Tag Archives: HARB

Contemporary design for downtown building gets nod from Harrisburg review board

October 5, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

A rendering of the proposed building for 512-514 N. 2nd St. Image: Chris Dawson Architect

A new, mixed-use building in downtown Harrisburg received its first city approval on Monday night, despite some lingering concerns over its contemporary design.

By a 3-1 tally, the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board (HARB) voted to approve a five-story residential and retail structure at 512-514 N. 2nd St. that includes an exterior of brick, glass and metal.

Currently, two long-empty, neglected buildings occupy the site. Under the plan by developer Derek Dilks, they would be razed and a new, 5,000-square-foot structure would be built consisting of first-floor retail space and seven apartments on four floors above.

“I think it’s great to see more projects that are going to improve the city and turn a couple of dilapidated buildings into occupied, new construction,” said architect Chris Dawson, following the meeting.

These two long-vacant buildings (right) would be razed for the proposed project.

At a prior meeting, several HARB members questioned the modern aesthetic of the design, saying that it stood in stark contrast with the streetscape, which largely consists of century-plus-old brick buildings.

However, at Monday’s meeting, a majority seemed satisfied overall with the project design.

HARB member Kali Tennis stated that cities need a blend of historic and modern architecture, with buildings not mimicking older styles but reflecting the times in which they’re constructed.

“My personal opinion is that it both blends and distinguishes itself,” she said, of the building design. “Our job is to thoughtfully look at a proposal like this and think about it in the context of the whole city.”

Another member, Camille Bennett, continued to voice concerns.

“It looks like it’s going to overpower all the buildings in the back,” said Bennett, who voted against the concept. “It looks like someone took a big, modern building and dropped it right there on 2^nd Street.”

The HARB approval was a first step forward for the project, which still must go through the city’s planning and zoning processes.

This is the second recent HARB approval for Harrisburg-based Chris Dawson Architect.

In June, the review board unanimously approved a proposal in Midtown that has some similarities to the one downtown.

Like the Dilks project, Harrisburg-based ModernRugs.com wants to demolish two small, long-vacant, dilapidated commercial buildings and build a new structure with a contemporary aesthetic, designed by Dawson’s firm.

A rendering of the proposed new building at N. 3rd and Basin streets. Image: Chris Dawson Architect

The ModernRugs proposal calls for a 10,000-square-foot structure at the corner of N. 3rd and Basin streets, adjacent to the company’s existing buildings along the block. The new building would feature a façade of dark brick, large windows and metal mesh screens.

The project also will need to go through the city’s land development process before it can move forward.

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History, Updated: Harrisburg works to revise, clarify its historic district guidelines

May 28, 2021 | by M. Diane McCormick

Before and after photos of Anne Kough’s Midtown Harrisburg house.

New homeowner Paul Northrop was confused by what he thought was the city’s vaguely worded historic preservation guidelines.

His rotting porch railings weren’t original to his 1896 home, but was he required to replace them with Gilded Age exactitude?

He was not, but the vagueness of Harrisburg’s “Historic District Design and Preservation Guidelines” kept him wondering until he got answers from the city’s historic preservation specialist.

Now, city officials hope that pending revisions to the guidelines will minimize confusion, explain options, and encourage owners of historic properties to do their part to protect Harrisburg’s architectural heritage.

Not That Scary

In Harrisburg, exterior alterations and repairs in buildings within six municipal historic districts might require review and approval by the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board, or HARB, and City Council. When changes, removals or alterations are “visible from a public right-of-way,” HARB must review for architectural appropriateness of materials and features.

Until this spring, anyone opening the city’s historic preservation guide was met, first, with the name of Harrisburg’s mayor—Stephen R. Reed. His 28-year tenure ended in 2010.

Around 2018, HARB officials recognized the need for change, not so much for the mayor’s name but for the generalities used to explain HARB standards and processes. Public input on revised guidelines was collected through May 2021. A HARB vote to recommend approval is expected in July, before final adoption by City Council.

HARB Chair Trina Gribble hopes the update will “empower people to understand the value of preserving buildings.”

“We wanted to communicate that and improve the lines of communications between the neighborhoods and HARB,” she said.

The city’s Historic Preservation Specialist and Archivist Frank Grumbine got the staff assignment to rewrite the guidelines, following his hiring in 2019. In this role, he works directly with homeowners, presenting options and explaining the process. If they reach agreement on materials or products to be used, property owners can get “administrative approval” without needing to plead their case before HARB.

And though HARB has no data to show it, Grumbine believes that administrative approvals have increased during his tenure, slimming down the HARB meeting agendas.

“Everybody’s scared of the HARB, for some reason,” Grumbine said. “It’s really not that scary.”

Paradigm Change

Anne Kough bought a long-vacant Midtown rowhome in 2020 to renovate as a rental. Behind a façade covered in vines, she saw a beauty, tall and strong. She fell in love and made the purchase.

Working with Grumbine, Kough won administrative approval for much of the restoration. She could replace the front windows—not original to the home—with a matching look, but couldn’t replace rotting cedar shakes with faux-wood vinyl.

“We’re OK with that,” she said.

In the process, Grumbine recommended that Kough’s front door be repaired, while her contractor suggested making a replica—a pricey option—and donating the original to a museum. With safety measures for added security, she decided on repair and preservation.

