Tag Archives: Harrisburg City Council

Wanda Williams elected Harrisburg mayor, beats back write-in challenge

November 2, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley

Wanda Williams speaks after declaring victory in the Harrisburg mayor’s race.

Wanda Williams will be the next mayor of Harrisburg, as the current City Council president handily beat back a write-in challenge from the incumbent mayor.

With all precincts reporting, Williams, the Democratic nominee, received 4,402 votes compared to 1,911 votes for “write-in candidate 1,” who is presumed to be two-term Mayor Eric Papenfuse. Republican candidate Timothy Rowbottom received 465 votes.

The vote tallies will need to be updated as the remainder of the mail-in ballots filter into the Dauphin County elections bureau.

At an election celebration in Uptown Harrisburg, Williams promised to be a “visible leader,” implicitly contrasting her style with that of Papenfuse.

“The residents of Harrisburg finally have an authentic leader, and that’s me,” she said, before a crowd of cheering supporters. “[A person] who’s rooted in the community and is going to take input from the community.”

Williams and Papenfuse also competed in May in a crowded, five-candidate Democratic primary, with Papenfuse losing the nomination for a third term by just 46 votes.

In mid-September, he declared that he would run as a write-in and has spent the past six weeks campaigning aggressively and trying to educate voters how to cast a write-in vote for him.

Williams, who has served on City Council for four terms, the last two as president, ran a comparatively low-key campaign. She will take office in early January.

In the meantime, she said that her first priorities are to hire staff, speak with city residents over how to best spend federal pandemic relief money and confer with City Council members.

“It feels wonderful,” Williams said, following her victory. “I want to get in there and get started.”

In the race for Harrisburg City Council, four Democrats won after running unopposed for four, four-year seats. They are council veterans Ausha Green and Shamaine Daniels and newcomers Ralph Rodriguez and Jocelyn Rawls.

For city school board, Democrats Brian Carter, Danielle Robinson, Roslyn Copeland and Jaime Johnsen all won four-year seats. Democrats Terricia Radcliff and Ellis R. Rick Roy won two-year seats on the board.

Running unopposed, incumbent Charlie DeBrunner will serve another term as city controller.

In Dauphin County, Republican Mary Bateman won a two-year seat for county controller, defeating Democrat Eric Epstein by a margin of 30,590 to 28,488 votes, respectively. For prothonotary, Republican incumbent Matt Krupp received 32,840 votes, defeating Democrat Anju Singh, who received 26,353 votes. Running unopposed, long-time county coroner Graham Hetrick will serve another term.

In the hotly contested race for an open judgeship on the Court of Common Pleas, Republican Jeff Engle bested Democrat La Tasha Williams by a tally of 32,940 to 26,580 votes, respectively.

This story has been updated to reflect the final results in Harrisburg and Dauphin County.

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Surf’s almost up, as Harrisburg Beach Club is set to open next week

October 29, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg Beach Club owners Adam Maust and Bryan Donovan

Summer is long over, but the Harrisburg Beach Club hopes people still want to have fun by the water as the outdoor venue is slated to open next week.

Co-owner Bryan Donovan today said that the beach club plans to open for business starting on Thursday at the point on City Island.

“We’re really excited to showcase the space,” he said. “We’ve put a lot of hard work into it, so we’re eager to show everyone what we’ve done.”

The beach club’s bar and tables are located outdoors, on the banks of the Susquehanna River and just outside the city’s historic bathhouse.

The century-old bathhouse, which had been shuttered for decades, is also part of the project. Before it could re-open to the public, the Tudor-style structure required extensive restoration, including renovating the first-floor bathrooms and changing areas.

The owners also made improvements to the outdoor space, including lighting, landscaping and construction of a large bar.

Harrisburg’s historic bathhouse, now part of the Harrisburg Beach Club

Donovan and co-owner Adam Maust announced their venture in late May, hoping to open in early July. However, various delays pushed the opening into early November.

Donovan said that they’re not too disappointed with the mid-autumn opening. To stave off the cold, they plan to deploy propane heaters and propane fire pits throughout the winter months. They also plan to add heat to the currently unheated first floor of the bathhouse, which will allow them to turn the changing rooms, unused during the winter, into an indoor gathering spot.

“It will be a challenge to battle the cold weather,” he said. “But we believe that getting the inside buttoned up will provide an opportunity for us.”

The main bar area of the Harrisburg Beach Club

Over the winter, the owners hope to attract patrons with food trucks, live music and special events. Longer-term, they expect to feature winter sports, such as ice-skating and ice curling.

