection committee, 3,000 miles away in Seattle, knows much, if anything, about this mystery region along the lower Susquehanna River.

I speak from some experience.

For years, I lived in D.C., which isn’t far away, but I never considered south-central Pennsylvania as a place to go. Then I moved up here and found all this amazing stuff: towns, sites, nature, trails, restaurants. Why didn’t I know about these before?

It shouldn’t be this way. Cities like Harrisburg, Lancaster, York, Carlisle, Lebanon; towns like Gettysburg, Elizabethtown, Hershey, Hanover, Newport, New Oxford; surrounding villages and countryside—all share a history, a geography, a climate, a cuisine and a character. Like family members, each is unique but also pieces of a sensible, natural whole.

Several of our area’s officials, including Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, have told TheBurg that, if nothing else, the Amazon application will serve as a great exercise in regional cooperation. Here’s hoping that’s true, that the application process is the beginning of viewing ourselves as an identifiable, even marketable, six-county community, not as isolated pockets of people who just happen to live near each other. We already share a sensibility and spirit; we just now need to build upon it for the greater good, carving out a regional identity in the process.

So, no, we won’t lose the mad scramble for the Amazon fortune primarily because we lack a subway or because Buckhead is cooler, but because of—well, what exactly is south-central Pennsylvania anyway and why should I be there? That’s the problem we need to fix. And it’s fixable. In our case, the sum of the whole is far greater than the individual parts.

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

October 19, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

Cheers to the weekend!

The Pennsylvania National Horse Show is in town through the weekend — Have you checked it out? Also noteworthy: It’s 3rd in the Burg (check out the Broad Street Market if you don’t often get a chance to get there), and it’s wine trail season! Cornucopia Wine Quest runs Saturday and Sunday at participating wineries.

I have very little on my agenda besides trying to wrap up more work (I’m in denial), and cooking the very last of my tomatoes (more sauce and a sungold jam).

What are you doing this weekend?

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Downtown Digs: Another residential conversion planned in Harrisburg.

October 17, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Harristown Enterprises has this downtown building under contract with plans to turn it into an apartment building.

More residential space is slated for downtown Harrisburg, as Harristown Enterprises is eyeing another worn-out office building for redevelopment.

Harristown has under contract a vacant, 11,000-square-foot office building at N. 2nd and Cranberry streets currently owned by Camp Hill-based CJ2 Group, which has it on the market for $399,000. Harristown wants to convert the space to 12 one- and two-bedroom apartments, with additional first-floor retail.

Most of the building has long been empty, though a restaurant, Arepa City, occupied the ground-floor retail space until fairly recently.

“Upscale apartments in the downtown are in high demand,” said Brad Jones, president and CEO of Harristown. “We want to bring more exciting unique and desirable apartments to the market to grow the number of downtown residents and to support retail and restaurant activity along this corridor.”

Harristown now must shepherd its plan through Harrisburg’s land development process. To undertake the project, Harristown will need a variance from the city’s Zoning Hearing Board, as the building is not zoned for this use.

Several years ago, Harristown dipped its toe into office-to-residential projects by converting a part of Strawberry Square into apartments. Since then, it’s undertaken several other conversions along S. 3^rd Street, adding a total of 60 new apartments downtown.

Harristown also recently began to raze a building on the first block of S. 2nd Street. It expects to build a new office building in that space, pending an anchor tenant.

Harrisburg Begins Buying Sinkhole-Affected Houses; Some Residents Unprepared to Leave.

October 17, 2017 | by Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse today announced the first purchase of sinkhole-affected houses along S. 14th Street.

More than 3½ years after a sinkhole erupted on a residential block of S. 14^th Street, Harrisburg has started to relieve homeowners of their worthless properties, though some residents say that they still have nowhere to move.

By the end of the day on Tuesday, Harrisburg will own seven of the 52 homes on the block, Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced at a press conference held today on the sinkhole-ravaged street. Ten homes are scheduled for closings this week, and the city is on track to purchase all 52 affected properties by Dec. 31.

“It’s been a very complicated and drawn-out process,” Papenfuse said.

He reported that the purchasing program is the first of its kind in the nation, since sinkhole events are not usually covered by natural disaster relief dollars.

“Today, we are celebrating that this final phase is beginning,” he said.

A few years ago, the situation along S. 14th Street seemed dire. However, the city was able to secure about $4.7 million in federal and state disaster relief funding to purchase all the homes at their pre-sinkhole market value.

Despite today’s announcement, some residents said that they aren’t prepared to move by year-end. Ronald Cook came out of his S. 14th Street house when he saw camera crews setting up for Tuesday’s press conference. That was when he learned about the city’s Dec. 31 deadline for closings, he said.

“I’m not ready to move,” Cook said. “We’ve got nowhere to go.”

