Tag Archives: D&H Distributing

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

January 29, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Century of Change: As technology marches on, so does D&H Distributing

June 29, 2018 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

D&H executives in the 1950s gather around the hottest-selling new invention of the decade: television.

Most likely, Dan and Michael Schwab’s grandfather, the late David Schwab, would be proud to see all that D&H Distributing Company has become in its centennial year.

In 1918, David Schwab opened Economy Tire and Rubber with Harry Spector in Williamsport, a business that guaranteed its tire retreads before manufacturers guaranteed tires. David Schwab wasn’t the sort of person to sit on his laurels, however. In the 1920s, he noticed that a new technology was becoming more common in people’s homes and decided to take action.

“My grandfather saw radios come out and saw that as an opportunity,” noted Dan Schwab, who serves as the company’s co-chair with brother, Michael. “We saw a lot of the technological revolution.”

In 1929, Economy Tire and Rubber changed its name to D&H Distributing and began selling Philco radios, the first brand available on the consumer market. Then in 1938, D&H became an official dealer of RCA, soon a vanguard for another new technology. At the 1939 New York World’s Fair, RCA introduced the public to television.

In 1943, D&H sold off its auto parts business to finance an expansion in consumer electronics. It turned out to be a very wise move.

Today, D&H Distributing is a leading distributor of IT and electronics, serving as a major provider to the North American high-tech channel. The company moved to Harrisburg more than 60 years ago and now is headquartered Uptown on 7th Street, with major operations locally at the Union Square Industrial Park and in Illinois, California, Georgia and Canada.

Two-Way Street

A technology museum on the first floor of the Harrisburg headquarters pays testament to how D&H has kept itself going through the mindboggling chain of technological advances over the past century. Here, first-generation computers and video game systems sit amid old radios, color TVs and stereos in consoles.

Dan and Michael Schwab are the third generation of their family to lead D&H. Their father, Izzy Schwab, still serves as chairman/CEO after more than 60 years with the company.

“We think of it as a torch, that we have a responsibility to make sure our business thrives for future generations,” Michael explained. “Izzy put forth a family constitution for us.”

Michael’s son, Brandon, began working in D&H’s sales department two years ago, but this doesn’t necessary mean that the family’s fourth generation, most of whom are now in college, will wind up with the company.

“They haven’t decided yet,” Michael said. “We tell them that it’s an opportunity, not an obligation.”

Dan and Michael each worked their way up the ranks. Dan started there in 1995 in the education division, selling technology items to schools. Michael began his D&H career by working in outside sales, also in 1995. Both insist that nepotism plays no role in the family-run business.

“We have guidelines for family members to make sure it’s company first and that family doesn’t interfere with business,” Dan stressed.

“You don’t cause discord with family and business,” Michael agreed.

Around 1,200 employees keep D&H humming nationwide, including 800 workers based in Harrisburg. Along with its centennial year of business, the company also marks its 20th year in 2018 as an ESOP company, which stands for “Employee Stock Ownership Plan.”
D&H employee co-owners have a stake in more than 30 percent of the company.

Other employee perks include a dedicated walking track, free gym membership, an employee loan program and more. Many D&H employees have been there for a least a decade, with a few even racking up 40 years with the company.

“It’s a two-way street,” Michael said. “Some of our best ideas come from employees who own the responsibility.”

“We’re big believers in hiring people and letting them do their job,” Dan added. “Our strongest asset is our people.”

D&H Cares

This year, D&H Distributing also marks the 10th anniversary of D&H Cares, an in-house, staff-run charity foundation supporting regional and national causes.

Each quarter, three nonprofit organizations are selected as beneficiaries. Recipients have included the Bethesda Mission, Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army and many others.

The company also places an emphasis on recycling and environmental mindfulness. So far, solar panels are used at two of its facilities.

“We are committed to the community,” Michael stressed. “We’ve been here (in Harrisburg) for more than 60 years. The culture of our organization has transcended decades. The people and technology may have changed, but our culture has remained the same, which allowed us to survive despite many business challenges over the years.”

D&H Distributing is located at 2525 N. 7th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.dandh.com.