The beach club is renting the bathhouse from the city. Over the past few months, some city residents have complained to City Council about the deal, objecting that the administration did not issue a request for proposals (RFP) for the space.

A renovated changing room inside the bathhouse

City Solicitor Neil Grover has stated that the city had the right to lease the space without an RFP or the explicit assent of council. Donovan said that their attorneys and financial professionals extensively reviewed all agreements to ensure legality.

In order to serve alcoholic beverages, the beach club will employ a satellite liquor license from Hidden Still Spirits, a Hershey-based distillery, which will provide liquors for the venue. The beach club also plans to offer beer and wine from PA-based producers, as well as coffee from Harrisburg-based Good Brotha’s. The bar features a 10-tap system, Donovan said.

He added that he hopes the beach club will benefit City Island, as well, adding a new attraction, especially during the cold-weather months.

“It will be a clean, casual, low-key touristy-type spot,” Donovan said. “Ideally, we would like to see the island become a 365-day-a-year destination for the community and for tourism.”

Once the Harrisburg Beach Club opens next week, regular hours will be Thursday and Friday, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Harrisburg Beach Club is located at the point of City Island, Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.harrisburgbeachclub.com.

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Harrisburg’s Walnut Street will receive additional name to honor Black historical figure

October 13, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Walnut Street

A downtown Harrisburg street will get a new name to recognize Black history in the city.

At a legislative session on Tuesday night, City Council unanimously approved a resolution to designate a section of Walnut Street as T. Morris Chester Way.

“I think it’s important that we recognize and highlight the contributions of African Americans in the city of Harrisburg and what we’ve done to improve Harrisburg despite the odds,” council member Westburn Majors said.

The idea was brought to council by the IIPT Harrisburg Peace Promenade, which is responsible for the recent installation of the Commonwealth Monument on 4^th and Walnut streets.

According to the Commonwealth Monument Project, Chester was a prominent figure in Harrisburg history during the 1860s. He was a lawyer, soldier and the only Black war correspondent during the Civil War.

Chester is also recognized as one of the bronze figures in the Commonwealth Monument.

Walnut Street will keep its name, but, from Commonwealth Avenue to Front Street, it will gain T. Morris Chester Way as a second name. This will allow addresses to remain the same and avoid confusion, city Engineer Wayne Martin explained to council at a previous meeting.

Lenwood Sloan of the Peace Promenade and executive director of the Monument Project said that the name “would concretize our designation as a national heritage site.” It will help create a pathway that connects several of the group’s African American history memorial sites, which include the Commonwealth Monument and the Bethel Heritage Trail, which commemorates the Bethel AME church in Harrisburg, he said.

Sloan also emphasized the partnership between the Peace Promenade and the Dauphin County Library System. Recently, McCormick Riverfront Library officials announced a building expansion project that includes creating a T. Morris Chester Welcome Center. Sloan said that the library also provided space for the organization to utilize as its meeting place.

The naming of T. Morris Chester Way, he said, will bring all of these sites together.

Harrisburg has given city streets surnames in the past, explained Martin, naming Mary Sachs Way, on N. 3^rd Street, and Dennis Green Way, the 1100 through 1300 blocks of Walnut Street, as examples.

He added that the renaming comes just as the city is moving forward with its East-West Multimodal Connection Project, which will include construction and resurfacing on Walnut Street, from 5^th to Front streets. Martin expects construction to begin next year.

“I think it’d be a perfect opportunity to tie all of these projects together,” he said.

For more information on the Commonwealth Monument Project, visit their website.

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Harrisburg mayor makes appointments to police advisory board

October 4, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Anthony Burnett and Autumn Cooper

Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced two appointments for Harrisburg’s citizen’s law enforcement advisory committee, a new board designed to focus on police accountability.

At a press conference on Monday, he introduced residents Autumn Cooper and Anthony Burnett as potential board members.

The committee was approved by City Council in November 2020, after residents submitted comments at numerous meetings and town halls. In the end, all council members, except for council President Wanda Williams, voted in favor of the board.

Members of the board will “act as both a voice for the community, as a means of oversight for the police department, but also as a means of fostering dialogue,” Papenfuse said.

The board is designed to have nine members in total. It will begin with seven members, two appointed by the mayor and five by city council. Each of those appointees is required to be from a different policing district in the city. That group will then vote to add two more board members from the city at large.

Council has not yet made any appointments to the board.

Cooper is from the Uptown neighborhood, and Burnett is from Allison Hill, Papenfuse said. They are both Harrisburg natives.

Cooper has a master’s degree in business administration from Lincoln University and is working on her doctorate in business administration and management. According to Papenfuse, she is an advocate for education and literacy in the community and volunteers with the American Literacy Corporation for the Reading 365 Program.

