Tag Archives: Gannett Fleming

Harrisburg Chamber names recipients of 2021 Catalyst Awards

October 14, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

George Nahodil has been named the 2021 Catalyst Award winner, as the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC today announced its annual list of people and organizations serving as positive forces for our area.

Nahodil, CEO and president of Members 1^st Federal Credit Union, is one of eight awardees for the prestigious award.

“We are incredibly proud to honor this group of individuals and businesses for their commitment to our region,” said Ryan Unger, president and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. “This past year and a half has been challenging for everyone, and this group of individuals and businesses were able to step up and represent the best that our community has to offer.

In addition, to the Catalyst Award itself, the chamber and CREDC announced the winners of additional awards under the Catalyst framework. The honorees are:

Athena Award: Lisa Stokes, owner and president, B.R.P. Entertainment
Corporate Diversity Champion of the Year: Gannett Fleming, Inc.
Diversity Influencer of the Year: McNees Wallace & Nurick’s Task Force for the Legal Equity Advancement Program
Entrepreneur of the Year: Amma Johnson, owner and designer, AJ Brands LLC
Government Leader of the Year: Tim DeFoor, Pennsylvania Auditor General
Small Business of The Year: Macris Chocolates
Volunteer of The Year: Karen Young, founder and president, HR Resolutions, LLC

Each year, a panel of local business and community representatives selects the recipients, according to the chamber.

In 2018, TheBurg received the Catalyst Award.

The annual Catalyst Awards ceremony will take place on Dec. 14 at the Hilton Harrisburg and is open to the public. For more information and tickets, visit www.HarrisburgRegionalChamber.org.

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Sinkhole Report: Fractures Extend into Larger Area of South Harrisburg

December 10, 2014 | by Paul Barker

$A site plan from the most recent engineer's report on sinkhole activity in south Harrisburg, showing potential fracture lines and potential voids in the soil underneath the survey area.$

A site plan from the most recent engineer’s report on sinkhole activity in south Harrisburg, showing potential fracture lines and potential voids in the soil underneath the survey area.

A second engineering report of sinkhole potential in south Harrisburg shows additional areas of concern, in a region that a city official described as “fragile, but not unstable.”

The report, prepared by Camp Hill-based engineering firm Gannett Fleming, is based on an expanded survey of the surrounding neighborhood, as opposed to the single city block that was studied in a prior report.

The prior report, released in August, showed evidence of five fractures in the limestone bedrock and several potential voids beneath the 1400-block of S. 14^th Street, where a series of sinkholes opened in March.

For the latest report, engineers surveyed an expanded area bounded by S. 12^th Street to the west, Scott Street to the east, Hanover Street to the north and Cloverly Terrace and S. 13^th Street to the south, a neighborhood encompassing some 200 buildings, most of them single-family homes.

The latest report shows evidence that previously detected fractures extend across the larger area and also introduces evidence of possible additional fractures and voids throughout the neighborhood.

Limestone fractures can contribute to the formation of voids beneath the street surface, as soil subsides into openings in the rock. The voids can eventually migrate towards the surface, causing the street to collapse and sinkholes to open.

On Wednesday, city officials were quick to emphasize that the new report did not significantly change the status quo. “I don’t think the study changes the dynamics at all,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said.

City Engineer Wayne Martin said that the report showed the area was “fragile, but not unstable,” adding that the city had determined it was safe to keep roads in the neighborhood open.

City Council will hold a public meeting to discuss the new report at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 22, at the public works building at 1820 Paxton Street. Councilwoman Sandra Reid, who chairs council’s public works committee, will host the meeting, council members confirmed at their legislative session Tuesday night.

The August report concluded that the “potential for future sinkhole activity” was “high” in the affected block of S. 14^th Street. The more recent study does not offer a conclusion about the likelihood of future sinkholes, although it does end with a handful of suggestions about ways to prevent them or to mitigate them if they occur.

The August report relied on site observations, drill samples and multi-channel analysis of surface waves, or MASW, a method of creating and measuring seismic waves to detect likely fractures and voids underground.

The latest report relied on site observations and an MASW survey, but did not include drilling for samples. Both reports also tapped historical records, including aerial photographs showing the development of the neighborhood over the years.

Meanwhile, the city has continued its efforts to address the more immediate problems facing residents of S. 14^th Street, where sinkhole activity has continued. Since March, the city has declared 10 homes on the block unfit for human habitation, according to Dave Patton, the city’s codes administrator.

Martin said the city hopes to submit an application this week to the county for $1 million in disaster relief funds. The city has already sent in a notice of intent to apply for an additional $3 million in federal disaster relief funds, he said.

Together, those applications would seek to secure the $4 million it would take to mitigate the problem on S. 14^th Street, according to an estimate provided in a third report by Gannett Fleming issued earlier this year.