February News Digest

February 28, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

CRW Releases Infrastructure, Rate Plan

Capital Region Water last month announced plans to spend more than $315 million over the next 20 years upgrading the city’s antiquated sewer system, which will bring Harrisburg into compliance with federal guidelines and carry a cumulative 150 percent increase to water and sewer rates.

Known collectively as the City Beautiful H2O plan, the improvements come following years of deferred maintenance to Harrisburg’s centuries-old combined sewer system. CRW says the updates will reduce sewer discharge into natural waterways, enhance sewer efficiency, and improve neighborhoods through the implementation of green storm water management systems.

The improvements also will significantly raise the rate burden for city households. The draft plan includes an extensive affordability assessment that helped CRW set rate projections for the duration of the project. The analysis concluded that many CRW ratepayers have significant financial limitations that preclude aggressive rate hikes.

As a result, CRW decided to seek the lengthiest improvement schedule permitted by federal environmental agencies, giving the authority 20 years to complete the projects. Water and sewage rates are set to increase by a cumulative 150 percent over that time period.

The rate increases will be most dramatic in the next decade, with annual 10 percent hikes projected from 2019 to 2022. After reaching a 106-percent cumulative increase in 2027, rate hikes will level off to just 2 percent a year from 2027 to 2038.

CRW set rates so that an average household will not spend more than 2 percent of its annual income on water, but households earning less than the median income could face significant burdens

“It is anticipated that there will still be affordability issues for some customers within the City, with some customers experiencing wastewater and storm water costs as a percentage of income exceeding 3.0 percent,” the report says.

The draft plan is part of CRW’s response to a partial consent decree it negotiated with the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection in late 2014. Earlier that year, the EPA alleged that sewage runoff in Harrisburg violated the federal Clean Water Act and PA Clean Streams Law.

Like many old cities, Harrisburg has a combined sewer system, in which storm drains connect to the same sewer system as toilets and showers.

When it’s not raining, all the contents of the sewer system flow to a treatment plant on Cameron Street, where they are cleaned and then discharged into the Susquehanna River. But heavy rain can cause the system to overflow, sending untreated water into the river and Paxton Creek.

Under state and federal environmental laws, Harrisburg would have faced financial penalties for those runoff incidents. After a year of negotiations, the EPA agreed to spare the city financial penalties as long as CRW agreed to update its long-term plan for the city’s sewer system.

A public meeting on the proposal is slated for March 1, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Camp Curtin YMCA.

Fight Against Dogfighting

Citing concerns over animal welfare and illegal gambling, Harrisburg is asking its residents to help stop a scourge of illegal dogfighting.

City communications Director Joyce Davis announced last month that Harrisburg obtained a $20,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to launch a public information campaign about dogfighting. So far, city officials have purchased ads on Facebook that explain the warning signs of dogfighting and ways to report it to law enforcement.

Davis said that the campaign did not arise as a response to a single incident or spate of reports. Rather, it seeks to curb an on-going animal abuse problem that also enables illegal gambling.

“We want to stamp this out,” she said.

The issue of dogfighting came to the fore locally in June 2017, when Harrisburg police officers staged a raid on a dogfighting ring on S. 14^th Street. Since then, the bureau has issued charges on three counts of illegal dogfighting in the past year, as well as one count of possession of dogfighting paraphernalia, according to animal control officer William Sandstrom.

If city residents suspect dogfighting, they can call 311 from within city limits to report it. Reports that result in charges are eligible for a $5,000 reward from the Humane Society of the United States.

Zembo Shrine to Sell

The historic Zembo Mosque and Shrine is set to sell after almost one year on the market.

The 65,000-square-foot property at Division and N. 3rd streets will be sold to Arkansas-based TempleLive LLC, which plans to operate the building as a meeting, gathering and performing arts venue, said city communications Director Joyce Davis.

“The goal is to make it a more culturally active space,” Davis said

TempleLive currently owns two Masonic temples similar to Zembo, one in Cleveland and one in Fort Smith, Ark. The company runs both properties as multi-purpose event spaces, according to the venues’ websites.

Mike Brown, vice president of acquisitions for Beaty Capital Group, TempleLive’s parent company, expects the sale to close at the end of March or beginning of April. He hopes the site will be operational by the fall.

Zembo went on the market in February 2017 with a $950,000 asking price. Davis could not confirm the property’s final sale price, which was reportedly reached at a special meeting on Jan. 11.