“It has the old 1900 Victorian winding doorbell, a mail slot and smoked glass that’s in great shape,” she said. “If it was worthy of a museum, I felt it was worthy of saving and featuring on the house.”

A mindset of “preserve, repair and replace” can uphold the historic integrity of individual homes and entire blocks while it protects property values and promotes sustainability, Grumbine reminds property owners.

“The big goal is to change the paradigm, change the perception that historic preservation is bureaucratic, and there’s some nerdy dude in city hall who’s a big jerk,” he said.

Changes pending in the historic district guidelines include:

A new chapter on the HARB application and review process, explaining its decision-making structure and describing in detail whether projects don’t need HARB review, qualify for administrative approval, or require HARB consideration.
Explanations of why HARB might, or might not, approve replacing vintage materials with modern, maintenance-free alternatives, plus a list of the materials that can earn administrative approval without HARB review, such as Hardie siding and Trex composite decking. As better materials hit the market, “the HARB generally is becoming a bit more progressive in terms of approving different materials,” Grumbine said.
All-new photos of city properties to illustrate the points, such as a once-blighted Uptown home where cementitious fiberboard provided an acceptable replacement for wooden clapboard.
Detailed explanations of the wealth of inappropriate sidings that sprouted citywide in the 20th century (Insulbrick, anyone?). Removing such horrors can offer low-cost options for restoring historic integrity, since they often hide original materials underneath, Grumbine said.
Specifics on practices that are recommended (“Installing clear, low-emissivity [low-e] glass or film without noticeable color”) and not recommended (“Retrofitting historically clear windows with tinted glass or reflective coatings”).

The revised guidelines add explanation to situations that continue to be decided on a case-by-case basis.

“Obviously, a wood window would be easily approved by HARB if it’s the same, but it’s not that simple,” Gribble said. “The configuration, the style, the profile—all that kind of detail is important to the look of the historic buildings. We wanted to elaborate more on that and not so much on just solely the materials.”

Adding Context

Paul Northrop and his girlfriend were longtime Midtown renters who finally bought a home in New Cumberland but missed the neighborly feel of Midtown. Just before the pandemic, they found their dream 1896 home in the 1500-block of Green Street—with a garage! However, it hadn’t seen much upkeep since the 1990s. Many of the windows, handrails and spindles were rotting away.

“Anything that’s not brick on the exterior is being replaced or repainted,” said Northrop.

Grumbine’s intervention clarified Northrop’s options, including custom-milling new wood spindles to replicate those not-original porch spindles.

The vagueness of the old guidelines, Northrop feared, could have disincentivized homeowners from maintaining their aging properties.

“A lot of people are probably scared away,” he said. “It’s not clear what you can do. So, if you’re risk averse, it makes you feel you can’t do anything to the home.”

By adding context to the guidelines, Grumbine hopes to share the gospel of repairing rather than replacing.

“Everybody wants to replace everything all the time because they want everything to be clean and shiny and new,” he said. “But people need to realize that, if you live in a 150-year-old neighborhood in a 150-year-old house, you should embrace the patina. You should embrace the alligatoring of the old paint under the new paint. Things aren’t going to look new because, you know, they’re not.”

Harrisburg’s tradition of protecting historic architecture is paying off in “unique flair that attracts people,” including the metropolis dwellers discovering the pleasures of life in a smaller, more manageable city, said Gribble.

“They have a sense of place,” she said. “They know where they are. That’s attractive to people, and there are proven economic benefits to preservation.”

As Northrop sees it, if Grumbine’s approach to hammering out solutions reflects how the guidelines have been revised, “then they’re headed in the right direction.” He loves the timelessness of his home.

“Just the original architectural details that we don’t have anymore,” he said. “It’s a representation of a bygone era. So, we’re going to do our part to make sure it’s around for another 126 years or so.”

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Harrisburg council tweaks proposed police advisory committee, schedules final vote for next month

October 27, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

A screen grab from Harrisburg City Council’s legislative session

Harrisburg City Council has made several more changes to a proposed police advisory body and delayed a final vote on the bill until next month.

At a virtual legislative session on Tuesday, council voted unanimously to tweak several elements of proposed Bill 8, which would create a Citizen’s Law Enforcement Advisory Committee.

The changes include:

Giving council the ability to appoint five board members, up from four, while reducing mayoral appointments from three to two, for the initial committee members.
Mandating that the committee meet at least quarterly, as opposed to at least annually, each year.
Staggering initial terms so that two of the original members serve four-year terms, two members serve three-year terms and three members serve two-year terms.

Council members Ausha Green and Danielle Bowers said that some of these changes were made in response to comments received from community members.

“Listening to the comments is really power to the people,” Bowers said.

Council is expected to take a final vote on Bill 8 at its Nov. 10 meeting.

At the beginning of Tuesday’s session, council read aloud comments from community members, some of whom continue to be disappointed with the limitations of the proposed committee.

Bill 8 already has been amended to give the committee administrative subpoena power and to change or remove several parts of the original bill.

However, some residents remain unsatisfied. They believe that the body should be able to exercise greater oversight over the police bureau and want to change the name of the body from an “advisory committee” to a “review board.”

