May Publisher’s Note

April 29, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

Each month, readers pick up our monthly magazine for the locally focused stories, the art, the design and, of course, for our unique and creative covers.

Thanks so much!

But you want to know what I especially like hearing? Often, people compliment our ads, even tell me that they linger over them and—music to my ears—patronize our advertisers.

As it turns out, it’s not just our readers who think highly of our ads. Last month, TheBurg took a top prize in the annual “Advertising Contest” run by the state’s principal press organization—the PA NewsMedia Association Foundation.

In all, we won 22 awards across a myriad of categories, competing against some of the best news outlets in the commonwealth. And, for the third straight year, we won the coveted “Sweepstakes” award for best performance in our category.

For this, I want to recognize our amazing sales team—sales director Lauren Maurer and sales associate Natalie diSanto, with a big assist from our creative director Meg Caruso. At TheBurg, Lauren and Natalie operate a bit in the background, but, without them, our little news operation would not exist—no exaggeration!

You see, we make our money the old-fashioned way—mostly through display ads in our magazine. For us, this works better than chasing clicks or, egad, putting up a paywall. As a result, our magazine is well-curated, our stories uncluttered and our products and services all completely free.

Of course, I also need to thank our advertisers. We appreciate so much that they’ve chosen to do business with TheBurg, with the knowledge and confidence that their ads are appearing in one of the most highly regarded publications in the state.

So, please, flip ahead to see this month’s collection of beautiful, compelling ads. Along the way, you’ll also discover many interesting community stories, must-attend events, lovely art and so much more. Oh, did I mention that, like each May, we feature many stories, and a special advertising section, devoted to our area’s amazing dining scene? It’s all straight ahead!

Lawrance Binda

Publisher/Editor

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Planting Pride: Bill Gantt’s love of Allison Hill extended to his neighbors and his beautification efforts—and his legacy lives on

April 29, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Bill Gantt

Life on the quiet block of Sylvan Terrace in Allison Hill was reminiscent of an old-fashioned neighborhood—almost idyllic.

Neighbors became friends, and their children played tag on the sidewalk, caught fireflies in the summer, and built snow forts on days off from school. The adults lent a hand in each other’s gardens and shared plates of food. The elders and parents all kept a watchful eye on the kids from their front porches.

When a huge snowstorm hit the city one year and the plow couldn’t make it down their tight street, neighbors shoveled the road and dug out parking spots for those who had to work.

“That’s the kind of community we have,” said Deb Rodriguez. “Our neighbors look out for each other.”

Bill and Deb Gantt’s house sits near the middle of the snug block, and neighbors attributed much of the camaraderie on the block to the family.

Next door to their house is the late Eulalia “Lala” Rodriguez’s home, where the families have been neighbors since 1977. Several of Lala’s children and grandchildren have also lived in the neighborhood.

Nearly 10 members of the Rodriguez and Gantt families gathered in the home this spring to reminisce on the neighborhood and share Bill’s story with me—a story that is deeply bound to their own, and their neighborhood’s.

Over the decades, the families’ lives became entwined. Bill was known to casually walk in the front door with a tin of home baked cookies or cake and leave with some of Lala’s signature rice and beans.

When Bill wasn’t baking, he was working on his home, which he restored and designed himself, tending to his garden or helping his neighbors with projects.

“He was like the glue that held the block together,” said Gloria Montalvo, one of the nine children of Lala.

Bill passed away in December from health complications, leaving a hole in the community that he deeply loved. Harrisburg was his home, and the community his passion. And his impact reached beyond Sylvan Terrace, to all of Allison Hill, where he would regularly take on beautification projects and frequent the local watering holes to meet people and make new friends.

Possibly his longest, most dedicated project was planting flowers annually in the historic horse watering trough at Mulberry and Derry streets. Every spring, for 50 years, Bill planted the flowers on his own dime.

“Spring’s coming up, so this is when he’d always be out, so it’s going to be sad,” Montalvo said.

However, the family and neighbors won’t let the watering trough sit empty. They’ve already come together, with help from local organizations, to fill it with flowers in Bill’s honor—fulfilling a final request of his.

“This man devoted his life to that,” said Deb Rodriguez, who married into the Rodriguez family and lives on the block. “There are a lot of people in our community that really do care—Bill was at the pinnacle. He was our go-to guy.”

Preservation Pioneer

Gantt moved to Harrisburg in 1970 for a job downtown at the old Pomeroy’s department store. Living in the same city apartment building, young Bill met Deb, who thought he was handsome. Like the start of a rom-com movie (Bill brought the comedy—his friends and family described him as a jokester) the couple started dating, later married, and bought their Sylvan Terrace home.

The couple fell in love with the city and enjoyed raising their son Julian in such a family-friendly and diverse neighborhood.

The neighbors represented various cultures and races—the Rodriguez’s being Puerto Rican, the Gantts white, and other neighbors were Asian, Greek, Black and Latino—and they celebrated their differences. Although, mostly, they didn’t really think about them, the neighbors shared, as they saw each other as family.

“You didn’t really experience differences,” said Andrea Taylor, Deb and Angelo Rodriguez’s daughter who grew up playing with Julian and the neighborhood kids. “You never thought about it.”

Julian believes that was part of why Bill appreciated his community so much. It was different from his upbringing at his family’s small dairy farm in West Virginia.

“He loved getting to know people from different backgrounds and different cultures,” Julian said. “He was very curious and open and wanted to learn more. He loved the diversity, loved the community.”

Bill wanted his neighborhood to take pride in where they lived, which drove his community and historical work on Allison Hill. He started the South Allison Hill Civic Association and the Allison Hill Municipal Historic District, served on the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board and worked closely with the Historic Harrisburg Association.

“He was really a history preservation pioneer in Allison Hill,” said David Morrison, executive director of HHA. “He was certainly one of the major leaders. His impact on that neighborhood was huge.”

Morrison described his preservation work as “contagious,” and Bill helped neighbors with home projects, while also restoring several houses that he owned.

Bill was an artist and a master of interior design, even crafting curtains for and wallpapering the city’s historic John Harris Mansion, and eventually opening his own storefront.

He loved to use his many talents to help his neighbors. That included hand-crafting a bassinet for a new baby, teaching neighbors some of his skills, and, lovingly, telling a neighbor that if they adjusted their Christmas decorations, the display would look better.

“He would say, ‘I don’t know what you did there, but I would take all of that down. It doesn’t even match.’ I’d say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. We’re Puerto Rican so it doesn’t have to match,’” Diana Rodriguez said jokingly.

Neighborhood Guy

When Andre Butts opened his restaurant, Uncle Dre’s Café on Vernon Street four years ago, Bill quickly became a regular—and a friend.

He came to the café dressed for Halloween, was a judge for the Superbowl hot wing eating contest and would often engage in long conversations with Butts.

“He was a neighborhood guy,” Butts said. “Everybody knew him. He was all about the community.”

Bill’s wife Deb said that he loved going to the local bars to meet people and have conversations about life and Allison Hill. And while people knew he was involved, he never made a show of it, but worked quietly and committedly behind the scenes.

“He just loved it here. He loved his neighbors, and he tried to do whatever he could to improve the neighborhood,” Deb Rodriguez said. “He was so instrumental in all the good things that happened in this neighborhood.”