The mitigation efforts will likely entail a combination of buying out certain homeowners and reconstructing the street, Martin said.

There was some question as to why Harrisburg officials did not publicize the report until Wednesday, two weeks after it was sent to the city, and only after the topic was raised during public comment at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

The mayor addressed this question Wednesday morning, saying there was “no decision to hold the report,” but that the city was simply “looking for a time to hold a public meeting.”

“It’s complicated,” the mayor said of the report, adding that the best way to inform the public was to have the document explained at a hearing by an engineer.

The choice of date for the hearing was left to the discretion of council’s public works chair, the mayor said. “We would have been happy to have met sooner,” he said.

You can download the complete Gannett Fleming report here: Expanded Sinkhole Investigation, 11/25/14. For the site plan of the neighborhood, click here: Sinkhole Report – Neighborhood Site Plan.

This story has been updated to provide a time and address for the public works committee meeting, which will take place Dec. 22 at 5:30 p.m. at 1820 Paxton St.

November News Digest

November 27, 2014 | by Lawrance Binda

Spradley Appointed Treasurer

Tyrell Spradley was named Harrisburg’s treasurer last month, ending a search that spanned more than two months.

A divided City Council selected Spradley following four rounds of voting, which included two other candidates—attorney Karen Balaban and former city councilman and controller Dan Miller.

Following his appointment, Spradley, 30, said he was eager to learn about and take on the part-time position, which pays $20,000 per year.

Harrisburg needed to name a new treasurer following the arrest in August of then-city treasurer John Campbell, who has been charged with theft from two organizations where he also served as treasurer.

Council first appointed accountant Timothy East to serve as Campbell’s replacement, but East withdrew his name after a personal bankruptcy came to light.

Spradley’s own eligibility was briefly called into question last month over issue involving his residency and the lack of a business license for an accounting company he owns. City officials later indicated those issues had been resolved.

Spradley will serve the remainder of Campbell’s four-year term, which runs until the end of next year.

Sinkhole Money Available

Some Harrisburg residents may benefit from a decision last month that allows federal assistance to be used to buy out homes endangered by sinkholes.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency ruled that municipalities could apply for aid to acquire sinkhole-prone structures.

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse said the city immediately would apply for a grant to provide relief for homeowners along the 1400-block of S. 14^th St., which has been devastated by sinkholes. There is no guarantee that Harrisburg will receive the money, as fierce competition is expected around the country for the grants.

Separately, Camp Hill-based Gannett Fleming last month issued more results of its sinkhole study in South Harrisburg.

The engineering firm told City Council that it had two options. The city could either buy out 27 houses in the middle of the most affected block or it could inject a substance beneath the surface to help stabilize the ground and prevent future sinkhole formation. Either option, both of which would include extensive road repair and relocating of residents, would cost about $4 million.

FEMA has put a cap of $3 million per project on its disaster allowance for sinkholes.

Schools Fail to Meet Performance Goals

Harrisburg public schools failed by a wide margin to meet academic standards set by the state-appointed chief recovery officer, according to state academic performance measures released last month.

None of Harrisburg’s schools met the academic goals for the 2013-14 school year set forth by Chief Recovery Officer Gene Veno in an April 2014 amendment to his recovery plan for the district.

The state’s “Building Level Academic Score” uses a 100-point scale to measure school performance. Much like a student report card, a score above 90 is considered excellent, while a score below 70 is deemed poor.

The following list shows each school’s performance, followed by a bracketed number that includes Veno’s goals for each school for the 2013-14 academic year.

Math Science Academy: 75.9 [94.2]
Harrisburg High School SciTech Campus: 63.8 [72.3]
Foose School: 57.8 [59.8]
Scott School: 57 [62.4]
Melrose School: 53.1 [69.7]
Downey School: 49.4 [67.5]
Benjamin Franklin School: 44.6 [63.5]
Marshall School: 44.4 [61.4]
Rowland School: 42.6 [56.5]
Harrisburg High School: 39.7 [57.6]
Camp Curtin School: 39.6 [60.3]

Scores were based upon several measures, including students’ performance on state standardized tests, improvement since the previous year, graduation and attendance rates and, in the case of high school students, SAT and ACT scores.

Lighting Grant Approved

Harrisburg’s plan to upgrade its streetlights took a step forward last month, as the city announced that it had received a $500,000 grant for its LED streetlight project.

Several months ago, the Papenfuse administration applied for the Pennsylvania Energy Department Authority grant, which City Council then approved.

In related matters, the administration last month asked council to approve the hiring of Doylestown-based Suburban Lighting Consultants to provide engineering services for the LED project. It also asked council to OK the engagement of Pittsburgh-based The Efficiency Network, which would conduct an inventory of existing streetlights, as well as an audit of streetlight and exterior light utility bills.