According to city Solicitor Neil Grover, Harrisburg lacks the authority to create a review board, prompting some residents to advocate for a home rule charter, which may give the city greater flexibility in setting its own rules beyond what’s allowed currently in the state code.

“I do think the talk of home rule has been important and is something we should pursue,” said one resident during the legislative session.

In addition, several residents urged council to make their online meetings more accessible, including advertising meetings more broadly on social media platforms and allowing residents to make comments in real time during the virtual meeting’s live-stream.

“Over the last few months during COVID, residents have pleaded with the city to make the council meetings more accessible,” said Kimeka Campbell, co-founder of Harrisburg Young Professionals of Color, in a written comment. “Nevertheless, the city has kept comments off their YouTube videos, not allowed more than two opportunities for call-ins for public comment, only taken public comment via email and truncated public comments that seem too similar.”

At the end of the meeting, member Ben Allatt said that council should consider expanding ways of interacting with the public virtually. But he also urged residents to reach out beyond just virtual council meetings, such as emailing or calling individual council members or even arranging meetings with them.

“These (virtual) meetings aren’t held in a vacuum and aren’t the only ways to interact with us in City Council,” he said. “There is a willingness to be able to meet with the community in many different fashions.”

In other action on Tuesday, council:

Approved an agreement to pay $725,000 to MEB Partners and Brenner Motors to settle outstanding rent, tax and repair issues arising from a three-year lease of the Public Works Department site on Paxton Street.
Approved a land development plan for a 200-space parking lot at 1501 N. 7^th St. The property owner wants to turn an empty lot into a surface parking lot, primarily to serve the needs of the new federal courthouse due for completion in summer 2022.
Approved a resolution appointing resident Kali Tennis to a seat on the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board (HARB).

Lastly, council President Wanda Williams said that the city’s “Grab and Go” trick-or-treat night has been rescheduled due to predicted inclement weather for Thursday. It now will take place on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the city’s three firehouses—Uptown at 1820 N. 6^th St., and the two on Allison Hill at 140 N. 16^th St. and 9 S. 13^th St.

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Cathedral Education Center gets HARB approval; fundraising campaign planned

October 2, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

The planned Cathedral Education Center would unite the Liberty Street school building (foreground) and the Shanahan Center (background).

Harrisburg’s Catholic parochial school has been given the go-ahead for a new education center, but it now needs to raise the funds for renovation and construction.

Last night, the project received unanimous approval from the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board (HARB), allowing the Cathedral Parish of St. Patrick to launch a capital campaign for the new Cathedral Education Center.

The $5.7 million project would renovate the circa-1950 Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School on Liberty Street and the 109-year-old Shanahan Center on North Street. A three-story, 3,250-square-foot addition between the buildings would be constructed, creating a single, unified structure totaling 26,475 square feet. Currently, the two buildings are separated by a small walkway.

HARB members did request a few design changes, most notably that the addition linking the buildings should include more windows and that the windows should be more vertically oriented.

“I’m really excited about this proposal personally,” said HARB Chair AJ Knee. “I like the concept of this [new] building being a wedge between the two [existing] buildings.”

The new education center would allow the parish to consolidate into one facility the current Cathedral Campus, which serves pre-K and grades 5-8 and is located behind St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the Holy Family Campus, which serves grades K-4 and is located on Allison Hill. It also would give the parish more space for programming and improve wheelchair accessibility.

According to the parish, another benefit includes a new hall with a caterer’s kitchen that would seat as many as 190 people. It also would free up funds for parish programs that now go to building maintenance.

A rendering of the project, which shows the modern addition connecting the two existing buildings. Image courtesy of TKS Architects.

Dale Forney of Harrisburg-based JEM Group, the general contractor, told HARB members that he hopes to begin the project once school lets out next May and complete it in January or February 2020. However, the actual timing depends on the parish being able to raise the needed funds.

Kathy Speaker MacNett, who lives directly across the street from the Shanahan Center, characterized the project as another step forward in the continued redevelopment of the Capitol neighborhood.

“I am very excited about the project,” she said, citing several other projects nearby. “For the first time in my recollection, we actually have construction going in in our neighborhood–and not only construction but infilling.”

July News Digest

July 31, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

Report: Tax Hike Possible

Real estate taxes in Harrisburg could increase by 105 percent over the next three years, if suggestions in a financial recovery plan submitted to city officials come to pass.

The state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) last month released Harrisburg’s Act 47 exit plan, a report intended to guide the city through the next three years in the state financial oversight program.

The plan, which was prepared by Harrisburg’s Act 47 coordinator Marita Kelley, calls for Harrisburg to restructure its revenue sources to align with tax rates set forth in the state code.

Act 47 has granted Harrisburg extraordinary taxing power that generates $11 million in revenue each year. The city doubled its earned income tax (EIT) rate in 2012 and tripled its local services tax (LST) in 2016.

Unless state laws change, Harrisburg would lose that revenue when it exits Act 47 in 2022.

To avoid a fiscal cliff, Kelley suggested that the city gradually surrender its extraordinary taxing authority and replace its EIT and LST revenue with real estate tax revenue over the next three years.