To continue his legacy, the family will organize the flower planting at the historic watering trough, with aid from local organizations. Historic Harrisburg Association has offered its Community Historic Preservation Fund to collect donations to maintain the trough in Bill’s honor. The Latino Hispanic American Community Center, located near the structure, will also pitch in by using a stipend of the donated funds to pay someone to care for the plants.

Julian believes his dad would’ve loved to see how people have come together to continue beautifying his beloved Allison Hill. Because to Bill, his community was really his world. He wanted others to feel pride in where they lived because that was unapologetically how he felt.

And so, the story of Bill’s life and that of his neighborhood are so tied up that one couldn’t be told without the other.

“It was totally intertwined with his identity—living in Allison Hill,” Julian said. “It was who he was. He chose to live there. He set up his life there after leaving the farm. It was totally part of his soul—living in that neighborhood.”

To donate to Historic Harrisburg Association’s fund for the historic watering trough, visit www.historicharrisburg.org/getinvovled/donate and note that the donation is for the “Bill Gantt Fund.”

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May News Digest

April 29, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Uptown Apartment Project Proposed

A former Harrisburg hospital complex may be adaptively reused for apartments, according to a newly released proposal.

At a community meeting last month, a developer announced plans to construct housing and retail at the former Polyclinic Hospital in Uptown Harrisburg.

In March 2024, Pennmark Harrisburg Holdings, an affiliate of Montgomery County-based Pennmark Management Co., purchased the sprawling campus, located on N. 3rd Street. The property stretches over six acres from Polyclinic Avenue to Wiconisco Street and consists of three buildings totaling over 271,000 square feet.

Originally home to the Polyclinic Hospital, the property sold in 2004 to Penn Center Harrisburg, which utilized it as office space until selling it to Pennmark two decades later.

Now, Pennmark is proposing a $45 million project that would include renovating all three buildings and constructing 250 to 300 apartment units and retail shops.

“We saw this as a really good opportunity,” said Greg Hallquist, director of Pennmark. “We love the city of Harrisburg.”

At the community meeting, Hallquist shared that the project would work in three phases. First, developers would renovate the vacant building closest to Wiconisco Street, which historically housed nurses’ residences, to create about 100 apartments.

In a second phase, the company would renovate the former hospital building closest to Polyclinic Avenue, creating another 150 apartments, along with retail and amenities, such as a gym, for tenants. Hallquist proposed commercial space along N. 4th Street, including a grocery store, coffee shop and restaurant. Currently, the building houses a few offices, such as the state Department of Drug and Alcohol.

In the third phase, Pennmark would renovate the middle building, formerly office space, as offices for staff.

All apartments would be market-rate and include studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, Hallquist said.

The project still must go through the city’s approval process before it can begin.

Hallquist hopes to break ground on the project in the fall and said that he expects phase one to take around a year and phase two to take 18 months to complete.

Eden Village Gets Go-Ahead

A local group’s plans to build housing for the homeless can move forward.

Eden Village of Harrisburg is slated to bring tiny homes to South Harrisburg, having received City Council approval.

“I love the project,” said council member Jocelyn Rawls. “This is one of our most vulnerable populations, so to give them housing, like you said, that’s step one.”

The project was proposed by a group of area residents who have partnered with Missouri-based Eden Village to bring 32 tiny homes and a community center to 1103 S. Front St.

The community will be built near the PennDOT building near Veteran’s Grove, a tiny house community for veterans, and Tunnel to Towers, another housing facility for veterans slated for construction.

Eden Village plans to build 400-square-foot units that include a bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen. Units will offer long-term housing.

Additionally, Eden Village will provide access to other resource providers to address issues such as mental health and substance abuse.

“If we can get them into a house, we can work on everything else,” said Robert Lawson, an Eden Village board member. “So, if we start with the house that’s affordable and that’s safe, we can take care of all of those other issues.”

People will need to apply to be considered for a home in Eden Village and are expected to pay $300 in rent each month.

Council member Crystal Davis expressed concern over the rent, saying that she believes some unhoused people won’t be able to afford it.

However, Khary Lane, board president of Eden Village, said that many unhoused people receive disability and Social Security benefits and have access to housing vouchers. Despite her concern, Davis, along with all other council members, voted in favor of the project.

Police Plan Halted

A plan to bring police officers into Harrisburg schools has been halted.

At a board meeting last month, the Harrisburg School District announced that it would hold off on a previous plan to establish a school police department, as it prepares to potentially exit state receivership.

“This is not a retreat from our commitment to safety,” Superintendent Dr. Benjamin Henry said. “Instead, it is a calculated decision to ensure we can responsibly fund such an initiative over a sustainable five-year period.”

In November, district receiver Dr. Lori Suski approved a safety plan that included hiring four police officers and creating a police station at the Harrisburg High School-John Harris campus, following a significant increase in violent incidents.

However, last month, district officials said that they would back off that plan for now, as they need to be cautious with their finances, as the district could exit state receivership in the coming months.

Suski said that she is making the recommendation to exit receivership and is working on the petition to the state Department of Education. The district is “on a trajectory” to argue for exiting, she said. The receivership is set to expire on June 17.

Riverboat Plans June Launch

The Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat will hit the water this year following an extended hiatus, according to its operator.

The distinctive red-and-white paddlewheel boat is expected to launch in mid-June once repairs are complete, stated the Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society.

The Pride missed the entire 2024 sailing season due to renovations that were more extensive than first thought. It has been in operation, plying the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, since 1988.

Dr. Catherine Bene, president of the Riverboat Society, stated that the board has been actively pursuing grants to support much-needed renovations and is working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard to fulfill all operating requirements.

The society is planning a “Keep Our Paddles Turning” benefit concert to support the renovation efforts. The May 31 concert, at the Forum in Harrisburg, will feature five rock musicians, including Tommy Conwell from Tommy Conwell and the Rumblers, Quinton Jones, Daryl Davis and Leroy Hawkes.

The VIP reception is from 5 to 6 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the concert will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are available at www.hbgriverboat.org.

Once the riverboat launches, patrons can expect both public cruises and themed parties, including a bourbon night, costume themes, family/children events, worship services, live music and more, according to the society.

Bene added that boat-riders will see significant improvements this year, including brand-new carpet, drapes and chairs, in addition to structural improvements.

Home Sales, Prices Steady

Harrisburg-area home sales and prices were largely flat in March compared to the prior year, according to the latest market report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, 442 homes sold, a drop from 466 home sales in March 2024, as the median sales price inched up to $275,300 from $272,750, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 237 houses sold versus 226 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price dipped to $240,000 from $245,000, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County had 179 home sales, a decrease from 213 in March 2024, as the median sales price was almost unchanged at $322,250, GHAR said.

In Perry County, 19 houses exchanged hands versus 28 a year ago, as the median sales price slid to $234,500 compared to $245,000 the prior March, according to GHAR.

The pace of home sales was relatively steady, as “average days on market” totaled 32 days in March versus 33 days the year before, GHAR stated in its report.

So Noted

Capital City Music Hall anticipates a mid-summer opening in the downtown Harrisburg location that formerly housed the Federal Taphouse. Owner Justin Browning told TheBurg that he plans to book a wide range of acts across many different musical genres for the open, two-story space at 234 N. 2nd St.