Green Infrastructure Grant Received

Capital Region Water has been awarded a $125,000 state grant to develop a Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan for Harrisburg.

The grant from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) will allow Capital Region Water to evaluate using green infrastructure to reduce the impacts of runoff on the Harrisburg community, the Susquehanna River and Paxton Creek, and the underground infrastructure it operates, according to Andrew Bliss, Capital Region Water’s community outreach manager.

Green infrastructure is a broad term for trees, gardens and other ways to help reduce runoff by absorbing rainwater.

Last month, Capital Region Water also marked the one-year anniversary of its takeover of city water and sewer operations.

In addition to the DCNR grant, Bliss said, the year included several other achievements, including a “Top 5” designation for best drinking water in the country; a bond refinancing that will save the authority $4 million over two years; progress on a comprehensive GIS mapping project; and the beginning of a $50 million upgrade to the wastewater treatment facility.

Midtown Distillery Proposed

Two city residents announced plans last month to open a small-batch distillery in Midtown Harrisburg in the blighted, historic “Carpets and Draperies” building.

Alan Kennedy-Shaffer and Stanley Gruen are due to appear this month before the city’s Planning Commission and Zoning Hearing Board in an effort to get a variance for the site at 1507 N. 3^rd St., which is not zoned for industrial use.

The partners plan a full renovation of the century-old building, which has sat empty for more than a decade. Their plan includes a bar and tasting room, in addition to a craft distillery that would make such spirits as whiskey, vodka, gin and rye.

If all goes well, they hope to open in mid-2015.

Parking Ordinances Updated

Motorists are on the hook to pay their parking fines, as the Harrisburg City Council last month updated its parking ordinances to conform to the city’s financial recovery plan.

Council needed to make technical changes to the city code to give operator Standard Parking the legal authority to enforce penalties. It also changed language to increase fines and allow non-currency forms of payment, such as credit and debit cards.

Standard Parking took over the city’s parking system in January, but council did not immediately update the city code. As a result, Harrisburg will receive about $200,000 less in parking revenue than anticipated this year.

The city said it expects to receive as much as $2.5 million in parking revenue next year.

Playground Safety Grant

Harrisburg has received a grant that could lead to improved safety at five of the city’s playgrounds.

The $10,000 grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program will fund an inspection and safety audit of the Cloverly Heights and Royal Terrace playgrounds, as well as playgrounds at Norwood and Hollywood streets; N. 4^th and Dauphin streets; and Penn and Sayford streets.

The grant also will fund the creation of a routine playground maintenance and safety program and the training of city staff on program implementation.

Kim Re-Elected to 103^rd

Incumbent Rep. Patty Kim will serve a second term in the state legislature, as voters returned her to office last month in an uncontested race.

Kim ran unopposed in the general election for the 103^rd legislative district after beating challenger Gina Roberson in the Democratic primary in May.

In other election news, former Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson lost in her bid to unseat incumbent Republican Scott Perry to represent the 4^th House district in Congress.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2423: B. Bisbano to C. Warble, $49,300

Benton St., 527: R. & A. Della Croce to S. Rea & M. Urgiles, $98,500

Berryhill St., 1954: C. Frater to M. Frater, $65,000

Cumberland St., 119: JB Buy Rite LP to S. Pritchard, $73,500

Duke St., 2614: PI Capital LLC to W. & A. Rivera, $88,900

Fulton St., 1710: N. Culver to Cartus Financial Corp., $107,000

Green St., 1615: R. & S. Aulakh to J. Scott, $92,500

Green St., 1902: WCI Partners LP to B. Garner, $180,000

Green St., 2024: Fulton Bank NA to J. Workman & J. Arawj, $139,000

Harris St., 213: J. Counterman to 8219 Ventures, $52,000

Herr St., 215: R. & E. Simons to Crested Enterprises LLC, $77,500

Hoffman St., 3206: Secretary of Veterans Affairs to Skynet Property Management LP, $43,000