The exit plan calls for a complete reversal of the LST and EIT hikes by 2021. Simultaneously, Harrisburg would levy 20-percent real estate tax hikes for two consecutive years, followed by a 42 percent raise in 2021.

Harrisburg property owners pay taxes to three separate taxing jurisdictions: the city, the school district and Dauphin County. The hikes would only affect the city property tax.

Meanwhile, under the plan, bills for the city’s EIT and LST would decrease. Kelley recommends reducing the EIT by .5 percent in 2019 and 2020, offsetting the 1 percent hike that City Council levied in 2015. The plan also calls for the city to reduce its LST by $52 for the next two years, bringing it down to a $52 annual, flat rate by 2022.

The astronomical real estate tax hikes still wouldn’t bring in as much revenue as the current LST and EIT rates. Budget projections in the exit plan call on the city to spend more than $13 million from its fund balance to mitigate annual deficits.

The plan makes clear that Harrisburg can’t afford any new expenditures. Kelley outlined initiatives the city could make to curb spending, such as paying down debt obligations, renegotiating existing loans, adopting financial management policies to improve the city’s credit rating, and developing a five-year capital improvement plan to prioritize its infrastructure improvement projects.

Harrisburg does have two paths to avoid the real estate tax hikes. It could adopt a Home Rule charter, which would allow it to write its own tax code, though Mayor Eric Papenfuse last month seemed to reject that path.

The city also can ask the legislature to let it levy its current LST and EIT tax rates in perpetuity. City officials have been lobbying lawmakers for months in hopes of securing legislative change.

If the legislature does pass special tax provisions for Harrisburg when it reconvenes in September, the city could exit Act 47 and maintain its current taxing authority.

If the state fails to act, the city would enter its 2019 budget cycle under the assumptions set forth in DCED’s recovery plan.

Papenfuse denounced the report’s findings, calling them “state-assisted suicide.” Local officials vowed to fight any move to significantly raise Harrisburg’s property tax.

For its part, DCED later clarified that it sees real estate hikes as a last resort.

“The recovery coordinator believes the significant property tax proposed in the Act 47 Exit Plan should be considered as a last option,” according to a statement from the department. “As stated in the Exit Plan, the city should first explore reducing costs and renegotiating deals, entering into a home rule charter and negotiating with the state legislature to extend the deadline for collecting the LST and EIT.”

Council Passes Sanitation, Funding Measures

Harrisburg City Council passed new sanitation laws and disbursed more than $2 million in federal grant funds last month before adjourning for summer recess.

Over the course of a four-hour meeting, council made sweeping changes to laws governing trash and recycling collection violations in the city. The city’s new sanitation code establishes harsher fines and new enforcement powers.

Despite the lobbying of the city treasurer, council members rejected a provision that would have inaugurated annual trash billing. The city will continue to send homeowners and businesses monthly bills for trash services.

Under the new ordinance, owners of vacant properties will no longer be billed for trash services at those parcels. Council added an amendment requiring all vacant property owners to apply for a vacant property exemption.

The hallmark of the new sanitation code is a new fine and enforcement structure, aimed at curbing illegal trash disposal across the city.

Under the new ordinance, serious offenses—including illegal dumping, accumulation of trash exceeding 1,000 pounds, improper waste disposal and failure to register as a private trash hauler—are considered category 1 violations, punishable by a $1,000 fine or up to 90 days in jail.

Category 2 violations include failure to bag waste, obstruction of streets and sidewalks or interference with enforcement and will be met with fines starting at $100. Fines will increase up to $500 for each subsequent offense.

The ordinance also permits Public Works to designate enforcement officers to patrol public streets for violations, and it authorizes police officers to issue citations and enforce the ordinance.

Council last month also voted to disburse $2 million in funds from the Community Development Block Grant. More than a dozen local nonprofits and city departments will receive grants ranging from $5,000 to $300,000. These include:

Christian Recovery Aftercare Ministries (C.R.A.M.): $40,000
TLC Work Based Training: $45,000
A Miracle 4 Sure: $50,000
Latino Hispanic Community Center: $25,000
Fair Housing Council: $25,000
PPL/IN HOUSE: $20,000
Shades of Greatness: $15,000
Heinz-Menaker Senior Center: $25,000
Neighborhood Dispute Settlement: $5,000
TriCounty HDC: $250,000
Habitat for Humanity: $100,000
Housing Rehabilitation Programs (city-run): $321,642

In addition, more than $600,000 of the $2 million grant will go to debt service, and $400,000 will reimburse the city for CDBG administration.

Council also approved a new, five-year labor contract with the city’s firefighters, which will lock in 2-percent annual wage increases and establish a new policy to increase retention. Lastly, council passed a resolution reestablishing Harrisburg’s Environmental Advocacy Council, a seven-member body that will be filled by appointments by council and the mayor’s office.

City OKs 2 Buildings for Demo

Another slice of historic Harrisburg seems fated for the wrecking ball, as a long-time property owner has received permission to raze two small downtown buildings.

By a 4-1 count, the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board (HARB) last month voted to allow retired area attorney Gilbert Petrina to demolish 512 and 514 N. 2nd St., buildings that he has owned for at least 35 years.

Petrina’s son, Gilbert Petrina Jr., attended the meeting, saying that his father was too ill to attend.