Cheranda “Cherri” Parks-Taylor last month was named the new manager of the Broad Street Market. Harrisburg’s historic market has been without a full-time manager for over a year, with market board members taking on many of the manager’s duties in the interim.

Cody Balmer of Penbrook was charged last month with attempted murder and arson following an early-morning fire at the PA Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg. Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were asleep when Balmer allegedly broke into a portion of the mansion and set it ablaze. No one was injured in the fire, but the building’s south side suffered extensive damage.

David Fitzkee has been named the new executive director of the Caring Cupboard, a Palmyra-based nonprofit that provides food and other essential services to those in need. Fitzkee brings nearly 20 years in nonprofit management to the position, according to the organization.

Denim Coffee last month opened its second Harrisburg location in the atrium kiosk in Strawberry Square. The location was previously occupied by Little Amps Coffee Roasters, which closed in December. Denim also operates a shop at Walnut and N. 4th streets and is planning another for Market Square, which is expected to open this summer.

HACC passed a 2025-26 budget last month that will raise tuition for most students by $22 per credit to $288.50 a credit. The tuition hike is part of the $124 million budget approved by the college’s board of trustees. According to HACC, trustees needed to increase tuition to offset a projected $275,000 deficit.

Sandy and Gary Lockerman last month were named as Ned Smith Center “Visionaries.” The long-time volunteers were chosen for the annual award due to their longstanding support for the center and its vision.

Sonya McKnight last month was convicted of attempted homicide in the shooting of her former boyfriend, who survived being shot in the head as he slept. McKnight, a suspended Harrisburg magisterial district judge, was convicted on one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count of aggravated assault, decided after less than two hours of jury deliberation.

TheBurg won 22 awards in the 2025 Advertising Contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation. The honors included the Sweepstakes Award for best performance in its category, the third year in a row TheBurg has won this top award.

Tunnel to Towers last month broke ground on an affordable housing complex for veterans in south Harrisburg. The New York-based nonprofit plans to construct a 64-unit apartment building and 20 small “comfort homes” along the Susquehanna River, near the PennDOT building.

Changing Hands

Apricot St., 1729: D. Bernard to BAH Equities LLC, $76,666

Apricot St., 1731: D. Bernard to BAH Equities LLC, $76,666

Apricot St., 1733: D. Bernard to 1733 Apricot St LLC, $76,666

Balm St., 30: JOG Investments LLC to 30 Balm St LLC, $73,000

Balm St., 113 & 115: B. Yanes to BSM HSH LLC, $50,000

Bellevue Rd., 1815: M. Hines to Numbee Realty LLC, $80,000

Bellevue Rd., 1946: BCR-2 Properties LLC to L. Santana, $170,000

Benton St., 704: V. Okuneye to Stately Renovations LLC, $118,000

Berryhill St., 1319: J. Stoncius to S. Graybill, $90,000

Berryhill St., 1403: A. Johnson to Leonards Real Estate LLC, $124,000

Berryhill St., 2228: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to New Ventures Investments LLC, $102,500

Berryhill St., 2247: Normans Realty Services Inc. to PACC Homes & Development LLC, $95,000

Berryhill St., 2360: H. Nguyen & H. Tran to W. Yap, $117,000

Boas St., 1614: M. Morgan to M. & R. Espinal, $275,000

Boas St., 1713: Ebersole & McCorkel REI LLC to Sunrise River Investments Inc., $70,000

Brookwood St., 1938: Sunrise River Investments Inc. to G. Tirado, $143,000

Camp St., 635: 635 Camp St LLC to T. Kea, $130,000

Carnation St., 1613: A. Pachero to Numbee Realty LLC, $85,500

Chestnut St., 2021: Normans Realty Services Inc. to Three Stevens & Lou LLC, $160,000

Chestnut St., 2037: Q. Demiri to F. Molina, $150,000

Croyden Rd., 2832: PHH Mortgage Corp. to W. Acevedo, $102,000

Derry St., 1248: E. Kelly & M. Alarcon to J&A One Realty LLC, $101,000

Derry St., 2705: T. Kim to E. Beiler, $125,000

Forster St., 1713: K. Gonzalez to L. Rodriguez, $192,000

Green St., 1621: Empower Estate Properties LLC to B. & W. Bechtel, $256,000

Green St., 2230: Y. & R. Corniell to M. & A. Dundore, $165,000

Harris St., 235: T. Kline to D. Edwards, $235,240

Herr St., 2027: J. & J. Greene to T. Bajwa & S. Tehseen, $220,000

Holly St., 1944: J. & B. Readinger to S. Rubinstein & H. Choi, $150,000

Jefferson St., 2434: L. Henry to Alvarez Investment Properties LLC, $102,000

Jefferson St., 2436: L. Henry to Alvarez Investment Properties LLC, $93,000

Kensington St., 2033: JHC Property Investments to T. Ngo, $120,000

Kensington St., 2147: J. Gaidos to Wright Restoration Properties LLC, $105,000

Lexington St., 2528: M. & A. Reuveni to B. Jarkow, $125,000

Lexington St., 2614: G&W Rentals LLC to C. Jones, $114,900

Lexington St., 2629: G. Neff to Echo Propco I LLC, $90,000

Market St., 1504: E. Saenz & M. Rodriguez to 1504 Market Street LLC, $105,000

Mercer St., 2458: K. Hallman to Y. Lozada, $138,000

Moore St., 2122A: Harrisburg Homes Investment LLC to Penn RM Properties LLC, $77,000

Mulberry St., 1807: R. Bobb to G. Perrier, $166,000

Mulberry St., 1943: L. Dunbar to T. Hardison, $80,000

Nagle St., 121: P. Donohoe & J. Augustine to M. Marie, $245,000

North St., 216: R. Lamberson to J. Beck, $145,000

North St., 231, 233, 235: Murphy & Laus Real Estate LLC to RNM Group, $670,000

N. 2nd St., 1910: Gaudenzia Foundation to Sarah Jane Bentley Holdings LLC, $250,000

N. 2nd St., 3109: C. Hand & Michele M. Manning Trust to R. Sprout, $129,000

N. 3rd St., 1122: Heartshine to Scholars Inc., $60,000

N. 3rd St., 1205: S. & D. Rooney to D. Kulp, $235,000

N. 3rd St., 1323: 1307 Assoc LP to Kingkey Realty LLC, $1,405,000

N. 3rd St., 1905: M. Luckett to C. Lewis, $70,512

N. 3rd St., 3300: Robbins House Associates c/o Richard Reynolds to Vaughn Terrace LLC, $1,550,000

N. 4th St., 1326: A Murphy Investment Inc. to DKH Homes LLC, $88,000

N. 4th St., 2603: Top Cash Paid LLC to T. Anderson, $97,000

N. 4th St., 2635: Pennymac Loan Services LLC to Beta One LLC, $98,200

N. 5th St., 1619: R. Par to K. Plasencia, $220,000

N. 5th St., 2701: V. & C. House to Ross Properties 717 LLC, $176,500

N. 5th St., 3136: A. Burno to W. Reyes, $200,000

N. 5th St., 3205: J. Rodriguez & I. Ramos to T. Belizaire, $252,000

N. 6th St., 1725: R. Stoughton to E. Stoute, $150,000

N. 6th St., 2523: R&K Realty Group LP to Turner Associates Inc., $125,500

N. 7th St., 2217: P. & S. Goldberg to YMCM LLC, $120,000

N. 14th St., 1313: P. Brisneo to P. & E. Briseno, $132,132

N. 15th St., 2: D&F Realty Holdings LP to Aaysha Convenience Store LLC, $100,000

N. 15th St., 1337: 1337 North 15th LLC to S. Herrera, $130,000

N. 17th St., 1105: T. Poole to A. Burman, $165,000

N. 19th St., 33: D. Pittman to S. & L. Lapp, $160,000

N. 19th St., 49: 49 N 19th Street LLC to S. Geiger, $140,000

N. Cameron St., 1745: 12th Indiana Associates to 1745 SPE LLC, $1,505,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 508: R. Shenoy to J. Sharpe & R. Redulla, $208,000