Holly St., 1840: Tassia Corp. to Capital Properties LLC, $40,000

Kensington St., 2422: PA Deals LLC to C. & S. Feggins, $68,000

Mulberry St., 1936: C. Doran & A. Burnett to I. Peredo, $64,900

N. 2^nd St., 513: T. & J. Male to Cricket Real Estate Enterprises LLC, $165,000

N. 2^nd St., 2527: N. Myers to S. & A. Andrus, $193,500

N. 3^rd St., 2304: Harrisburg Ventures LLC to FD Harrisburg Holdings LLC, $2,213,700

N. 4^th St., 1733: PI Capitol LLC to G. Laudenslager, $100,000

N. 4^th St., 2336: S&T Renovations LLC to A. & A. Barras, $58,000

N. 4^th St., 2400 & 2402: M. Reed to E&K Homes LLC, $57,000

N. 4^th St., 2547: PA Deals LLC to J. Tucker, $61,000

N. 4^th St., 3228: A. Wlazlak to J. Tyson, $105,000

N. 4^th St., 3231: J. Crutchfield to J. Grant, $79,900

N. 7^th St., 2324 & 2350; 655 Seneca St.; 648 Curtin St.: M. Spangler to DAP 7 Curtin LP, $260,000

N. 16^th St., 1205: D. Griffin to C. & B. Orellana, $35,000

N. 17^th St., 817: G. Andrews to J. Jacob & T. Byrd, $120,000

N. 20^th St., 14: Kirsch & Burns LLC to LMK Properties LLC, $32,000

N. Cameron St., 1914: D. Marino to J. Pagliaro, $72,000

Norwood St., 916: M. Flickinger to Crist Holdings LLC, $38,000

Penn St., 1509: D. & D. Dreher to D. Walker, $127,000

Penn St., 1703: B. Houtz to L. Colestock, $155,000

Penn St., 1921: S. Vanscoyc to H. Elliot, $123,000

S. 3^rd St., 27: E. & R. Shore to Dewberry LLC, $190,000

S. 17^th St., 38: S. Ledesma & M. Figueroa to J. Renteria & C. Figueroa, $30,000

S. 25^th St., 713: S. Mosley to Kirsch & Burns LLC, $30,000

S. Front St., 595; 106 Tuscarora St. & 601 Showers St.: J. Barton to Dunkin & Associates LP, $250,000

State St., 231, Unit 202: LUX 1 LP to M. Abuel Jr., $134,900

Tuscarora St., 104: R. Rammouni & Touch of Color to J. Jones, $182,500

Verbeke St., 112: PA Deals LLC to M. & G. Modi, $125,000

Walnut St., 126: Pennsylvania Tourism & Lodging Assoc. to 126 Walnut Street LLC, $75,000

Walnut St., 128: Pennsylvania Tourism & Lodging Assoc. to 126 Walnut Street LLC, $75,000

Walnut St., 1854, 1856, 1858 & 1860: T. Vu & T. Tran to T. Van et al, $145,000

Capital Region Water To Share Costs of Next Sinkhole Study

September 9, 2014 | by Paul Barker

Capital Region Water, Harrisburg’s water and sewer authority, will split with city government the costs of an expanded sinkhole survey in the area of S. 14^th Street, following a 2-1 vote Wednesday morning that marked the first non-unanimous vote of the authority’s current three-member board.

Board members Bill Cluck and Westburn Majors, who voted in favor of the spending, said that, although they both wrestled with the decision, they ultimately came to view the expense as an investment to protect authority assets—namely, water and sewer pipes that could be damaged by further sinkhole activity.

“This is not the same as buying artifacts,” Cluck said, referring to the often-criticized expenditure of authority dollars on Civil War and other museum artifacts during the administration of former Mayor Stephen Reed. “I think this is a shared responsibility to address an unprecedented situation.”

So far, the authority has dedicated about $271,000 to help deal with the effects of the sinkhole that opened last March, displacing residents from at least nine homes and imperiling the homes and finances of several more. The money was directed towards street repair and towards repairing a water main that the authority says was crushed in the sinkhole collapse. It also paid for half the costs of an initial $38,200 study of the street’s sinkhole activity, board chairman Marc Kurowski said.

Kurowski cited the commitment of these funds in explaining what he described as his “tough” decision to vote against the measure.

“‘Tragic’ is not too strong a word for what folks are dealing with down there,” he said before casting his vote. But, he added, he felt a “little bit nervous” about spending any additional Capital Region Water funds, which ultimately come from ratepayers and are meant to be spent providing water and sewer services.

The study is expected to cost $43,700 and will cover a larger area than the original geologic investigation, completed last week by the Camp Hill-based engineering firm Gannett Fleming and unveiled at a City Council committee meeting last Thursday.

That investigation, which focused on the 1400-block of S. 14^th Street between Magnolia Street and Cloverly Terrace in south Harrisburg, identified five potential fractures in the limestone and 11 potential voids in the soil beneath the surface of the street. It concluded there was a high probability of future sinkhole activity in the area, which city engineer Wayne Martin described Tuesday as having one of the worst sinkhole problems he has seen in his 20 years as an engineer.

Following the Gannett Fleming report, Mayor Eric Papenfuse indicated last week that his administration would seek state and federal aid to help cover the cost of mitigating the area’s sinkholes, which would far outstrip the city’s ability to pay. “This will take millions of dollars, and the city doesn’t have that,” he said. Martin has estimated the cost will be between $1 and $3 million, though he said the estimate was preliminary and could change substantially depending on the results of the expanded survey.