“My goal is to get these down as quickly as possible,” the younger Petrina said. “They’re a blight. They’re a hazard.”

Several board members pointed out that the properties were blighted only because they had been neglected for so long by the owner.

“I’m disappointed the properties have reached this point,” said member Jeremiah Chamberlin. “Ten years ago, they would have been restorable.”

Petrina said that, someday, he’d like to build a new structure on the site. Until then, he proposed using the lots for parking, hoping that revenue would help offset the cost of the demolition.

However, Assistant City Solicitor Tiffanie Baldock said the city could not allow additional commercial parking because doing so would violate its agreement with Park Harrisburg/SP+, which runs the parking system under a long-term lease with the city.

Petrina, who lives in Virginia, said he still would proceed with the demolition and reiterated that, someday, he hoped to build on the site, though he currently lacked a plan to do so.

So Noted

Mark Kropilak was named last month as the new chief executive officer of Capital Region Water, which provides water and sewer service to much of the Harrisburg area. Kropilak, who has worked both for private water technology companies and in a regulated utility, replaces Shannon Gority, who resigned the post late last year.

Patricia Whitehead-Myers was appointed to the Harrisburg school board last month. Myers, who served previously on the board, replaced Percel Eiland, who resigned his two-year board seat. In other school district news, Director Tyrell Spradley resigned his seat after just five months on the board.

Penn State Health has announced that it plans to build a new, 108-bed, acute-care hospital on 44 acres in the Wentworth Corporate Center in Hampden Township. Construction of the 300,000-square-foot, three-story building is slated to begin in early 2019, according to Penn State Health. It will be located directly across I-81 from UPMC Pinnacle’s West Shore Hospital.

Rob Lesher resigned last month after more than two years as the executive director of the Dauphin County Library System. Karen Cullings, the library’s director of community relations, will assume the position of interim executive director while a national search is conducted to find a replacement, according to DCLS.

TLC Work-Based Training last month held a groundbreaking for a 20-unit affordable apartment complex, the Harrisburg Uptown Building (HUB) and the HUB Veteran Housing Complex. The project at 5th and Kelker streets is TLC’s first major undertaking as a property developer.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2425: M. Washington & J. Holmes to S. & V. Heckman, $61,000

Adrian St., 2436: PA Deals LLC to R. Buehner, $63,900

Allison Ct., 7: Flipside Home Renewal LLC to D. Wallace, $92,500

Berryhill St., 1143: FEI Company to Vich Development LLC, $1,250,000

Boas St., 235: Weichert Workforce Mobility Inc. to D. Kergick & A. McHugh, $177,000

Carlisle St., 308 & 318: R. Jackson to Pop’s House Inc., $285,000

Chestnut St., 1621: R. & L. Ravenel to B. & L. Young, $30,000

Delaware St., 263: M. Dupree to Wells Fargo Bank NA, $76,747

Derry St., 1152: J. Vogelsong to M. Pena & T. Edison, $40,000

Derry St., 2712: D. Diehl to A. Lorenzo, $102,000

Emerald Ct., 2447: Z. Akbar to S. Waheed to D. Ritter, $83,000

Emerald St., 311: J. Yeatter to H. Santiago Andino, $73,500

Grand St., 912: Summerhill Partners LP to D. & M. MacIntyre, $65,000

Green St., 1003: E. & J. Ireland to M. & C. Kwolek, $96,500

Green St., 1632: C. Frater & R. Valentine to F. & C. DiPeri, $130,000

Green St., 3216: P. Wong to M. Zeeshan & S. Patel, $67,000

Harris St., 416: T. Woodyard to M. Riegel, $104,500

Herr St., 112: C. Chandler to K. Kundratic, $118,500

Hillside Rd., 301: J. Harget to R. & L. Wood, $199,500

Hoffman St., 3114: W. & D. Kersey to R. Pereira Chakka, $95,000

Kensington St., 2101: HT Properties LLC to R. Ramos, $68,000

Kensington St., 2138: 2014 LIMG Real Estate Fund LLC to T. Pitts, $64,000

Logan St., 1719: C. Leman to D. Hemperly, $126,500

Maclay St., 248: D. Bowermaster to S. Melville, $53,500

Manada St., 1914: W. Fischer to T. Pitts, $55,000

Mercer St., 2442: P. & B. Huepenbecker to Lynn & Ryan Investment Properties LLC, $34,000

North St., 262: TJC East Properties LLC to Spuntina LLC, $235,000

N. Front St., 325 & 327: Pars Real Estate LLC to Askay Properties LLC, $505,000

N. Front St., 1007, 1115: Industries for Pennsylvania to WCI Partners LP, $452,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 411: A. Hoffman to J. & E. Badeaux, $195,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 507: T. & P. Avant to S. Kolesar, $100,000