N. Front St., 2609: A. Hartzler to Microwaved Success Investments LLC, $500,000

Park St., 1847: Val de Vie Estate Investments LLC to D. Doughty, $158,000

Park St., 1919: 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC to L. & C. Leon, $60,000

Peffer St., 219: D. Wendt & S. Shultz to K. Liddick, $222,500

Peffer St., 276: R. & M. Wickham to S. Daniels, $225,000

Penn St., 2131: J. Martinez to A. Rasheed, $95,000

Penn St., 2238: D. Stuart & J. Nuciglio to S. Lapp, $125,000

Radnor St., 625: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to New Ventures Investments LLC, $100,000

Reel St., 2628: G. Monroe to Sunnyside RE Enterprises LLC, $130,000

Reel St., 2719: E. Tilahun to Sunnyside RE Enterprise LLC, $129,900

Regina St., 1440: CTD Group to W. Guevara, $95,000

Regina St., 1606: Y. Tejada to R. & C. Vargas, $100,000

Regina St., 1718 & 2461 Reel St.: Community Investment & Development LLC and HBG Rental Group LLC to HBG Rental Group LLC, $168,000

Schuylkill St., 419: R. Hess & City Limits Realty to J. Escoto, $165,000

S. 14th St., 336: US Bank Trust & Selene Finance LP to D. Reyes, $60,850

S. 15th St., 29: W. White to Sunnyside RE Enterprises LLC, $125,000

S. 16th St., 322: Iron Dome Legal Advocacy Group LLC to S. Revolorio, $84,000

S. 17th St., 314: GCA & BN Real Estate Holdings LLC to E. Rodriguez, $350,000

S. 19th St., 12: J. Serrano to D. & V. Craig, $183,900

S. 19th St., 1117: F. Payero to M. Torres, $194,000

S. 21st St., 918: M. Gonzalez to L. Tarraga, $165,000

S. 21st St., 957: Normans Realty Services Inc. to PACC Homes & Development LLC, $80,000

S. Summit St., 29: Ingle Services LLC to Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC, $75,000

S. Summit St., 31: Ingle Services LLC to Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC, $65,000

Susquehanna St., 1618: M. Bekelja to A. & A. Murray, $245,000

Susquehanna St., 2206: N. Grant to R. Murray, $78,000

Swatara St., 1224: Falcao Group Consulting & Service Corp. Inc. to PR&J Properties LLC, $65,000

Swatara St., 2005: J. Torres to S. Mejia & W. Guzman, $175,000

Sycamore St., 1809: Jhon Leo Home Renovations LLC to C. Abikarram, $215,000

Taylor Blvd., 50: J. Collins to Biyaki Enterprises LLC, $90,000

Thompson St., 1419: Bridger Investments LLC to K&M Home Investment LLC, $55,000

Zarker St., 1412: Community Investment & Development LLC to Zarker Rental Group LLC, $84,000

Zarker St., 1823: L. Neely to J. Reynolds, $60,000

Harrisburg property sales, March 2025, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Marking Miles: Greenbelt Association celebrates 25 years of Tour de Belt cycling through the city

April 29, 2025 | by Deborah Lynch

Bicyclists ride along the Susquehanna River during a past Tour de Belt.

Neither a long period of dormancy nor wind and rain were able to halt completion and maintenance of the Capital Area Greenbelt over the past several decades.

The Greenbelt’s annual bike ride, the Tour de Belt, has kept peddling forward as well, this June reaching a new milestone—its 25th anniversary.

City Beautiful planners first conceived of the Greenbelt trail in 1900, but it wasn’t completed until 1999. Designed by Warren Manning, the Greenbelt began in fits and starts and then lay dormant for many years. The Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA) formed in 1990 and stepped in to help complete the over 20-mile loop through Harrisburg, as well as Swatara, Paxtang, Penbrook and Susquehanna Township.

In 2001, CAGA began hosting the Tour de Belt to showcase the trail and raise funds for its upkeep. Despite storms that have knocked trees and limbs across the route several times, CAGA volunteer Becky Schuchert said that she and her crews were always able to clean things up to ensure the tour would go on.

Schuchert, a former CAGA board member and trail maintenance manager, spun the idea for the Tour de Belt after participating in New York City’s Five Boro Bike Tour. She liked that “you don’t have to know a thing about New York. If you show up at the right place, you’re not going to get lost.”

She decided CAGA should re-create that, on a smaller scale, along the newly completed Greenbelt. She was joined on that first committee by Lora Hirschhorn, as well as Shirley Disend and Tim Poole, both founding members of CAGA, along with Tim’s wife Meredith Poole.

The first tour attracted fewer than 100 riders, but the event was born at the perfect time—when American cyclist Lance Armstrong was winning seven consecutive Tour de France titles. The enthusiasm for bicycling was taking off.

The Tour de Belt now attracts close to 1,000 bicyclists and, on June 1, will return for its 25th anniversary ride.

Fuel for the Ride

Schuchert has volunteered for all 25 Tour de Belts.

She starts the day at 5 a.m., driving the route and putting out directional signage. “Anyone can ride it and not get lost,” she said.

Then she drives it again, making sure all volunteers are in place and know what they’re doing for the 9 a.m. start.

The Tour relies on a myriad of corporate sponsors, such as Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, as well as registration fees and the help of more than 140 volunteers. Volunteers are Greenbelt members, neighbors and friends recruited by Schuchert and Harrisburg Bicycle Club members. They do everything from helping with check-in, passing out T-shirts, lining the ride route, acting as marshals, and following in a support and gear wagon that helps bicyclists who might encounter issues. Some also pass out drinks and snacks at three rest stops—at PennDOT, the Five Senses Garden and Reservoir Park.

Dick Norford, the communications chair for CAGA, has been riding the trail and helping with the tour since 2004. He said the ride attracts many families and first-time trail riders, all of whom enjoy the Finish Line Fest on the campus of HACC, where the tour starts and finishes. More than 25 exhibitors will offer food, products, music and information.

Those who cannot make the event or prefer solo rides can also complete the Tour de Belt on their own time by walking, running or biking sometime between May 25 to 31. All participants can earn a newly designed Tour de Belt T-shirt.