The deal includes 396 parking spaces adjacent to the building.

Since its opening, Zembo has been home to the Shriners, a fraternal organization affiliated with the Freemasons. The Shriners continue to meet there, but the group’s declining membership, coupled with the building’s high operating costs, forced them to sell the historic property.

Zembo was constructed in 1930 in a Moorish Revival architectural style. The building features interior arches, hand-painted motifs and ornate stone detailing. It houses large meeting rooms and a theater with a 2,500-seat capacity.

Youth Center Approved

The Harrisburg City Council last month approved the expansion of a teen center in North Allison Hill, which will double the facility in size.

Bethesda Mission plans to renovate an old printing plant on Herr Street adjacent to its current Youth Center, adding a full-size gymnasium, classrooms, office space and an event hall with a full-service kitchen.

The result will be a full-service community center with classes and amenities for all age groups, said Cindy Mallow, director of development at Bethesda Mission. The current youth center only serves children and teens.

“We’re hoping to involve families and expand out into the community even more,” Mallow said.

Bethesda Mission hopes to break ground on the $2.8 million project this summer and finish it by the end of 2018, Mallow said.

Bethesda Mission has operated its teen center from a former fire station at 1428 Herr St. since 1990. It purchased the former Kurzenkabe Press facility at 1424 Herr for $275,000 in 2015, according to Dauphin County property records.

The 10,000-square-foot space needs extensive renovations, Mallow said, including an overhaul of its HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems. Contractors will also raise the ceilings to accommodate the gymnasium and construct a connection between the print facility and the youth center.

Since Bethesda Mission announced its plan to renovate the printing facility back in 2015, it has raised more than $1.5 million from the community and private foundations, including $600,000 from the York-based Stabler Foundation.

The expansion will also allow the mission to double or triple the enrollment in its after-school program and summer programs for youth, Mallow said.

“There’s just a need for a place for the kids to go,” she said. “Our center gives them the opportunity to be with other kids and have a mentor.”

Grant Input Sought

Is there a nonprofit that’s doing good in your neighborhood?

That’s one of the questions that city administrators will pose at a public meeting this month, as Harrisburg begins to chart its priorities for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money over the next five years.

CDBG funds are allocated annually to organizations that help build community and stabilize neighborhoods in low- and moderate-income areas. The city received $1.9 million last year and expects the same this year, according to city communications Director Joyce Davis.

The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which disburses CDBG money, requires each municipality receiving grants to have a “consolidated plan” describing its development priorities and goals.

Harrisburg’s current three-year plan is set to expire in September. Roy Christ, Harrisburg’s director of Building and Housing, said that development projects started during Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s first term require a new plan with a longer duration.

In past years, CDBG funds have supported organizations such as the Heinz-Menaker Senior Center, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Harrisburg, the Latino Hispanic American Community Center and MidPenn Legal Services.

City departments can also apply for grants. Last year, the Harrisburg Police Bureau received $90,000, which paid for a community policing van and helped launch the police cadet program.

For this planning cycle, Christ said Harrisburg hopes to target projects in “tipping point” neighborhoods.

“These are neighborhoods that need a bit of help to bounce back and become self-sustaining,” he said.

City residents can contribute input at the public meeting or through an online survey. The meeting will be held on March 5 at Jackson-Lick Tower at 5:30 p.m.

Strawberry Square Apartments

Harrisburg City Council last month gave the green light to another set of apartments inside Strawberry Square.

Council unanimously approved a land development plan submitted by Brad Jones, CEO of Harristown Enterprises, which will convert vacant office space in Strawberry Square into 13 apartment units. The project will add to the 24 apartments already inside Strawberry Square, the result of a 2016 office-to-residential conversion by Harristown.

It’s also the third project that Jones has put before council just this year, as, in January, council approved two other downtown projects proposed by Harristown: a new office building on S. 2nd Street just off Market Square and a small office-to-residential conversion at 221 N. 2nd St.

Approval came despite recent statements from some council members that they are concerned about affordable housing in the downtown district.

Earlier in the month, Jones defended his pricing structure, telling council that 15 percent of Harristown’s apartment units could be rented by someone with an annual income of just $25,000 to $40,000 a year, while another 40 percent could be afforded by someone with an average income of $60,000 a year.