Where the city would find such outside assistance is not clear. Joyce Davis, the mayor’s spokeswoman, said Tuesday that Papenfuse meets routinely with both state and federal lawmakers with whom he is exploring possible routes to receiving aid. Among these lawmakers is state Sen. Rob Teplitz, who said by phone Tuesday that he had put in a $24 to $25 million capital request to address sinkholes across the city, although this did not include the recent development on 14^th Street.

The state, however, has funding problems of its own, and Teplitz acknowledged that it might not want to set the precedent of helping Harrisburg when other local governments also face sinkhole-related problems. “I have the request in,” he said. “I’m not necessarily holding my breath waiting for it in the short-term.”

A governor can also petition the federal government for aid with natural disasters, though that prospect looks even less likely. To qualify for aid under federal law, a disaster must surpass the capacity of both state and local governments to address it, a spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, explained. He was unaware of any case of a sinkhole being declared a natural disaster, thus qualifying for federal aid, in the past four years.

The potential threat of sinkholes has led to increased interest recently in sinkhole insurance, according to Andrew Enders, a third-generation insurance professional at Enders Insurance Associates in Harrisburg.

Sinkholes have long been identified as an issue in the central Pennsylvania region, but the concern for insurers was traditionally focused on areas outside Harrisburg, including Palmyra, Hershey, Annville and Hummelstown, Enders said.

Sinkhole insurance is excluded from a typical homeowner’s insurance policy and must be “bought back” in an addendum to the policy, Enders said. In addition, coverage typically only applies in the event of structural damage to a home—and not in the case of a sinkhole simply opening on a property, which an owner may be required to remediate himself.

In the Harrisburg housing market, sinkhole insurance typically costs an additional $60 to $150 in premiums per year, Enders said. (Enders Insurance Associates is one of TheBurg’s community publishers.)

In addition to the expanded survey, the city has sought to fund a $16,900 preliminary-design study to come up with options for mitigating the area’s sinkhole problems. On Tuesday, the Capital Region Water board declined to vote on a motion to fund half of this third study, which Cluck described as “premature.”

“If we’re gonna do fact-finding, let’s do that first,” Cluck said, explaining his preference to see a completed second study before funding an additional inquiry into mitigation options.

The motion, initially tabled by the board, was ultimately removed from the agenda completely after a procedural question was raised by the board’s legal counsel.

Harrisburg City Council was expected to take up the question of spending on the sinkhole surveys at its legislative session Tuesday night, following a statement to that effect by council members at last week’s committee meeting. But, as of this writing, the relevant legislation had not been sent to the city clerk and would possibly not make the evening’s agenda, according to the clerk’s office.

August News Digest

August 28, 2014 | by Lawrance Binda

Museum Funding Targeted

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse has asked the Dauphin County commissioners to cease channeling a portion of the countywide hotel tax to the National Civil War Museum.

Papenfuse said that he objects to an arrangement worked out by former Mayor Stephen Reed that funnels a certain amount of money each year to the 13-year-old museum, despite a county ordinance designating that the money be spent on promoting tourism in the city. In the last fiscal year, the museum received $290,000 out of the portion meant for promoting the city, which totaled around $500,000.

The museum, located in Reservoir Park, used that money to pay for operational costs as part of its $1.1 million budget.

Instead of giving that money to the museum, Harrisburg would be better off using it to promote other tourism initiatives, such as the city’s annual summertime festivals, Papenfuse said.

The city owns most of the museum’s artifacts, as well as the building, which it rents to the museum for $1 a year. The museum pays its operational expenses, but the city is responsible for maintenance and upkeep of the building.

Tax Abatement Discussed

The Harrisburg school board last month listened to a proposal to revive tax abatement for property improvements in the city.

Brian Hudson, executive director of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, shared with the board a plan to stimulate development and renovation in the city through a 10-year, citywide abatement program.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse is expected to push this fall for an initiative that would lead to no tax increases for property improvements over a decade. Instead, taxes would be levied for that time based upon the pre-improvement value of the properties.

In order for the program to take effect, the school board, the city and Dauphin County all would have to sign off on it.

New School Administrator

Education consultant Drue Miles, author of the education chapter in the Harrisburg school district’s state-sponsored recovery plan, last month was named the district’s new acting school improvement administrator.

The position, which pays $600 per day, was vacant after the departure of Sherry Roland-Washington, who left Aug. 15.

Gene Veno, the district’s state-appointed chief recovery officer, said that he recommended the emergency hiring of Miles while the superintendent searched for a permanent replacement for Roland-Washington.

City Audit Delayed

Harrisburg’s audit has been delayed several months due to a budget oversight that did not fund the outside assistance the city needed for prep work before the audit could begin.