He claims that the sale of his house has been delayed because it needs a water quality test, which he said was scheduled for last week but postponed.

Ronald Cook stands outside his house on S. 14th Street.

Papenfuse said on Tuesday that the city was connecting displaced homeowners with realtors, but Cook said he hasn’t gotten that assistance. He has lived in his home on S. 14^th Street for 18 years in a rent-to-own arrangement. He said he’d rather buy a new home than rent, but fears that poor credit will limit his options.

“I don’t know what I can do,” he said.

Willie Nix lives in a rental property on S. 14^th Street. As a tenant, he is entitled to relocation assistance from federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. He said he’s still waiting on a housing reassignment.

Papenfuse and Jackie Parker, director of the city’s Department of Community Economic Development, said that the city has been in continual contact with S. 14^th street residents ever since the sinkhole opened in 2014.

Parker also said that the Dec. 31 closing deadline was negotiable, since each property sale is highly individual. The grants funding the home purchases technically expire on Dec. 31, but Parker said that homeowners do have the opportunity to extend.

“Nobody has to move by any particular time,” Parker said. “Every property owner has a unique situation and unique closing opportunity and paperwork. No two are the same.”

Almost $1 million of the funding will be used to relocate tenants, since 26 of the properties were rental units.

Parker said that each home purchase and relocation is governed by strict guidelines, and the city brought on consulting firms to handle property closings and tenant relocation. Under CDBG guidelines, relocation specialists can help tenants identify safe, fair-value housing and obtain reimbursement for moving costs, security deposits and rental application fees.

The 52 homes will eventually be demolished. Since the city cannot build on the site, it will allow the entire block to become a community green space, Papenfuse said.

Correction: this story was edited to clarify Ronald Cook’s home ownership status. Cook is not documented owner of 1408 S. 14th street, but entered a rent-to-own agreement with the property owner when he moved into the house 18 years ago.

All About the Book: Thousands show their love of literature, poetry, criticism at Harrisburg Book Festival.

October 17, 2017 | by Yaasmeen Piper

A crowd at Midtown Scholar Bookstore listens attentively as book reviewers discuss their work at last weekend’s Harrisburg Book Festival.

The 2017 Harrisburg Book Festival attracted about 2,000 people last weekend, as book-lovers flocked to Midtown to converse with authors, listen to readings and revel in all-things literary.

“The reaction from readers and authors was really something to behold,” said Alex Brubaker, the manager of Midtown Scholar Bookstore, which sponsored the four-day event. “For the bookstore to be at the center of this lively literary gathering was really special.”

Brubaker said that opening night poets Safiya Sinclair, author of “Cannibal,” and Joshua Bennett of “The Sobbing School” prompted tears in some audience members. Keynote speaker Ibram X. Kendi, author of “Stamped from the Beginning,” led a conversation on our current political and racial climate that will last “well beyond the night.”

“A lot of the authors were incredibly moved by the attendees and their devotion to literature and their books,” said Brubaker, who put the crowd estimate for the fifth Book Festival at almost 2,000. “For most of them, it was their first time in Harrisburg, so they came away impressed by the literary scene here.”

Saturday morning was packed with kids taking part in Kids Fest. Smiles widened as children interacted with author Lauren Castillo, pressed their own bookmarks from Megan Zettlemoyer of Typothecary Letterpress, or had their hands in a couple of baked goods. And thanks to the American Literacy Corp. and Capital Region Literacy Council, they were able to head home with free books.

Book reviewers Harvey Freedenberg, Susan Coll, Bethanne Patrick and Marion Winik gave audience members insight on how their jobs survive in the digital age.

They wrapped up with their picks for the best books of 2017, which include “Exit West” by Mohsin Hamid and “Home Fries” by Kamila Shamsie, and some advice for young and up-and-coming writers.

“Learn to trust your own voice early,” said Winik. “That is something I wish I knew when I was starting out.”

A table featured works from book festival authors.

Jennifer Haigh, author of “Heat and Light,” Liz Moore of “The Unseen Word” and local Meghan Kenny of “Love is no Small Thing” offered insight into their process of creating a novel.

Though Haigh and Moore shared similar themes of identity, technology and the future of machines in their novels, the writers had different thoughts when it came to whether these advancements are hurting or helping us.

“I adore writing about machines. It’s endlessly interesting to me.” Haigh said. “Machines can save us in a limited way. I think they can also kill us.”

Moore had a more optimistic approach.

“I actually think that virtual and augmented reality can potentially offer us great benefits,” Moore said. “I also have no reason to believe that AI’s are out to get us. There is a lot of literature and film in which AI’s are inherently evil. Why would they be?”

Authors Meghan Kenny, Jennifer Haigh and Liz Moore discussed their writing process.

Ruth Frankin closed out the festival by reading from her first biography, “Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life.”