Council has not proposed any plans to regulate rents in Harrisburg. In January, however, council President Wanda Williams said that she would continue to monitor housing development and advocate for affordable options.

Comp Plan Chugs Forward

The Harrisburg Planning Commission last month made plans to advance the city’s comprehensive plan towards completion, a process that could last into the summer.

City officials and business developers excoriated the plan at a meeting in January, saying it limited the discretion of private property owners. Mayor Eric Papenfuse called the document “unsalvageable” and urged the commission to reject it in favor of a plan proposed by the city.

Last month, though, commissioners hardly mentioned the planning document submitted by the city, except to ask if and when it had been published online.

“We’re moving ahead with our product,” said commissioner Vern McKissick, referring to the document that the commission developed with local architect Bret Peters and his assistants at the Harrisburg-based Office for Planning and Architecture.

The commission will host monthly workshop meetings for the next three months to incorporate public feedback and professional advice into the draft document, which is published online at BeHBG.org. They hope to reengage some of the consultants that Peters hired while drafting the plan in 2015 and 2016.

To do that, however, they’ll need to secure additional funding. They already have $10,000 allotted by City Council in the 2018 city budget, but McKissick said they will likely need more to consult with subcontractors and see the plan to completion. Commissioners will evaluate grants and other funding opportunities at a workshop later this month.

Spradley Chosen for School Board

The Harrisburg school board last month selected Tyrell Spradley, a tax consultant and former city treasurer, to serve an appointed term until 2019.

Spradley replaced Matt Krupp, a board director who resigned in January to serve as Dauphin County prothonotary.

After two rounds of voting, the board picked Spradley over three other candidates: newcomer Mariah Rodriguez and board veterans James Thompson and Kia Hansard.

In his interview before the board, Spradley touted his financial background and his two years of experience working in the district’s accounting department. He said he thinks many of the issues facing the district can be resolved, given the improved fiscal health he has seen since he worked as a district accountant.

“A lot of the issues I see are administrative issues, communication,” Spradley said. “Money isn’t a problem like it was before. We’re stronger now and have a stronger administration.”

Spradley joins the board as it braces for a number of contentious discussions, including the annual budget process and the expiration of Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney’s contract this June. The board must decide soon whether it will renew Knight-Burney’s contract or open an application process in which she may participate.

So Noted

AAA Central Penn last month named Jodie Daubert as its new president and CEO. In this position, Daubert will lead the nine-county club composed of 290 employees serving 11 offices. She succeeds David Meckley, who served as interim CEO.

Brandalynn Armstrong, co-owner of Harrisburg-based Zeroday Brewing Co., has been elected to the Brewers of Pennsylvania board of directors. The trade association works to protect and promote the brewing industry in the state.

Excel Interior Concepts & Construction last month announced two new hires. Thomas Fogie joined the Lemoyne-based company as project coordinator, and Alicia Mirando came on as designer.

The Harrisburg Senators last month signed a two-year extension with the Washington Nationals, their player development agreement now extending through 2020. The Senators are the Nationals’ AA-affiliate Minor League baseball team. Separately, the Senators announced that Dan and Michael Schwab, co-presidents of Harrisburg-based D&H Distributing, along with their sister, Amy Silfen, have joined the team’s ownership group as minority owners.

S&T Bank has named Jeffrey Scoutelas as vice president, private banker for central Pennsylvania region. Scoutelas, a graduate of Lynchburg College, has 12 years of private banking and management experience in the area, said the company.

Changing Hands

Berryhill St., 2155: L. & D. Sandoe to M. Macas & C. Pulla, $55,500

Boas St., 1826: Z. Weist to S. Henry, $59,900

Brookwood St., 2448: Wilmington Savings Fund Society to HT Properties LLC, $35,500