The Thompson administration did not request—and City Council did not approve—funds for the engagement of Trout Ebersole & Groff, the accounting firm that has assisted the short-staffed budget office with audit preparation in recent years.

The oversight stemmed in part from a decision by the state Department of Community and Economic Development not to assist the city with audit prep this year, as it had in prior years under Act 47 and receivership.

After taking office, the Papenfuse administration worked to apportion the necessary funding for outside help, which will cost around $45,000. Brian Ostella, chair of the city’s audit committee, said that prep work was completed in mid-June and actual audit work began in mid-July.

Maher Duessel, the accounting firm that has performed the city’s audit for the last decade, expects to complete the audit by mid-November, Ostella said.

Sinkhole Probe Launched

Harrisburg City Council has approved hiring an engineering firm to conduct an emergency sinkhole investigation.

Camp Hill-based Gannett Fleming is performing the work, focused around the 1400-block of S. 14th St., where several sinkholes have formed in recent months. The probe, which will employ seismic surface waves and verification drilling to develop a site map, should be completed by year-end.

The cost of the investigation will be shared with Capital Region Water. It is estimated to cost $166,000.

Trash Fees Adjusted

Harrisburg’s small business owners have received some relief, after City Council temporarily lowered fees for trash collection.

For years, small businesses have complained that they were subject to high commercial collection rates, even though they generated little trash.

Under the new provision, small businesses will be charged the same rate as residential customers: $156 a year or $13 a month. To qualify for the lower rate, they must produce no more trash each week than can fit into two trashcans with lids.

The lower rate applies only until the end of the year. In November, the Department of Public Works will assess the impact of the reduction and report to council whether it should be made permanent.

Mansion Re-Named

The mansion in Reservoir Park last month was officially re-named in honor of Harrisburg Councilwoman Eugenia Smith.

The prominent building was named the Honorable Eugenia Smith Family Life Center during a ceremony featuring music, speakers and a release of doves.

Smith, 53, died suddenly in April at the start of her second term as city councilwoman.

Changing Hands

Cumberland St., 119: R. Nordberg to JB Buy Rite LP, $50,000

Duke St., 2614: A. & V. Morelli to PI Capital LLC, $61,300

Ellerslie St., 2346: PA Deals LLC to D. Clark, $70,000

Fulton St., 1419: JP Morgan Chase to G. & D. Hanslovan, $63,000

Green St., 1112: M. Monathan & M. Taylor to M. Fitzgerald, $165,000

Green St., 1514: J. Couzens to E. Sheaffer & D. McCleskey, $180,000

Green St., 1711: R. Mehiel & L. Kackman to B. Rockwell & N. Gurley, $168,000

Green St., 1811: R. Ruiz to M. Bonsall, $100,000

Green St., 1921: J. & A. Webb to WCI Partners LP, $117,000

Green St., 2031: J. & A. Webb to WCI Partners LP, $119,000

Green St., 3234: R. Krasevic to T. Ash, $119,900

Locust St., 122: DLK Partners LLC to Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Inc., $130,000

Luce St., 2332 & 2314½: R. & C. Sheetz to Care Properties LLC, $60,000

Mercer St., 2441: M. Davenport et al to O. Diallo & M. Barry, $46,000

N. 3rd St., 1408: F. & M. Cavanaugh to GreenWorks Development LLC, $139,900

N. 3rd St., 3026: L. Curtis to R. Daniels Jr., $35,000

N. 4th St., 2427: D. Seymore to B. Jones Sr., $35,000

N. 6th St., 3014: J. Hadfield & W. Grace to K. Dixon, $73,000

N. 6th St., 3212: R. & B. Snyder to RT Home Solutions Inc., $30,000

N. 12th St., 33: Kirsch & Burns LLC to LMK Properties LLC, $40,000

N. 18th St., 1000: JLB Properties LLC to S. Donald, $44,900

N. Front St., 111: J.A. Hartzler to BCRA Realty LLC, $250,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 101: A. Ferraiolo to A. Mohanavel, $156,500

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 602: M. & C. Heppenstall to R. Hostetter Jr., $250,000

Paxton St., 1924: L. Zaydon Jr. to Steve Fisher Rental Properties LLC, $125,000

Penn St., 1520: S. Litt to A. Fortune, $114,000

Penn St., 2411: J. Shockey to D. Wendt, $78,375

S. 2nd St., 314: J. Wansacz to D. Bowers & K. Shifler, $115,000

S. 3rd St., 19: P. Dobson to Dewberry LLC, $325,000

S. 13th St., 506: PA Deals LLC to J. & A. Garbanzos, $65,000

S. 19th St., 1133: M. & B. Faulkner to N. Colon & R. Romero, $85,000

S. 23rd St., 600: G., D. & M. Complese to S. Wright, $69,900

State St., 219: WCI Partners LP to B. & K. Sidella and J. & N. Jones, $225,000

State St., 1516: Kirsch & Burns LLC to LMK Properties LLC, $37,000

Susquehanna St., 1737: Secretary of Veterans Affairs to L. Reapsome, $43,500

Walnut St., 1206: Kirsch & Burns LLC to LMK Properties, $32,000

Walnut St., 1525: ABC Solutions LLC to Choukri Auto Services LLC, $40,000

Wiconisco St., 620; 621 Emerald St.; 2352 Derry St.; and 612 & 614 Seneca St.: R. Shokes Jr. & Shokes Enterprises to JDP 2014 LLC, $259,000