N. 2^nd St., 815: Bricker Boys Partnership to J. Ehring, $120,000

N. 2^nd St., 1208: T. Chang to A. Calvano, $110,000

N. 2^nd St., 1301: J. Schlegel to H. Rothrock, $99,800

N. 2^nd St., 1915: C. Benkovic to Apple Tree Community Development Co., $110,000

N. 2^nd St., 2241: K. Shubert & L. Christopher to E. & S. Lawrence, $179,900

N. 2^nd St., 2719: W. & C. Gosnell to J. MacDonald, $212,000

N. 2^nd St., 3225: A. Dillon & C. & D. Kenes to M. Letterman, $104,000

N. 4^th St., 2545: P. Roebuck to C. Plaines, $56,970

N. 5^th St., 3000: J. & E. MacDonald to M. Evans, $120,000

N. 5^th St., 3205: D. Schade to J. Rodriguez & I. Ramos, $105,000

Paxton St., 1630: S. Selimovic to C. Bruno, $33,000

Penn St., 1701: J. Allen to J. Chrisemer, $130,400

Penn St., 1927: WCI Partners LP to A. Griffith, $135,000

Pennwood Rd., 3120: J. Mohler & J. Suter to C. Brubaker, $133,000

Pine St., 116: Metro Bank Property Management Inc. to River and Pine LLC, $1,200,000

Pine St., 124 and 111 Barbara St.: Keystone Service Systems to River and Pine LLC, $1,000,000

Reily St., 209: J. Pamula to E. Fry, $137,000

Rudy Rd., 2459: J. Archie to A. Burno, $46,500

Rumson Rd., 2920: W. Quezada & M. Cedeno to W. & D. Illanes, $30,000

S. 13^th St., 348: R. Eisner & T. Lippi to M. Ortega, $47,500

S. 16^th St., 340: B. & R. Van Wyk to C. Okegue, $94,900

S. 24^th St., 608: R. Lawson to D. & A. Hoyt, $145,000

S. Cameron St., 1058: JWM Associates LP to MSJC Inc., $268,000

S. Front St., 711 & Hanna St., L2A, L3A: P. Moore to S. & D. Moffett, $193,000

State St., 1342: M. Lamereaux to R. Miles, $43,000

State St., 1410: R. & A. Sharp to S. Kochis, $78,000

State St., 1626: Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. Trustee to Harrisburg Homes Investment LLC, $34,344

State St., 1800 & 1802: CNC Realty Group LLC to Harrisburg Electricians Joint Apprenticeship & Training Trust Fund, $400,000

Swatara St., 1947: N. Williams to M. & T. Price & J. Seigle, $99,900

Verbeke St., 202: D. Michael to B. Hamilton, $96,000

Verbeke St., 234: J. Dixon to M. & M. Mumper, $178,000

Woodbine St., 226: Bank of New York Mellon Trustee to Axxess Creations LLC, $41,900

Another Loss: Long-time owner gets OK to demo 2 blighted buildings in downtown Harrisburg

July 3, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

HARB last night gave permission to raze these two buildings in downtown Harrisburg.

Another slice of historic Harrisburg seems fated for the wrecking ball, as a long-time property owner has received permission to raze two small downtown buildings.

By a 4-1 count, the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board (HARB) last night voted to allow retired area attorney Gilbert Petrina to demolish 512 and 514 N. 2^nd St., a commercial building and an apartment building, respectively, that he has owned for at least 35 years.

Petrina’s son, Gilbert Petrina Jr., attended the meeting, saying that his father, who is in his 80s, was too ill to attend.

The younger Petrina told the board that he and his father wished to tear down the buildings, following receipt of a city condemnation notice for the long-vacant properties.

“My goal is to get these down as quickly as possible,” Petrina said. “They’re a blight. They’re a hazard.”

Several board members pointed out that the properties were blighted only because they had been neglected for so long by the owner.

“I’m disappointed the properties have reached this point,” said member Jeremiah Chamberlin. “Ten years ago, they would have been restorable.”

Chamberlin, who lives nearby, pointed out that, over the years, several people had tried to buy the buildings in order to save them, but Petrina was not responsive to those overtures.

“I don’t know why my dad held onto them,” the younger Petrina said.

Indeed, the buildings are in terrible shape, with broken windows, boarded-up back ends and a distinct lean.

Attorney Jeffrey Clark, who owns the building next door, said he fears the buildings could collapse, damaging his property.

“The building is a complete blight,” he said of 512 N. 2^nd St., a late 19^th-century, two-story, 1,500-square-foot commercial building. “It’s a fire hazard, it’s a safety hazard, and it’s an aesthetic nightmare.”

The second property, a three-story, circa-1920 apartment building, larger at about 2,000 square feet, seems to be in slightly better condition.

Petrina said that, someday, he’d like to build a new structure on the site. Until then, he proposed using the lots for parking and said that he already had interest from the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, which occupies the historic Gannett Fleming building on the opposite corner. He said he hoped that parking revenue would help offset the cost of the demolition.

That proposal led to pushback from both residents and the city.

Several members of the neighborhood group, Capitol Area Neighbors, were in attendance, and they objected to any proposal for another surface parking lot.

“When we get more temporary parking, people get used to it and keep it as temporary parking,” said member Kathy Speaker MacNett. “I don’t want more property to become parking.”

Assistant city Solicitor Tiffanie Baldock said the city could not allow additional commercial parking in that area anyway because doing so would violate its agreement with Park Harrisburg/SP+, which runs the parking system under a long-term lease with the city.

“From the city’s position, a temporary parking lot would not be possible,” she said.