Capital St., 907: A. Sheaf to E. Ashenfelder, $148,000

Capital St., 1200: 8219 Ventures to R. & C. Steele, $76,000

Croyden Rd., 2951: K. & M. Zinn to A. Smith, $70,000

Derry St., 1433: A. Vaughn to Aum Investments LP, $32,000

Derry St., 1901: L. Nguyen to T. Nguyen, $150,000

Derry St., 2022: M. Khatoon to A. Saeed, $30,000

Emerald St., 226: C. Shokes to HBG Rents LLC, $210,000

Forster St., 1815: Blackscotch LLC to C. Burke, $50,000

Green St., 914: P. Vanitem to C. Williams, $138,900

Green St., 1401½: C. & C. Kellar to R. & F. Armetta, $80,000

Green St., 1623: S. Vemula & M. Chada to B. Golper & J. Wu, $132,000

Green St., 3118: US Bank NA Trustee & PA Housing Finance Agency to Hawk Vesta LLC, $65,750

Hale Ave., 436: M. Davis to J. Sayed & S. Sherin, $40,000

Hanna St., 103: S. Brown to DLK Properties LLC, $63,500

Harris St., 434: Alta Reo LLC to B. Parfitt, $83,000

Herr St., 1001: Harsco Corp. to Capital Region Economic Development Corp., $505,000

Hanover St., 1312 and 1283 & 1285 S. 13^th St.: Y. & C. Lee to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $50,000

Hoffman St., 3131: G. Hanslovan to O. Perry, $63,000

James St., 1315: J. Brinks & C. Wise to S., J. & N. Kindler, $95,000

Kensington St., 2101: Nationstar Mortgage LLC to HT Properties LLC, $48,500

Kensington St., 2103: PA Deals LLC to L. Myers, $65,900

Lawton St., 1416: M. Maloney to J. Foote & R. Tompkins, $429,500

Luce St., 2365: T. Nguyen & H. Truong to M. Phan, $30,000

Maclay St., 332: S. Hite & L. Ware Jr. to JTA Consulting Group LLC, $51,000

North St., 1836 & 1838: Reyart Properties to B. & R. Lomax, $72,000

N. 2^nd St., 1404: Tang Liu Realty LLC to C. Albers, $121,000

N. 2^nd St., 2323: M. Horgan & CR Services Inc. to A. & A. Mathew, $147,500

N. 2^nd St., 3118: P. & M. Rowan to D. Inghilterra, $203,000

N. 2^nd St., 3303: C. Myers to J. Myers, $90,000

N. 4^th St., 2735: S. Patrick to T. & L. Lydell, $107,900

N. 6^th St., 3111: R. & S. Hopkins to C. Morel, $62,000

N. 13^th St., 142: J. Forsyth LLC to 37 Estate LLC, $41,000

N. Front St., 1125: D. & J. McEnany to RMK Management Group LLC, $233,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 301: W. Cohen to W. Krenz & P. Meehan, $135,000

N. Front St., 3029: Pumphouse Partners LP to BXF Real Estate LLC, $450,000

Penn St., 1324: D. Stridacchio to S. Olsen, $117,000

Penn St., 1715: BencMarq Holdings LLC to Fratelli Property Investments LLC, $116,000

Race St., 568: R. Hunter to E. Fultz, $157,968

Rolleston St., 1239: G. Neff to J. McCloud, $45,000

Seneca St., 330: J. Runion to M. Saldana & R. Zavala, $87,500

S. 14^th St., 1418: R. Scott to City of Harrisburg, $52,000

S. 14^th St., 1422: G. Neff to City of Harrisburg, $48,500

S. 14^th St., 1424: C. Gamble to City of Harrisburg, $45,000

S. 14^th St., 1433: Z. Owens to City of Harrisburg, $51,000

S. 14^th St., 1440: G. Neff to City of Harrisburg, $51,000

S. 19^th St., 850: S. & N. Fulginiti to City of Harrisburg, $60,000

S. 23^rd St., 616: R. Bowers to D. & N. Gonzalez, $89,900

S. Front St., 601: A. Poindexter to R. & L. Firestone, $174,900

State St., 1504: A. Sandoval to 77 Estate LLC, $37,000

Susquehanna St., 1612: K. O’Neill & PA Housing Finance Agency to T. Weaver, $146,500

Susquehanna St., 1723: G. Neff to J. Hirt, $104,000

Valley Rd., 2308: L. & N. Eikenberry to Bean GST Trust II, $218,000

Washington St., 103: R. Bray to Q. Tran, $32,000

Backpack to School: Tabernacle Baptist’s back-to-school fair offers supplies, support.