“It was a wild pleasure to hear Ruth Franklin talk about her biography of Shirley Jackson,” said local writer Kari Larsen. “She did such a masterful job decontextualizing Jackson’s place in 20th-century literature.”

From the large number of attendees to the diverse set of authors, the book festival helped push Midtown Scholar and Harrisburg up the list of must-visit places for literary lovers.

“I was so relieved and thrilled the book festival had come back,” Larsen said. “Previous ones really demonstrated how enthusiastic Midtown Scholar’s audience is for engagement with contemporary writing, publishing and criticism.”

While plans for a sixth book festival have not yet been discussed, Brubaker promises that it will return.

“We’ll be back, bigger and better than ever,” he said.

Better Late than Never: Wolf lets delayed contributions flow to schools and nonprofits

October 13, 2017 | by Lizzy Hardison

Local schools and nonprofits this week were relieved to hear that they could soon receive millions of dollars in corporate donations, which had been put on hold in the state’s ongoing budget impasse.

Gov. Tom Wolf’s office confirmed on Thursday that it authorized approvals for Educational Improvement Tax Credits, which awards businesses tax credits if they donate up to $750,000 to a scholarship fund or educational initiative. Both businesses and beneficiaries must apply to participate in the program.

The state Department of Community and Economic Development previously said that the tax credit applications would not be approved until the state passes its final budget. TheBurg reported that the delay was jeopardizing programs at local nonprofits and schools.

Letters notifying organizations of their approvals will be mailed by the end of the week, said J.J. Abbott, Wolf’s press secretary. Businesses have 60 days from the date on the letter to make their donations.

The private funding distributed through EITC is not a state appropriation, and Kirk Hallatt, director of the Harrisburg-based nonprofit Joshua Group, told TheBurg that lawmakers had no good reason to withhold it from beneficiaries. He accused lawmakers of using it as a “political toy” in their budget dispute.

Seventy-nine members of the House Republicans apparently agreed and petitioned Wolf last week to release the funds, according to a press release.

The Salvation Army of Harrisburg was approved to receive funding for its annual Summer Youth Enrichment Program. Kathy Anderson-Martin said Wolf’s decision to authorize EITC approvals makes it easier for them to plan ahead.

“The number of kids we are able to serve is dependent on available resources, so the prospect of donations through the EITC greatly improves our outlook for serving 400 local children next summer,” Anderson-Martin said.

Dog Gone? City aims to toughen leash enforcement following complaints

October 13, 2017 | by Lizzy Hardison

Illustration by Rich Hauck

Citations for off-leash dogs are on the rise in Harrisburg, but some residents want the city to do more to enforce leash laws.

Animal control officers working for the Harrisburg Police Bureau have cited 22 dog owners so far in 2017 for letting their animals run off-leash. That figure is up from 14 in 2016, 15 in 2015, and zero in 2014, according to data from the Harrisburg Police Bureau.

But many dog owners say that off-leash dogs remain a problem in certain neighborhoods of the city, particularly Italian Lake and the former William Penn High School. Dogs must be restrained on a leash in all public places, including parks, according to Harrisburg City Ordinance 33.

The issue surfaced at an Oct. 10 City Council meeting. One resident said her service dog was attacked by unrestrained dogs at the State Hospital Grounds in Susquehanna Township, where she started going to avoid off-leash dogs in Harrisburg.

“I don’t think this problem is being taken seriously,” she said, adding that an attack like the one her service dog suffered could ruin its training.

Randall Gooding, a Wormleysburg resident who walks his dog on City Island and in Riverfront Park, said that he encounters many more off-leash dogs in Harrisburg than in his home borough. He wants stricter leash enforcement to keep people and animals safe.

“I get so frustrated when unattended, off-leash dogs come running up to me and my dog while the owner [says] that the dog is friendly,” Gooding said. “I can’t protect their dog while handling my own.”

Unsupervised dogs appear to be a problem in residential areas as well as parks. Naomi Reyes used to walk from her home on 3^rd street to her workplace on 7^th street, until too many neighbors started letting their dogs outside unsupervised.

“I had to stop doing my walks because of loose dogs that didn’t look friendly,” Reyes said.

City Councilman Cornelius Johnson, chair of the Public Safety Committee, said he spoke about the issue with animal enforcement officers this week. The city currently employs two animal enforcement officers.

Johnson said that one possible solution is increased cooperation between animal enforcement officers and the city park rangers, who are responsible for patrolling Harrisburg’s 26 parks.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said on Friday that the city hopes to budget for another park ranger in 2018, bringing the total rank to three.

Park rangers cannot write tickets, but they make ticket referrals to the police or report stray dogs, Papenfuse said. Animal enforcement officers are also responsible for collecting stray animals, and have picked up 78 this year.