Nonetheless, Petrina, who lives in Virginia, said he still would proceed with the demolition and reiterated that, someday, he hoped to build on the site, though he lacks a plan to do so. He said that he wanted to start demolition as quickly as possible and told his engineer, who attended the meeting, to solicit bids.

“I just need it down flat, and we can go forward from there,” he said.

Fixing History: You bought an old Harrisburg house. Now what?

March 30, 2018 | by M. Diane McCormick

Before and after: Justin and Erin Heinly’s house in Midtown Harrisburg.

Ah, spring.

Since recently installing replacement windows in their studio, the staff at Harrisburg-based GK Visual can finally fling open the sashes and breathe in the warm, fresh air. That’s a big improvement over last year.

“We couldn’t even open them without the fear of them falling out,” said Nate Kresge, co-owner of the boutique production company in the city’s Fox Ridge Municipal Historic District.

Old-house owners love “charm.” Businesses choose vintage buildings for the “character.” But synonyms for “charm” and “character” can include “pain in the rear” and “money pit.”

Take heart, old-home owners. The universe is finally spinning your way. Even owners of properties in historic districts now have modern options. Renovating your charmer will never be cheap, but with today’s technology, your options are broader than ever.

Extra Detail

Harrisburg has six historic districts, where exterior renovations require approval for materials and design that align with the neighborhood’s character.

Justin Heinly lives in one of those districts—Olde Uptown.

Heinly and his wife, Erin, bought a Victorian-era, Benjamin Engle-designed rowhome that “fell victim to the crash of ’08,” he said. Previous owners had gutted the interior and were drawing city disfavor by painting the brick exterior a garish red.

“The insides were okay, but the outside needed so much work,” Heinly said. “The garage was falling in on itself. The city was worried that no one would ever want to buy that house.”

In these historic districts, which also include Old Harrisburg, Allison Hill, Shipoke, Midtown and Fox Ridge, many exterior renovations or alterations that need a building permit also require a “Certificate of Appropriateness.” The standards preserve “evidence of craftsmanship, history, culture, those kinds of things that give an identity to a community,” said Harrisburg Planning Bureau Director Geoffrey Knight.

Not every alteration requires a COA or presentation to the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board, known as HARB. But, if you live in a historic district and changes are visible to a passerby, there’s a good chance that they will need one or both.

HARB hews to the U.S. Interior Department’s standards for rehabbing historic buildings, stressing retention and repair over replacement. Any new materials should match the old in “design, color, texture and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials.” Color choices are not HARB-regulated, but out-of-step tones are “strongly discouraged,” according to the city “Historic District Design and Preservation Guide.”

Though some people may find the process intimidating, Heinly described it as “pretty straightforward.”

“I put in an application a month before the [HARB] meeting,” he said. “I detailed what we were doing. I’m an engineer by trade. I always add extra detail.”

His application to replace the front door, install new windows, rebuild the double-deck porch, add a deck, and make the garage more user-friendly met no resistance.

“I believe they only asked that any wood surfaces be painted,” he said. “I don’t think there were any other alterations to the plan.”

Timeless

Some of us may remember the Con-Tact paper our moms plastered to the kitchen cabinets, which, decades ago, was about the most realistic faux wood around. Fortunately, much progress has been made since then for wood replacement.

“If something’s made of wood, it’s subject to rot and insects,” said Jim Mirando, Jr., president of Lemoyne-based Excel Interior Concepts. “There are definitely some new materials out there that have the same look.”

Of course, wood remains an excellent option for siding and windows—historically accurate, strong and durable, as long as it’s painted regularly. But with advances in technology, HARB has added low-maintenance, energy-efficient, modern products to its list of materials that win the COA through administrative approval. These include:

Azek trims and decking, which come in different colors and textures and can be milled to spec.
Hardie board, fiber cement siding that’s weather resistant and comes in an array of colors and styles.
Renewal by Andersen’s Fibrex composite of reclaimed wood material and PVC polymer, which is energy efficient and paintable.

“They’re constantly coming out with more profiles that look historic,” Mirando said. “They’re trying to make things that would be appropriate and look authentic. They look timeless.”

Many homeowners encounter non-historic alterations by prior owners. Knight and HARB are not inclined to give the “in-kind” label to changes made in later years without their approval—surreptitiously installed vinyl windows, for instance. But if modern replications of historic materials can revive a look that’s been long covered—think Hardie board replacing the wood rotting behind Insul-brick—then the COA could win administrative approval without needing to go to HARB.

“That’s bringing the property back to a more historically contextual appearance, while using a more modern material as a replacement for something that was neither historic nor a good material in the first place,” Knight said.

When it comes to brick and stone, preservation through proper inspections and maintenance is the first line of defense. When repointing is needed, it’s important to match the previous look and to contract with a mason experienced in historic work, as old brick demands softer mortar than those typically used today. Never paint unpainted brick. Brick needs to breathe, and freeze-and-thaw cycles can cause damage.

Like the Original

Windows are the great bugaboo of old homes. They can be cranky and drafty, and even replacing with vinyl takes a hit on the pocketbook. Factor in new wood or composite windows, and the budget may jump by 25 percent or more.

GK Visual replaced “close to 20” windows in its Rose Street studio, said Kresge.

“It’s not cheap, that’s for sure, but our energy bills are so much lower than they had been,” he said. “The amount of money we’d spend on heating was just insane.”