“People love it,” Schuchert said. “You see the shirts around town. So many people know about it, you don’t have to explain it.”

Changing Trail

As with the first ride in 2001, the proceeds from this year’s ride will support trail maintenance and larger projects.

CAGA plans to complete a major restoration of the Greenbelt next year on the Paxtang section. The planned trail diet will shrink the width to support nature around it and remove the risks of trail deterioration, said Doug Knauss, Tour de Belt chair and parks and recreation director for Susquehanna Township. CAGA also has plans for a streambank restoration along the Spring Creek in that area. Other improvements near Veterans Park and by the Harrisburg East Cemetery have already been completed.

“The Tour de Belt is a mechanism for all of those kinds of things,” Knauss said. “It’s a great way to preserve the years of hard work put in to reestablish the Greenbelt and keep it established for years to come.”

Additionally, the construction of three housing developments to assist the homeless in South Harrisburg has detoured the trail, impacting the Tour de Belt route. A section of the Greenbelt that previously ran through the land near the PennDOT building has been temporarily rerouted to Sycamore Street and then onto Cameron Street where the trail picks up again. Eventually, CAGA hopes to establish a safer, permanent route for the section of the trail by working with surrounding property owners. Those plans and funding sources are not yet finalized.

Beyond raising funds, Tour de Belt is a fun way for the community to get out, explore the area and make connections.

The Pooles offer an example of the family nature of the ride. Tim and Meredith and their son, Chris, have been riding or volunteering for the tour every year. What began as Chris being towed along in a trailer is today a 26-year-old Harrisburg resident riding circles around his parents.

“That has been an amazing, very personal part of it for me,” Tim said. “For someone who participated in starting all of this, it helps to drive home the point that we really are creating something to ensure that these types of resources and amenities are still there for our children and our grandchildren to enjoy.”

The Tour de Belt takes place June 1, starting from the HACC campus, Harrisburg. For registration and other information, visit www.caga.org/tour-de-belt.

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Second Serving: The post-pandemic gut-punched downtown Harrisburg’s “Restaurant Row.” Can a group of business leaders spark a resurgence?

April 29, 2025 | by M. Diane McCormick

Rene Perez

The baked chicken at El Patio Dominican Restaurant is fall-off-the-bone delectable, but for the richer dining experience, come back for the pork, cooked for 11 hours.

“You gotta try the roasted pork,” said owner Rene Perez. “We do that in the Dominican every year for special celebrations, but we do it here every day, and people love it.”

This was a chilly Monday morning at El Patio, when the only breakfast customer was a parking enforcement officer. Perez is a newcomer to the stretch of downtown Harrisburg still known, despite its post-pandemic struggles, as “Restaurant Row.”

What will it take to revive the corridor? Restaurant and club owners hope the city will perk up the sagging streetscape, while they bootstrap their way to a new vision of 2nd Street, restored to its glory days of food, drink and more music than ever before.

Play Our Part

A restaurant was “always a dream for my wife and I,” Perez said. “Mostly for me.”

The native of the Dominican Republic has worked in fast food restaurants in Georgia, Florida and Harrisburg. Choosing the midstate as a nice place to raise their family, the faith-based couple felt guided toward the space familiar to earlier generations as the Sandwich Man. Here, they share their Dominican heritage.

“We know, it’s not the same in Harrisburg as it used to be before,” Perez said. “I think the Lord put us here to do the work. His plan is unique. No one knows what’s going to happen.”

As Perez notes, restaurants need traffic to survive. That traffic has scattered since COVID sent the state workforce and its ancillary lobbyists, consultants and petitioners to their homes.

Harristown Enterprises and other developers continue converting depleted offices into residences. Occupants are “absolutely” patronizing downtown amenities, and even the residents of a planned market-rate, senior independent living complex will “have their pick of places in the city” for spending their disposable income, said President and CEO Brad Jones.

Harristown’s corresponding events to liven up the scene for city residents and visitors include block parties and a free concert series.

“We’re really trying to play our part in enhancing the experience downtown,” Jones said.

Justin Browning, a Restaurant Row veteran and entrepreneur, lauded Harristown’s plan to continue to convert half-empty office buildings to residences. Going forward, Harristown may even weigh condos as a possibility.

“Condos means you’re making an investment in the city rather than renting,” Browning said. “You have a sense of ownership, so I hope that spills over to downtown.”

Joshua Stambaugh,, Loren Browning, Justin Browning, Michael McPhillips of JB Lovedrafts

Puzzle Pieces

At McGrath’s, a Restaurant Row mainstay, busy Friday lunchtimes have shifted to midweek, said owner Adam Sturges. His evening happy hours, dining and after-dinner drinks remain solid, especially when patrons come downtown for entertainment.

“You need it all to work together,” he said. “If there’s a good show at the Forum, then you’ll see a nice jump in business that day.”

Nightlife impresario Ron Kamionka is retiring and spinning off the properties that once attracted patrons to Harrisburg from throughout the region. In the years since the pandemic and internet matchmaking made traditional nightclubs “almost a thing of the past,” 2nd Street has grown visibly shabby, he said.

It’s not just the brown, kraft paper-covered windows but also the tired light posts and the curbs that have sagged to street level.

“It’s going to take, number one, the city showing commitment and doing improvements to the infrastructure to get people to want to risk their capital to come in with a new idea and try it,” Kamionka said.

Harrisburg’s interim director of Housing and Economic Development, Gloria Martin-Roberts, directed questions to the nonprofit Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID). Todd Vander Woude, HDID executive director, said that he hopes to see updated light poles and curbing, which would be “more of a city thing,” while HDID continues its focus on beautification, such as daily street cleaning and a summertime profusion of flowers.

Downtown business areas have their cyclical ups and downs, but Harrisburg remains well stocked with food and beverage options, plus a full slate of summertime events, Vander Woude said.

“It always takes time,” he said. The nationwide trend toward residential downtowns will “be good for everybody. Harrisburg is very walkable. Once we get the residents back into the apartments and other places, it’s going to help the restaurant scene, as we get more traffic down here for dinnertime.”

Harristown has a beautification plan to “tidy up” the corridor with lighting, curbs, planters, greenery and “all those things that set the table for a nice environment,” Jones said. He hopes to implement the plan and secure funding in collaboration with the HDID and state, city and county sources.

Crank It Up

The entertainment that brings dining and drinking patrons downtown—Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra concerts, plays at Gamut Theatre and Open Stage—is about to get a jolt.

Browning, co-owner of JB Lovedrafts and Nocturnal, and also reviver of Kamionka’s Sawyers, plans to transform the former Federal Taphouse into Capital City Music Hall. The space will complement other local venues, such as XL Live, and create a destination where patrons can bop to favorite acts while they drop their dollars on local restaurants, pubs, hotels and souvenirs.

“As we get older, we learn things,” Browning said. “It doesn’t have to be copy and paste. We can have some fun.”

Capital City Music Hall’s Head of Operations Michael McPhillips shared that they are “happy to bring a safe, reliable venue to 2nd Street.” As patrons streamed to their Mechanicsburg music spot, Lovedrafts Brewing Co., from different states, they realized that “it made much more sense to move that kind of tourism engine into the city we care about so much. We’re very, very happy to do that—not just for us but so everybody can see a large uptick.”