Above all, Johnson said, communication is key. He asks residents to report off-leash dog violations when they see them.

“The best thing a resident can do when they come across an issue is call it in,” Johnson said on Thursday. “When we get calls, there’s accountability.”

Burning for You: Midtown Bonfire returns for community, for firefighters.

October 12, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Flames licked the sky during last year’s 1st Annual Midtown Bonfire.

Last October, some drivers along Front Street were startled when they saw a tower of flames shooting up from an empty lot in Midtown Harrisburg.

Reportedly, some worried residents even called in an emergency.

There actually was no reason for concern, as Harrisburg firefighters were already on the scene. The fire, in fact, was in their honor.

The first annual Midtown Bonfire raised more than $1,000 for the Fire Bureau, said organizer H. Ralph Vartan, CEO of the Vartan Group, which owns the empty lot at Front and Verbeke streets.

But, perhaps even more importantly, the event brought together a few hundred people, mostly Harrisburg residents, to share a chat, some good food and a beer.

“It’s really just a fun community event,” Vartan said. “It’s a bonus that we’re able to raise some money for the fire department.”

Vartan now is bringing back the bonfire, which, this year, takes place Sunday, Oct. 22, in the same lot. A $15 donation gets you in and features live music, an a la carte menu grilled up by Chef Ben Beaver of Café 1500, a cash beer tent with Zeroday Brewing Co., s’mores and, of course, the main event—a big bonfire at dusk.

Vartan said he got the idea from being a student at the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, which would host a bonfire social each autumn.

“Something about a big bonfire, it connotes fall to me,” he said. “I thought we could have one here as a community-building event.”

Fire Chief Brian Enterline said that he and some of his men will be there, so the blaze will be in good hands. He said he appreciates the fundraiser, which helped purchase washer and dryer units last year. But, like Vartan, he sees the event primarily as a way to bring people together.

“For us, it’s all about the community,” he said.

Vartan hopes for an even bigger tally this year, saying that he wants to raise $4,000 to $5,000 for the Fire Bureau. That money also will be appreciated, Enterline said.

“It helps us offset some small, incidental expenses,” he said. “But we primarily look at it as a way to bring community together.”

The 2nd Annual Midtown Bonfire takes place Sunday, Oct. 22, beginning at 3 p.m., at Front and Verbeke streets, Harrisburg. Admission is $15 in advance, $20 at the event; free for city police and fire. Click here for information and tickets.

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

October 12, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

It’s a BIG weekend!

The Pennsylvania National Horse Show is here!

Saturday’s must do: HU Music Fest — FREE admission, live music, beer garden, food trucks.

I’m at the “whoa” stage in pregnancy, where when people see me they say, “whoa” and then something that inadvertently makes me feel like shit, so I’m essentially in hibernation mode. Though I’ll hit the market and a friend’s shower Saturday. Sunday, as you well know, is for football.

What are you doing this weekend?

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“Not One Penny:” Demonstrators slam tax plan ahead of Trump visit

October 11, 2017 | by Lizzy Hardison

PA Budget and Policy Center director Mark Stier speaks on the steps of the Capital today. Demonstrators gathered there to protest Trump’s tax plan in anticipation of his visit to the region later today.

President Donald Trump may not enter Harrisburg when he speaks in Dauphin County later today, but that didn’t stop protesters from coming into the city for an anti-Trump demonstration.

More than 100 people gathered this morning on the steps of the state Capitol Complex to protest Trump’s tax proposal. He is expected to promote that plan in front of area Republicans in a speech at Harrisburg International Airport this afternoon.

Activists who spoke at the event claimed that the tax plan would raise the tax burden on poor and low-income Americans while giving tax breaks to the rich. They also called on lawmakers to protect Medicare and Medicaid.

A number of grassroots advocacy groups were present at the rally, including organizers from the Tax March, Not One Penny, Keystone Progress and local chapters of the national Indivisible movement.

Some demonstrators traveled from neighboring counties to participate in the event. Nikki Byers came to Harrisburg from Etters, where she is a member of the Indivisible York chapter.

“Millionaires like Donald Trump don’t need a tax break,” Byers said, calling his tax plan a “scam.”

A group from Perry County also travelled to the Capitol for the demonstration. Evelyn d’Elia, from Newport, was specifically worried about the future of Medicare and Medicaid under Trump.

“The first thing [Republicans] want to cut is Medicare, and I can’t live without it,” said d’Elia, who is a retired state worker. “These social welfare programs were made so that the middle class and poor can survive.”

Daniel Doubet, executive director at Keystone Progress, could not confirm whether additional demonstrations would take place at the airport when Trump lands there this afternoon.

Trump is expected to address local Republican leaders at a closed-door meeting this afternoon. The event will take place in the National Air Force hangar at the airport, according to a statement released today by Rep. Lou Barletta.

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