Harrisburg property sales for July 2014, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

July News Digest

July 31, 2014 | by Lawrance Binda

Zoning Code Gets OK

Harrisburg has a new zoning code, as City Council last month approved a complete overhaul to how the city guides residential and commercial development.

Council members gave their unanimous consent to the code, the first complete update in 64 years. The new code substantially streamlines the city’s zoning map, reducing the number of base zoning districts from 27 to nine and overlay districts from six to four.

At the last minute, council made a number of changes to the code to respond to concerns voiced by several developers during a series of hearings in June. Therefore, with a special exception, a wider variety of uses now will be permitted in certain zones, including the Institutional, Commercial and Downtown Center zones.

Notably, council narrowly defeated an amendment that would have allowed the owner of the former U.S. postal facility at 815 Market St. to continue a full range of industrial uses by right. Under the new code, his property falls into the Downtown Center zone, where most industrial uses are banned.

Under a grandfather clause, businesses will be able to continue their properties’ current uses, regardless of the new zoning.

The effort to revamp the zoning code began years ago. In 2010, the council introduced a new code, but it died in committee. With several changes, the Papenfuse administration re-introduced that code earlier this year, stating that a new code was needed to move the city forward economically.

Land Bank Established

City Council last month passed legislation creating the Harrisburg Land Bank, an effort to strengthen the city’s fight against blight.

The land bank aims to take vacant, abandoned and tax delinquent properties and return them to productive use, according to the city.

A seven-member board of directors will direct the land bank, giving it the right to acquire properties before they go to judicial tax sale. The board will make such decisions as which properties to acquire, how the properties will be managed, how funds will be acquired to make purchases, and how property will be disposed of.

It also allows the city to purchase and assemble clusters of property to make them more appealing for redevelopment.

“This is a major tool in our efforts to tackle the problem of abandoned and blighted properties in our city,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “We can now proceed to refine our strategy to improve the housing stock in our city.”

HUD Funds Allotted

Harrisburg last month voted to disperse about $3 million in federal funds for housing, community and public service groups.

As it usually does, City Council made a number of changes to the administration’s recommendations on how to allot the annual funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In the end, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds went to:

Administration and Indirect Costs: $376,279
Debt Service: $335,358
Housing Rehabilitation Program: $300,000
Emergency Demolition: $295,000
Homeowner Demolition Program: $150,000
Harrisburg Fair Housing Council: $131,000
Camp Curtin YMCA: $125,000
Heinz-Menaker Senior Center: $101,209
Park Playground Equipment: $100,000
Fire Station Roof Repairs: $98,050
Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area: $90,000
Code Enforcement: $69,500
Public Safety: $50,000
Christian Recovery Aftercare Ministry: $35,000
Tri-County Community Action: $25,000

Home Investment Partnerships Program funds went to:

Targeted Area Rehab/New Construction: $330,326
Homeowner Improvement Program: $200,000
Operating Expenses: $66,065
Grant Administration: $44,043

Emergency Solutions Grant Program Funds went to

Christian Churches United/H.E.L.P.: $39,765
Shalom House: $39,765
YWCA Greater Harrisburg: $39,765
Grant Administration: $9,678

The Papenfuse administration had sought $150,000 for a rental rehabilitation program. Council, though, decided to redirect that money to several groups that had been denied funding in the administration’s initial proposal.

Sinkhole Probe Launched

Harrisburg City Council last month approved hiring an engineering firm to conduct an emergency sinkhole investigation.

Camp Hill-based Gannett Fleming will perform the work, focused around the 1400-block of S. 14^th St., where several sinkholes have formed in recent months. The probe, which will employ seismic surface waves and verification drilling to develop a site map, should be completed by year-end.

The cost of the investigation will be shared with Capital Region Water. It is estimated to cost $166,000.

Trash Fees Adjusted

Harrisburg’s small business owners received some relief last month, after City Council temporarily lowered fees for trash collection.

For years, small businesses have complained that they were subject to high commercial collection rates, even though they generated little trash.

The lower rate applies only until the end of the year. In November, the Department of Public Works will assess the impact of the reduction and report to council if it should be made permanent.