Safety First

Kamionka has intentionally sold many of his properties to Browning to help create a complementary set of businesses.

The area is “heading in the right direction,” Kamionka said, and fine and casual dining continues to grace Restaurant Row: Stock’s, Café Fresco, Carley’s Ristorante, Cork & Fork, Bacco, Burger Yum, to name a few. But the balance of nightclubbing to dining is tilting away from the days when restaurants hummed with Capitol-crowd customers.

“One thing I don’t want to have done is spend a career building all this and having downtown like it was in the ‘80s, when people went there for drugs or hookers,” Kamionka said. “It needs that synergy of places, and that’s not going to happen, adding on places to fill the empty buildings, until people feel comfortable enough to make the investment.”

The notion of “comfortable” encompasses the difficult realities of downtown city living.

Browning believes the city can continue to work with establishment owners “to help keep things safe down here, keep things well lit.”

“Let’s update the sidewalks, make things brighter and more uniform,” he said. “I could see more greenery down here—something that makes it nicer for walking, especially in the evening.”

For Sturges, streetscape upgrades, fewer panhandlers and more attractions would help dispel the city’s undeserved stigma as unsafe. He upholds strict standards of entry and serving at his three downtown and Midtown establishments—Mad Moose and Sturges Speakeasy as well as McGrath’s—and keeps regular hours, even during slow times, because businesses grow when they offer consistent hours and consistent products.

“There’s a lot of things that go into making a city a place that professional people want to move into, things like theaters and museums and encouraging an environment that isn’t just a mass amount of people living in one area,” he said. “I can only do so much to try to convince people that it’s not a dangerous city to be in.”

Adam Sturges

Turning a Corner

Sturges will never retire. This is a man who gets super-excited from contracting a vendor of better pepperoni—“just trying to make things better for tomorrow.”

“I make changes every day,” he said. “It’s those little things you keep progressing, and you keep trying to do the best you can.”

Browning’s clubs strive for an experience at every level—quite literally, from the first-floor rock venue of JB Lovedrafts to the third-floor country-western bar with saddle barstools at Nocturnal.

“Our goal is to help have a resurgence down here,” he said.

For his part, Jones has tallied $230 million in downtown residential projects possible within 10 years and feels they can help re-establish bustle to the dining and nightclub scene.

“You’re stabilizing everything with the addition of these customers,” he said. “You’re replacing essentially the office buildings with residential buildings. Those are strong customers. We’ve got a lot going on. A lot of good stuff, as always.”

El Patio owner Perez is grateful for the support of God, his landlord and the community, including high-level city and police officials who enjoy his food. Just as Sandwich Man provided a downtown anchor for decades from the cheery, comfortable space he now occupies, he hopes to provide leadership through “a Dominican place downtown that stays here for years.”

“We’re here to do what it takes and to improve every day, on a daily basis and a weekly basis,” he said. “We pray for everyone to have a good meal and leave blessed from here. No less than that. We’re always going to be here with a smile on our face to take care of the customers.”

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Turning a Corner: After decades, Cornerstone Coffeehouse has new ownership but remains a hub of Camp Hill

April 29, 2025 | by Rachel Curry

Al Pera, Sue Pera, Alexander Shover, Caleb Watters, Justine Welling

More than three decades in the food business is no small feat.

That’s why Sue and Al Pera, who led Cornerstone Coffeehouse in Camp Hill for most of its history, were particular about who would run their café and community gathering spot upon their retirement.

“There’s always pressure to not screw it up,” says Caleb Watters, who finalized the deal to purchase the business in early 2025 with his wife, Alexandra Shover.

Still, Watters and his team plan to keep the essence of Cornerstone as is, hopefully satisfying the community that surrounds it.

“People here were very invested because they’ve been coming here for 30 years,” Watters said. “The first couple of months has proven that we’re not looking to do some monumental change, so I think that’s calmed a lot of nerves.”

Watters himself is not a restaurateur, but an operator. He also owns Valley Bistro in Enola and The Hershey Pantry in Hershey.

“I am buying a system,” he said. “I’m going to work within that system, and then we’ll improve it over time.”

Right now, that looks like rearranging equipment and processes in the back of house and investing in better equipment. The only thing guests will see from these changes, he said, is they’ll get their food and drink faster. Once all that is set up, he’ll move to the front of house, perhaps optimizing seating to fit more people (because, on a busy day, the place is packed).

Cornerstone is known for its espresso menu, breakfast sandwiches (like the bacon, egg, cheddar and avocado) and cooking classes in the back room. Customers also have the chance to browse art and goods from local creators amid a fun, laid-back vibe.

Then there are the intangible offerings, Watters said,

“If you’ve been in coffeehouses, there’s a buzz in certain places,” he said. “We’re always going to foster that.”

Full Circle

Shover said that they’re proud to continue the coffeehouse’s legacy, which she recognizes has become an integral part of the Camp Hill community.

“We even have a couple helpers who will be joining the crew when they are old enough,” said Shover, referring to her sons, ages 4 and 7.

Watters himself is from St. Louis. More recently, the family lived in Youngstown, Ohio. There, Watters worked as a Dunkin’ franchisee, with 12 locations under his charge, all of which had a full-production kitchen and 24-hour-a-day operations. His operations manager and self-proclaimed “right-hand person,” Justine Welling, helped him manage everything.

When Watters had an opportunity to get bought out of the Dunkin’ business, he took it.

“Sometimes, you’ve got to know when to exit,” he said.

Once he decided to move to Pennsylvania and start an independent restaurant venture, he offered Welling the chance to come with them. She took it and currently helps operate the ins and outs of his three businesses.

But Watters is heavily involved, too—though in his own way.

“There’s a lot of things I try not to know,” he said, leaving some of the day-to-day grind for Welling. “But I’m here every day.”

Watters has come a long way since his first job out of college working on the corporate side of Dippin’ Dots.

“You’re out of college, you don’t know what you’re going to do, here’s the opportunity, and it just snowballs,” he said. “Then you realize you’re good at it. If I was smart, I would have just left the industry after Dunkin’. But I like it, there’s money, and you learn how to cope with the stress.”

Expanding Cornerstone down the line isn’t necessarily out of the question, but that’s not on the table right now. For the moment, Watters, Shover, Welling and the rest of their team—including general manager Nicole Miller, who has been in her post for about 14 years—are just looking to make the café even better.

While Watters isn’t from the area, Shover is. Interestingly, she grew up just across the street from where they now live in Camp Hill—near their new coffeehouse.

“My friends and I used to walk to the Cornerstone for lunch,” she said. “To now own it feels like a full-circle moment.”

Cornerstone Coffeehouse is located at 2133 Market St., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com.

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Flavor Savior: Friends team up to buy, run popular New Cumberland ice cream shop

April 29, 2025 | by Ashley Andyshak Hayes

Hannah Leckey and Dustin LeBlanc

Dustin LeBlanc credits his mother, Faye, for instilling in him an appreciation of sweets, especially ice cream, as he was growing up.

So, when he and longtime friend Duke Slifko were considering names for their new ice cream shop in New Cumberland, they chose to honor her.