July 29, 2016 | by Rachael Dymski

Few things are more nostalgic than the memories of preparing to go back to school in the fall: clothes laid out neatly on beds, sharpened pencils, pristine folders and backpacks ready to be filled with new material. But when you can’t afford a new backpack or supplies, how do you prepare for the new school year?

For families in the Harrisburg area, Tabernacle Baptist Church is here to help.

On Aug. 6, the church will partner with D&H Distributing and Delta Sigma Theta sorority to host a “Back to School and Health Fair.” The event is designed to meet the needs of school-aged children and their parents.

“We started the event six years ago,” said church member and former outreach committee chair Sandra Goodram. “We wanted to engage the youth in the community, so we decided to have a giveaway that would be beneficial to them.”

That first summer, the church gave away 75 backpacks. This year, thanks to a donation from Harrisburg-based D&H Distributing, it will give away 300.

The event is designed to feel like a street fair.

“We grill hamburgers and hot dogs, and we’ll have music and a dunk tank,” said Keith Mitchell, a member of the community outreach committee. “There will be games for kids, and, for the adults, we’ll have a health fair.”

The health portion of the fair is coordinated by the church’s health ministry, which has invited providers to set up booths. PinnacleHealth, Penn State Hershey Medical Center and Dauphin County’s Area Agency on Aging all will be represented at the event. Adults will have the opportunity to receive a blood pressure screening, as well as eye and ear testing. All services will be offered free of charge.

“We tend to think of this kind of stuff—backpacks, school supplies, blood pressure screenings—as extra,” said Rev. Dr. Arthur L. Brown, the church pastor. “But sometimes that is fundamental. What we provide to these kids and families is so important.”

Children going into grades K to 6 will receive a backpack and school supplies, such as colored pencils, erasers and pens. Students entering grades 7 to 12 will receive a calculator with their backpack.

This year, the Harrisburg chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority will play an important role in the event, too. The sorority has been involved with Reading is Fundamental for almost 25 years.

“We go into churches, or any place that will have us, and we donate books,” said Kristal Turner-Childs, chapter president. “We have a summer reading program, and we also bring applications for Delta GEMS, our mentorship program for young girls. The program is geared toward young ladies. We teach them leadership skills, how to conduct themselves, table etiquette and life skills.”

Brown said that giving out backpacks helps the church fulfill part of its mission.

“The three areas of our church’s mission are to worship, grow and serve,” he said. “This event gets members of our church outside the walls and into the community. It provides them an avenue to get involved in the community.”

The church already is known for providing meals to people in the community, but members wanted to do more.

“We have a feeding program that we’ve been doing for almost 40 years, and it operates weekly,” said Brown. “We feed 100 or more people each week—we’ve expanded our efforts. Feeding people is necessary, but what else can we do to help people?”

Participants hope this event is one small step in creating a more supportive and engaged community in Harrisburg.

“It’s important that we don’t lose sight of the fact that this is a collaboration,” said Turner-Childs. “We’ve become a transient society, but we still need each other. We can make a bigger impact if we do things together.”

“That’s the challenge of collaboration—setting our egos aside,” added Brown. “Lately, all we’ve read about in the news is tragedy, and how it is bringing people together. We hope, in this case, it will be love and not tragedy that brings our community together.”

The Back to School and Health Fair takes place Saturday, Aug. 6, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the parking lot of Tabernacle Baptist Church, 1106 Capital St., Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-236-1774 or visit www.tabernaclebaptist.net.

Author: Rachael Dymski

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April News Digest

April 29, 2016 | by Lawrance Binda

Road Plan Revealed

Harrisburg last month unveiled a plan to make major improvements to 6^th, 7^th and Division streets.

City Engineer Wayne Martin, along with consultant Craig Bachik, presented the results of a study to improve traffic flow and safety along those three major city arteries, a plan that includes adding traffic circles, building pedestrian bump-outs and increasing green space.

Martin said the plan was designed with pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists in mind, in that order.

The study was funded by a $27,000 grant from the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study, with an $8,000 matching grant from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). It came about because PennDOT requested a study before the city proceeds with a plan to return N. 2^nd Street to two-way traffic from Forster to Division streets, said Martin.