Old houses rarely conform to standard window sizes, but jiggering with window openings to fit off-the-shelf replacements is a big HARB no-no. Crooked old houses usually need custom-fitted windows, said Linda Johnston, general manager of Mechanicsburg-based Renewal by Andersen Central PA.

“The custom fit goes not only to visual accuracy but also energy efficiency,” she said. “We want our window to fit right to the frame.”

Custom windows can accommodate historic windowpane styles, whether they’re classic six-over-six or unusual diamond insets. Curves and bay windows can be replicated.

“We tend to say it’s the replacement window that doesn’t look like a replacement,” said Johnston. “We try to look as much like the original.”

As for dealing with HARB, GK Visual left that in the hands of Renewal by Andersen, which offers the service of applying for building permits and COAs. The company “worked hard” to get administrative approval for Fibrex, said Johnston.

“We go to the HARB meeting, but we don’t go as often as we used to,” she said. “We get automatic approval.”

And How Much?

Living in an historic district has many benefits—charm, walkability, an authentic neighborhood vibe—but these often come at a price.

“Things do tend to cost a little more,” Mirando said.

Fortunately, companies have taken measures to try to ease the pain. For instance, contractors offer budget plans with a range of finance options.

Renewal by Andersen’s same-as-cash is a popular choice for stretching out payments without interest. Low-interest plans are available. Many homeowners phase in their projects, prioritizing the worst rooms or the spaces where they spend the most time, Johnston said.

HARB also has a role to play in making sure that renovation remains affordable to people living in an historic district, Heinly said.

“What they do for the city is very important,” he said. “That has to be balanced with ensuring that the individuals who perform maintenance on their house can do it economically, so we can compete with surrounding areas. We want people to invest in Harrisburg over Lemoyne and other areas that do have historic buildings.”

Knight hopes a new historic preservation specialist will address the resource question and improve recordkeeping, maybe linking the interactive GIS map with all HARB cases on a specific property, or updating historic documentation.

“Historic resources are a real advantage the city of Harrisburg has over the surrounding suburbs when you’re looking to get businesses or residents here,” Knight said. “People look for that. People want that kind of character.”

Still, he added, HARB seeks input on new materials that suit historic preservation.

“You also can’t freeze a city in amber,” Knight said. “You need to be able to change and adapt and grow.”

Heinly sees more painting and lighting projects in his future. He hopes to hit the workshop and make copies of a lone surviving piece of porch trim. The work is worth it, he said. He and his wife, new parents of a baby boy, installed a stairway replacement brick engraved, “Home again, 2014.”

“We took a house from a house, and we returned it back into a home where people could live and families could be raised,” he said.

Pondering Your Reno

So, you want (or need) to renovate in one of Harrisburg’s historic districts? Here are a few tips before embarking on your project.

Visit www.harrisburgpa.gov/bureau-of-planning to find out if you live in a Municipal Historic District. Enter your address and a color-coded map will pop up, showing your status.
Reach out to the city Planning Bureau in advance. Read the city’s “Historic District Design and Preservation Guide” (to find it, Google the title and “Harrisburg”).
Historic Harrisburg Association (historicharrisburg.com) offers periodic seminars on restoration issues.
Scrounge around architectural salvage stores, including Harrisburg ReStore and Olde Good Things in Scranton. “You’ve got to be prepared,” said homeowner Justin Heinly. “We were looking for doors at Olde Good Things, and a squirrel popped out.”
Visit the U.S. Department of Interior’s site on standards, www.nps.gov/tps/standards/rehabilitation.htm.

Old Bar, New Life: Take a quick peak into The Speakeasy.

April 15, 2012 | by Lawrance Binda

Come May, a venerable Harrisburg watering hole is set to open with a new owner, look and name.

Adam Sturges said he expected to finalize the purchase of Garrason’s Tavern by the tail-end of March, renaming it The Speakeasy. A four-to-five week renovation will follow.

“There is much work I want to do,” Sturges said. “That building has a lot of history, so we want to bring it back to what it once was.”

Last month, the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board (HARB) granted unanimous approval for Sturges to make a number of property improvements, most notably returning the facade of the circa-1870 building to its historical state by removing the dingy, non-conforming plywood and plexiglass enclosure at the entranceway.

Sturges also plans to install an L-shaped awning on the south and west sides of the building, install a wrought iron handrail in front of the entrance, remove glass-block windows with plate glass windows, repair and replace brick masonry around the openings and repaint the brick facade and trimwork.

The 4,000-square-foot interior also would be completely renovated, Sturges said, with new floors, ceilings, a bar and tables.

Sturges plans an American-style menu, offering high-quality dining at reasonable prices. He said he will open the space for lunch to serve the large population of government workers across the street.

Originally, Sturges, long-time manager of McGrath’s Pub downtown, hoped to open The Speakeasy in November, but the lengthy bankruptcy of the previous owner, Hollywood Restaurant Group, delayed the process.

According to U.S. Bankruptcy Court records, Hollywood Restaurant Group, owned by Rob Fogleman since 2008, entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2011. Fogleman closed Garrason’s located at 400 Forster St., in December.

Before he can open, Sturges has to get one additional approval from HARB, which still must endorse his outside signage.

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