Faye’s Ice Cream Parlor, promising “vintage vibes and fresh flavors,” opened at the end of March inside the former Hanna’s Ice Cream Shoppe on Bridge Street.

LeBlanc works full-time as managing director of the West Shore Theatre, right next door to Faye’s, but says his “vice in life is ice cream.” When the owners of Hanna’s decided to sell the business last summer, LeBlanc and Slifko took a serious look at buying.

“We love New Cumberland, and we love what’s going on here with the downtown revitalization,” LeBlanc said. “When we looked at all the variables, everything lined up, and it seemed like the right thing to do at the right time. I’m very fortunate that I get to do theater and ice cream, two things that make people happy in this sometimes-crazy world.”

For Slifko, a highway engineer by day, the ice cream venture is a creative outlet.

“It affords me the opportunity to be someone else besides the nerdy engineer who loves math,” he said. “I like to say, ‘no one orders ice cream when they’re mad,’ and I have yet to find anyone who does. It’s a fun experience for not only us but, hopefully, our patrons.”

After many months of preparation, the shop opened to a great response from the community, LeBlanc said.

“We knew people would be excited, but we were overwhelmed with how many people came and how excited they were,” he said. “It’s so rewarding to see the smiles.”

Patrons of Hanna’s will recognize the 1950s-era decor with a few additions, like a life-size likeness of Elvis Presley that greets visitors just inside the entrance.

LeBlanc and Slifko made some changes to the shop’s layout, including opening up the entryway to give people more space to settle in, check out the menu board and decide what they want before moving toward the counter. The new layout takes away the pressure of having to make a flavor decision as soon as you walk in the door, especially on hot summer days when demand is high.

“We don’t want you to settle for ice cream,” LeBlanc said. “We want you to get what you want.”

The duo also added more seating, including in the front windows looking out onto Bridge Street, and designed a 1950s-themed area at the back of the shop where visitors are encouraged to hang out and take photos.

Faye’s sources its ice cream from The Sugar Shack Creamery in Boiling Springs. LeBlanc and his mother were frequent customers at the creamery’s former location there, said Jacob Pierce, one of the family members who operates the creamery.

“We wanted to give people a different experience, and the more you can support local businesses, the better,” LeBlanc said.

Faye’s offers a rotating selection of 28 classic and new flavors, including vanilla, chocolate and butter pecan, as well as ube brownie, with a Filipino purple yam base, and Fat Elvis, a combination of banana, peanut butter and chocolate. The choices include seasonal varieties and many gluten-free options.

In addition to hand-dipped ice cream, the menu offers ice cream shop classics including soft serve, milkshakes, sundaes, floats, ice cream sandwiches, local baked goods and more.

Ultimately, LeBlanc says their new venture aims to offer something unique to the community.

“It’s more than ice cream,” he said. “It’s an experience.”

Faye’s Ice Cream Parlor is located at 321 Bridge St., New Cumberland. For more information, visit www.fayesicecreamparlor.com.

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Cheesesteak Remake: After briefly closing, The Cheesesteak Guy re-opened in a new location just across the river

April 29, 2025 | by Kylie Stoltzfus

Josh Longo

In a way, Josh Longo kidded his way into the cheesesteak business.

Some eight years ago, he served as manager for the Zeroday Outpost in Harrisburg’s Broad Street Market. While he worked, Longo often teased Lou Lerant, owner of The Harrisburger stand, letting him know he needed to add cheesesteaks to the menu.

“[He was] like, ‘You know what, if you want to sell cheesesteaks so bad, you should buy my stand,’” Longo recalled. “So, we purchased that stand from him.”

After six years, The Cheesesteak Guy moved across the river, settling into a new location at West Shore Plaza in Lemoyne. From there, Josh and Keri Longo serve Philly-style cheesesteak sandwiches, burgers and breakfast sandwiches.

“I’ve always loved to cook, and I love the idea of it,” Longo said. “I have family that has a background in the restaurant industry, but I didn’t know that I’d be owning a restaurant now.”

The move from the market didn’t come easily.

“We made it through COVID, the fire, and then when the opportunity came up to get our own brick-and-mortar, we just kind of took it,” Longo said. “We have strong ties to Midtown Harrisburg, and that was our first home. It was very emotional for us to leave there.”

Russell Swanger has been a loyal customer since their days at the Broad Street Market.

“Once I [tried the cheesesteaks], my search in the Harrisburg area for a steak that is just like the best in Philly was over,” Swanger said. “Even open just three days a week, I was there one [or] two times per week, sometimes all three days. [It’s] that good.”

Swanger’s preference: a regular cheesesteak, but with a different style of cooper cheese each time. To further add variety—sometimes a seeded roll, sometimes not.

“[It’s] a mood thing for me,” he said.

In addition to the classic shaved ribeye and Cheez Whiz, The Cheesesteak Guy features creative spins to its menu staples with limited-time rotating specials like the cacio e pepe cheesesteak, peanut butter and jelly burger and Greek-inspired burgers, among others. Menu development looks like “a lot of sandwich eating,” according to Longo, who aims to flex his culinary muscles by testing new flavors on customers with rotating specials.

The company typically uses local and regional vendors when making their “handcrafted handhelds,” as Longo refers to them.

“We get fresh rolls in every day from two different bakeries, one in Jersey and one in Philadelphia,” Longo said. “Our sourdough bread and hamburger buns also come from a third different bakery in Philadelphia every day. We source our meats locally, [and] we really harp on freshness. Everything we do is made to order and the top quality that we can get.”

Each meal is ordered and served via counter service, with both indoor and outdoor seating options. For a guest visiting the shop for the first time, Longo recommends tasting the tried-and-true cheesesteak, but notes that this is only one of many options available to customers.

“We’re obviously The Cheesesteak Guy, so people come in specifically for cheesesteaks, which is a great start,” he said. “But I mean we do different kinds of burger specials every week.”

A Greek burger with fresh lamb is one of his popular rotating specials.

“A Cuban is a really big seller,” he said. “It’s kind of a nod to where Keri and I are from.”

The Longos lived in south Florida and moved to PA about a decade ago to be closer to family. As they began getting their restaurant off the ground, they realized that the area was a welcoming place for entrepreneurs.

“We liked it up here when we started visiting,” Longo said. “Harrisburg was such a nurturing community for small business owners.”

Swanger, for one, is glad they made the leap.

“[I’m] so grateful this place exists,” he said. “I recall when they were the only game in town back in the market days. You can see copycat-style places popping up all over the place, but none of them are even close to the quality—fan for life here.”

The Cheesesteak Guy is located at 1200 Market St., Lemoyne. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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Noodle Me This: There’s much to taste—and to see—at Asoul Ramen

April 29, 2025 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Bright, friendly, futuristic.

Those are just three of the words that Yelpers have used to describe Asoul Ramen, which opened late last year in the Capital City Mall complex.

According to regular customer Jennifer Wei, you should add the word, “delicious.”

Wei, of Carlisle, stops by whenever she is in Camp Hill with her husband. She’s tried a variety of dishes and recommends the black garlic tonkatsu shoyu ramen and the spicy beef ramen. She’s also a fan of the popcorn chicken and bao but especially enjoys the Japanese street food known as “takoyaki,” a rolled dumpling with octopus in the middle.