The proposed improvements include constructing a series of roundabouts at busy intersections, including at N. 7^th and Division, N. 7^th and Reily and on N. 6^th Street in back of the Broad Street Market. Division Street would be redesigned as a boulevard, with a strip of green space in the middle of the road.

The proposal was created with input from “major impactors” along those roads, such as PHEAA, D&H Distributing and Vartan Group, said Bachik of New Cumberland-based Navarro & Wright Consulting Engineers. Neighborhood groups were not consulted, but the public will be able to have a say once the plan is presented to City Council this month, he said.

The improvements would cost about $30 million, said Martin, though the work likely would be done in pieces as transportation funding was secured.

Besides easing traffic, the improvements would help beautify the corridors, while boosting pedestrian safety, especially on N. 7^th Street near PHEAA, said Martin.

City Nominates 2 for CRW

City Council last month considered two city residents nominated by the Papenfuse administration to the board of Capital Region Water.

Garvey Presley Jr. and Charla J. Plaines appeared before council April 19 to discuss their qualifications to serve on the five-member board.

A confirmation vote was scheduled for April 27, after press time. If confirmed, Presley would fill one open seat while Plaines would fill a seat currently held by Bill Cluck.

Cluck, an environmental attorney whose five-year term expired in January 2015, urged council to think twice before replacing him, pointing to Capital Region Water’s financial turnaround and investment-grade bond rating under his tenure.

His plea seemed to find favor with some council members, such as Westburn Majors, who served with Cluck on the board before taking office this past January. “I think it would be a complete disservice if we don’t keep him,” Majors said.

Yet Mayor Eric Papenfuse, who is empowered to nominate board members with the advice and consent of council, said it was time to add fresh faces to the board to achieve greater diversity in membership and help with community outreach.

Plaines, a reentry coordinator at the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, said she felt her skills were suited to making sure diverse voices in the community were more fully engaged in the authority’s decisions.

Presley, an equipment operator at the Derry Township wastewater treatment plant, said he had been interested in environmental work for most of his life and that his employment history made him a “natural fit” for the board.

Recovery Plan Brought to Vote

City Council scheduled a major vote on an updated Harrisburg recovery plan last month, setting the stage for the most comprehensive agreement to date on the mix of tax policies, personnel goals and government reforms needed to stabilize the city’s finances.

The state has asked the city to adopt the 115-page update in time for negotiations with its police and municipal employees unions, whose current labor contracts expire at the end of the calendar year.

An affirmative council vote would mark the first time the body has endorsed a comprehensive recovery plan, as opposed to the piecemeal votes for related legislation while the city was under state receivership in 2013.

The updated plan would count on increased revenue from a local services tax hike affecting residents and commuters and would have the city weigh a home rule charter initiative that could make recent earned income tax hikes permanent.

It would also direct a greater portion of any money recovered in lawsuits over incinerator-related borrowings to paying down the city’s current debt load.

The vote was scheduled for April 27, after press time. But Fred Reddig, the city’s coordinator under Act 47, said he was “optimistic that the plan is going to move forward” and that his team would be able to take it to court for approval.

Demolitions Begin

Harrisburg began razing condemned houses last month, vowing to accelerate the pace of demolitions.

The city is on pace to remove about 30 blighted structures this year, far more than in recent years due to a beefed-up sanitation staff. In past years, demolitions were often delayed as workers were pulled off jobs to assist in trash pickup.

Most demolitions are slated for properties in the Allison Hill and Uptown neighborhoods. In all, Harrisburg has several hundred condemned properties.

March Home Sales

The spring real estate market was off to a solid start in March, as sales ticked up compared to last year.

Regionally, sales totaled 647 units in March, 10 more than in the year-ago period, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR). The median price was down slightly to $155,000, but average days on the market plummeted to 86 from 106 last year.

Sales rose to 233 units from 202 on a year-over-year basis in Dauphin County. They fell slightly in Cumberland and Perry counties.

The median sales price in Dauphin County fell a bit compared to last March, to $136,000 from $139,000, though rose by about $5,000 per unit in both Cumberland and Perry counties, to $179,950 and $139,950, respectively, said GHAR.