Jackson Hotel Gets Go-Ahead

The historic Jackson Hotel may be saved after all, as the Harrisburg City Council last month approved a plan that should lead to its renovation.

Council gave the OK to a land use plan that will subdivide the property at 1006 N. 6^th St. from the Jackson House restaurant next door. Decades ago, the two parcels were combined into a single lot.

With council approval, Harrisburg residents Kerry and Lessa Helm can complete the purchase of the four-story, 6,000-square-foot Victorian townhouse from Dave Kegris, the owner of Jackson House.

Kegris has owned both properties since inheriting them from German Jackson, an African-American entrepreneur whose hotel once served prominent black celebrities and other visitors to Harrisburg who were not allowed to stay in whites-only establishments.

Kegris long has run the eatery, but couldn’t afford the extensive renovations to the hotel next door, which has deteriorated badly over the years.

The Helms learned about the house by reading a story in the May 2013 issue of TheBurg. They now plan to stabilize the rundown building and begin a long-term renovation with the goal of making it their home.

Mansion Named for Eugenia Smith

The Reservoir Park mansion has been renamed in honor of Eugenia Smith, a Harrisburg city councilwoman who died suddenly in April.

The mansion now will be called The Honorable Eugenia Smith Family Life Center.

The administration originally proposed renaming the smaller Brownstone Building for Smith. However, City Council changed the resolution after Councilwoman Susan Brown-Wilson insisted that the mansion would be a more fitting tribute to Smith.

City Requests Noise Exemption

Harrisburg plans to ask the state Liquor Control Board for an exemption to its noise regulations for establishments selling alcohol downtown.

City Council last month approved a resolution authorizing the city to apply for an exemption, so that it could enforce its own noise control ordinance. Currently, downtown Harrisburg restaurants, bars and nightclubs are under both sets of regulations.

The city has asked for—and been granted—exemptions to the state’s noise ordinance several times before.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2449: R. & H. Dougherty to A. McKune, $51,000

Bigelow Dr., 40: Fannie Mae to G. Neff & M. Murphy, $32,000

Boas St., 209: M. Roda to V. Padilla, $112,900

Brookwood St., 2624: J. Thompson et al to K. Patel, $220,000

Capital St., 1214: E. Hoynes to J. Forbes, $99,500

Chestnut St., 2113: G. Yarnall to J. Dos Santos, $190,000

Edgewood Rd., 2312: Fannie Mae to J. Whiteman, $85,000

Hale St., 427: J. Fox to D. & C. Taylor, $55,582

Manada St., 1905: U.S. Bank NA Trustee to PA Deals LLC, $30,000

Market St., 1317, 1321: W. & N. Schubauer to S. Betz, $440,000

N. 2^nd St., 902: J. Salvemini & D. Vitale to L. & S. Freeman, $147,000

N. 2^nd St., 1303: PA Deals LLC to D. Reinhart, $95,000

N. 2^nd St., 2644: M. Ventresca to D. Castle, $250,000

N. 4^th St., 2250: R. & T. Ruiz to Equity Trust Co. Custodian Linda Dean IRA, $39,000

N. 4^th St., 3108: P. Purdy to E. & C. Thomas, $122,000

N. 7^th St., 2712: PA Deals LLC to Merrick Solo 401K Trust, $57,000

N. 15^th St., 1309: R. Floyd et al to M. Gabrielle, $47,000

N. 17^th St., 88; 1150 Mulberry St.; 2332 N. 6^th St.; 2519 N. 6^th St.; 2308 Jefferson St.; 448 Hamilton St.; & 612, 613, 614, 616, 617, 619 Oxford St.: Redevelopment Authority of Harrisburg to SMKP Properties, $327,273

N. 7^th St., 3205 & 3133: K. & J. Rust to Bass Pallets Realty LLC, $240,112

N. 17^th St., 1007: Wells Fargo Bank NA to J. Mosley, $60,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 610: M. & C. Heppenstall to M. Hadginske, $80,000

N. Front St., 2901: M. Knackstedt to R. Edwards, $395,000

N. Front St., 2909 & 2917: M. Knackstedt to M. & S. Wilson, $361,000

Penn St., 1105: Fannie Mae to G. Knight, $40,000

Penn St., 2334: E. Stawitz to A. Yates, $83,000

Pennwood Rd., 3214: 360 Home Services LLC et al to CNC Realty LLC, $100,000

S. 17^th St., 1701: J. & H. Garcia to Niel Real Estate Investments LLC, $225,000

S. 27^th St., 634: A. & S. Velez to S. Moore, $55,000

Susquehanna St., 1709: G. & D. West to A. Fortune, $108,000

Susquehanna St., 1910: R. McLean to WCI Partners LP, $87,500

Tag Archives: Gannett Fleming

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