“I order them every time,” she said. “They’re that good!”

Asoul Ramen is the brainchild of a veteran restaurateur, known simply as “Chi,” who has worked in the industry for 18 years. Looking younger than his years, Chi felt it was the right time to launch his own venture.

A Lancaster resident, Chi found the Camp Hill region lacking in ramen places and set about to change that. He explained that one thing that sets his ramen apart is the time his staff takes to prepare the broth.

“Our broth is simmered slowly for 14 hours to enhance its depth and richness,” he said.

Guests can choose from a variety of broths, including chicken, beef, vegetable and seafood. For those who enjoy variety, there’s always something new on the menu.

“I challenge my ramen chefs to come up with five new dishes each month—like our General Tso’s chicken ramen, which is a recent addition,” Chi said.

Not a ramen fan? No problem. The menu offers plenty of other options, from crispy fried calamari and pan-fried gyoza to chili garlic edamame and bao—hot, pillowy steamed buns filled with pork or chicken.

Sushi lovers also will find much to enjoy. Popular choices include the “Summer Breeze,” hand-crafted with lobster salad, spicy crab and asparagus and topped with strawberries, and the “Heavenly Green Dragon” with spicy tuna, avocado, tempura shrimp, yellowfin tuna, tataki, fish roe, jalapeno and fish sauce.

“I also challenge my sushi chefs to create two new rolls each month to keep things fresh,” Chi said.

Matcha drinks, gelato and cakes round out the menu, including a many-layered, moist matcha cake.

“It’s truly a gem of a restaurant that doesn’t disappoint,” Wei said.

The Design

During the planning process, Chi took great care in crafting the look of the 80-seat space. He had an idea in mind then enlisted a New York-based restaurant designer to bring the project to life.

“I like to travel and have been to ramen houses in New York, Tokyo and [elsewhere in] Japan,” he said. “I gave him photos of traditional ramen houses, and he did a 3-D rendering.”

The result is impressive. A large, faux cherry tree takes center stage in the reception area, drawing guests in as they are led to their seats. In the heart of the restaurant, a gold pagoda surrounds the open kitchen, with a backlit, two-tiered hexagonal honeycomb seating area. Looking up, illuminated paper fish appear to be swimming while suspended from the ceiling.

In keeping with the contemporary vibe, Chi also has leaned into a modern point-of-service system where customers select their meals, pay and even flag down a server—all through an iPad.

Wei likes the seamlessness of the high-tech system.

“It’s a fantastic touch, allowing me to add to my order without having to flag down a server,” she said.

Chi said that people have learned about the restaurant mainly through word of mouth, which has slowly built momentum since opening last fall.

“People are still discovering us,” he said.

Asoul Ramen is located at 3505 Capital City Mall Dr., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.asoulramen.com.

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Behind the Plate: Highly touted Passerine stays close to the farm

April 29, 2025 | by Deborah Lynch

Passerine

Foodies hungry for exquisite cuisine tend to go to New York and Philadelphia. Often, Michelin star and James Beard-nominated restaurants there tout farm-to-table delicacies on expensive prix fixe menus.

Irony alert—the farms that supply those restaurants aren’t very close to their tables. Yet, in the produce-rich rolling acres of Lancaster County, farm-to-table restaurants are not so common. Passerine opened in April 2023 to fill that void. Located a short walk from Lancaster’s Central Market, Passerine exploits the geographic bounty with creative, shareable dishes that flaunt freshness.

Owner Kyle Sollenberger’s original vision was for a downtown bar in a historic building, but it didn’t pan out. Then, 114 N. Prince St., another historic spot, became available, and from the ashes of one setback, Sollenberger teamed with Dr. Jonathan Shirey to create Passerine, where he could snag locally grown food before it headed to the big cities.

Seventeen months later, this downtown Lancaster gem landed on the 2024 Restaurant List, the New York Times food writers’ top 50 favorite U.S. restaurants. It was one of three in Pennsylvania to make the list, joined by Little Walter’s in Philadelphia and Fet-Fisk in Pittsburgh. Not too shabby.

Music to the Taste Buds

Passerine was already turning heads before Times writer Nikita Richardson started randomly following it on Instagram and decided to pop in for a fortuitous taste. By the time she arrived, the restaurant had a new executive chef, Kevin Venbrux, who started in February 2024 after more than three years at Blackworth in Lititz.

Venbrux’s career in food started with his first job as a grocery store bag boy, but his love for music steered him to school for audio engineering. He was working as a tour manager for Lancaster alternative metal bands while working in local restaurants when not on the road. Enter COVID. The restaurant industry rebounded more quickly than music tours, and a full-time chef was born.

Although he’s still connected to the music world, Venbrux sees his role as an executive chef as similar to a tour manager—both want happy guests at the end. “I make sure everything is running smoothly, have a million problems that need fixed, fix them as smoothly as possible, make sure guests are served the experience they are expecting and are happy when they leave.”

Passerine is a restaurant with an ethos of meaningful food and beverage, sustainable systems, regional focus, intentional education and exceptional experience—and Venbrux puts all parts of that into his repertoire of creativity. It’s located in a historic building with a small kitchen that has one six-burner stove and a little char grill. That means prep-heavy mornings with fresh ingredients used that day. Venbrux praises his team as being one of the best, and it’s evident with a wait staff that knows everything about the dishes on the menu and a beverage director who helps with pairings.

Local sourcing is key. In addition to trips to Central Market, Venbrux has developed relationships with several local farmers (Brogue Hydroponics and Fields Edge Farm). Some commodity staples come from a larger company with a local farm focus.

The day the New York Times list dropped, Passerine was closed.

“We were all at home, and I had just had my little one. I was at home with a newborn. It was a huge surprise,” Venbrux said, adding that they knew a writer had been in, but thought they might just see an Instagram post after the visit. It was so much better.

Reservations immediately maxed out. “It was kind of then, game on. I told my team—this is an amazing team—stay true to who we are. Keep doing good, tasty food,” Venbrux said. “It was a fun ride. The first couple of weeks were intense in a great way. It’s really made us better.”

In the Kitchen

Chef’s Bites: Chef Kevin worked at the Press Room, then the Plough and The Exchange at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, then at Blackworth Live Fire Grill in Lititz.

Favorite Dish: Beet Tartar, with beets replacing beef—and chips and a sauce. Chef steams the beets in a pickle brine to give them more flavor. The cream is a basil, dill shishito crème, and the chips are house made. “[We] take a very simple dish with a simple vegetable and put a lot of love into it on the back end. Then, when we serve it, it’s beets in a bowl with chips, but it’s very tasty.” Other popular dishes: a crepe cake that changes seasonally; flame-grilled carrots smothered in honey sitting on a creamy bed of shallot, sumac and fennel soubis; pastas like pappardelle and lamb ragu; and unique sorbets like one flavored with pine tips.

Pro Tips: Ask the service team for recommendations. The menu is constantly evolving. Allow them to curate your experience. Sign up for emails to learn about their special dining events. Ask about the “Let Us Cook for You” experience, a tasting menu option that’s planned.

If You Go: Passerine is located at 114 Prince St., Lancaster. Reservations, available on Resy, often go quickly. Open Monday, Thursday and Friday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.cafepasserine.com.

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