So Noted

Harrisburg last month was awarded a $155,522 federal grant to help reduce crime in the Camp Curtin neighborhood. The Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Grant will allow the city and several community partners to launch an initiative to lessen crime as part of a larger revitalization effort in the area, according to Tri County Community Action.

Harrisburg Area YMCA has purchased the historic Millers Mutual Group building at Forster and Front streets for $750,000. The Y made the purchase mostly to acquire land for more parking for the East Shore Y next door, but also plans to move its headquarters into the building, according to a joint press release. Millers Mutual stated that it will lease back the building from the Y until it can relocate to larger offices.

Park Harrisburg began booting vehicles last month to better enforce parking penalties on motorists with three or more outstanding warrants. The parking operator long planned to start a booting program, but was delayed until it could develop technology that would allow it to access city parking records, said the company.

Journal Multimedia, a homegrown, Harrisburg-based company that publishes the Central Penn Business Journal, was purchased last month by industry behemoth GateHouse Media, the owner of hundreds of daily, weekly and specialty newspapers. In addition to its flagship publication, Journal Multimedia publishes Central Penn Parent, Lehigh Valley Business and several other titles. It also has related custom publishing and events businesses.

Changing Hands

Briggs St., 225: S. & C. Aichele to B. Brock, $179,500

Brookwood St., 2619: R. Santangelo to B. Sweger, $57,500

Derry St., 1323 & 1325: U. Patel to T. & K. Yameogo, $85,000

Duke St., 2435: J. Smith to F. Zeray, $45,000

Fulton St., 1738: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development & Information Systems Network Corp. to PA Deals LLC, $65,250

Green St., 1925: W. Gonzalez to B. & A. Christensen, $216,500

Green St., 2416: F. Seidlich to J. & P. Manjon, $150,000

Green St., 3113: C. & B. Stone to B. Baker, $159,900

Green St., 3121: J. Meadowa to 8219 Ventures, $70,000

Logan St., 1619: L. Blanton & R. Parr to C. Grim, $89,000

Manada St., 1924: B. Vazquez to P. & T. O’Connell, $36,000

Market St., 1912: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development to Rogue Enterprises, $36,500

N. 2^nd St., 2215: V. & J. Books to T. & J. Whye, $229,500

N. 2^nd St., 2615: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development to TBF Properties LLC, $75,000

N. 2^nd St., 2842: Arthur A. Kusic Real Estate Investments to T. Cook, $60,000

N. 3^rd St., 3005: D. Bartolet to G. Dutson, $40,000

N. 4^th St., 3015: D. Travitz to F. Gresson, $86,000

N. 5^th St., 1738: CNC Realty Group to M. Meads, $85,000

N. 6^th St., 3138: M. Naranjo to J. Crossett & M. Hochstetler, $50,000

N. 15^th St., 1328: L. Mitchell to A. Rodriguez, $38,000

N. Front St., 805: Millers Capital Insurance Co. to Harrisburg Area YMCA, $750,000

N. Front St., 1013: M. Santalucia to B. Rota, $148,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 206: J. Feather to C. Wilson & K. Thompson, $85,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 604: Riverview Manor Association LP & Brickbox Enterprises Ltd. To D. Baker, $230,000

Paxton St., 1000: Sutliff Enterprises & K. Damitha to PinnacleHealth System, $3,600,000

Rose St., 933: F. Clark to GKX LLC, $235,000

Showers St., 581: R. Ross to M. Terry, $97,000

Showers St., 624: K. Hood to K. Kearn, $86,000

S. 13^th St., 243: E. & A. Martinez to N. Srayi, $32,000

S. 18^th St., 1117: Vanderbilt Mortgage & Finance Inc. to J. Frias, $30,535

S. 29^th St., 630: P. Over to J. Guzman, $46,600

State St., 124: C. Smith to TKP Investments LLC, $175,000

State St., 1520: Federal National Mortgage Association to A. Moore, $31,000

Susquehanna St., 2136: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development to L. Marrazzo, $31,125

Swatara St., 2142: G. & J. Trump to R. Chowdhury & A. Nasrin, $49,500

Verbeke St., 232: K. Bentzel to Afterkey Property Solutions LLC, $60,000

Wyeth St., 1406: PA Deals LLC to J. & Y. Oskam, $113,900

Harrisburg property sales for March 2016, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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