“I’m honored by the opportunity to not only serve, but to serve as a liaison and advocate, and working to build and foster positive relationships between the Harrisburg Police Bureau and the community,” she said.

Burnett graduated from Harrisburg High School and works with the city’s department of parks and recreation as a coach. He also has experience working with the Police Athletic League (PAL).

City Council will need to approve both of Papenfuse’s appointments.

“I’m hoping these two appointments will inspire council to make theirs,” Papenfuse said. “We need to put this board in place now.”

In response, council member Ausha Green, chair of council’s public safety committee, said that council has been accepting applications and that she didn’t know that Papenfuse would make his appointments today.

“We had no idea that he was appointing anyone until we saw it come down, then he had a press conference,” she said. “So, I found out when you found out. It was an interesting political process.”

This story has been updated to include comments from council member Ausha Green.

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City administration makes case for debt restructuring to Harrisburg’s financial oversight board

September 23, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

The Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority for Harrisburg at Wednesday’s meeting

The city administration took its case for a proposed debt refinancing to Harrisburg’s state-appointed financial oversight body on Wednesday, stating that time was running short to finalize an agreement.

Harrisburg’s financial advisor, Dan Connelly, told members of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA) that the city must complete a planned debt restructuring by Dec. 31, when a deal negotiated with the city’s bond insurer, Ambac Assurance Corp., expires.

In a lengthy presentation, Connelly outlined various fiscal scenarios, three of which included a refinancing and three that did not include a refinancing. He emphatically stated that refinancing the city’s debt and paying it back over time made the most sense, especially when compared to paying off the bonds with cash on hand.

“Doing the Ambac deal results in less cost than foregoing the deal on virtually any scenario,” he told ICA members.

In early June, the administration introduced legislation that would allow Harrisburg to settle debt associated with the 2005 renovation of the city-owned minor league baseball stadium on City Island, as well as refinance debt incurred when the city defaulted on general obligation bonds in 2012, in the midst of the city’s financial crisis.

According to this restructuring deal, the city would retire the remaining stadium debt of about $5 million. Ambac then would offer the city an immediate discount on its remaining debt load, reducing it by up to $3.3 million, an amount dependent upon how much money the city pre-pays.

Under the deal, Ambac also would lower the city’s interest rate from 6.75% to 5% for up to three years on its remaining debt of about $25 million. According to Mayor Eric Papenfuse, another refinancing next year could lower the city’s interest rate further to the 3% to 3.5% range.

Under the proposed deal, remaining debt would be retired over 10 years.

“All that evaporates if we don’t do the deal by Dec. 31,” Papenfuse, who was not at the ICA meeting, said separately. “We still have to pay off all the debt, but we don’t get any of the benefit.”

However, several City Council members have balked at this agreement with Ambac, and council, so far, has not held a hearing on it. Instead, council leaders, including President Wanda Williams, have said that they prefer to use the city’s substantial savings to pay off the debt in full.

As of June 30, the city had a fund balance of $41.7 million, savings accumulated as the city has underspent its budget for successive years. Recently, city Controller Charlie DeBrunner told council that he expects the city to end 2021 with a fund balance of about $34 million.

On Wednesday, however, Connelly told the ICA that the city does not have sufficient money in the bank to pay off the debt.

Citing upcoming bond payments, capital expenditures and other expenses, he said that a debt repayment from available cash would deplete the city’s coffers and, in fact, would plunge the city into deficit, making it unable to pay its bills.

Notably, Harrisburg and the ICA have already provided for a debt refinancing as part of its five-year financial plan for the city.

“We think the plan going forward is basically the approach that it is outlined in the five-year plan,” Connelly said.

At the meeting, several ICA members urged the administration to cooperate with other decision-makers, such as City Council, in reaching an agreement.

“I would love to leave you with a politely worded urge to have a sense of urgency in engaging with all interested parties to make sure that a plan that everyone can sign off on is acceptable so it can be executed,” said ICA vice-chair Ralph Vartan.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

September 17, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Midtown Cinema announced a change of leadership this week.

As the summer transitions into the fall, changing leaves and temperatures are just around the corner. Many of this week’s stories fall under the theme of change, as well, whether it be around perspective, leadership or development in Harrisburg. Read all of our coverage, listed and linked, below.

Bob’s Art Blog highlights two art exhibits in Harrisburg with spiritual themes. St. Stephen’s Riverfront Gallery is showing “De-Colonizing Christ,” and artist Kelly Curran’s exhibit, entitled “Purify,” is on display at the Millworks.

Charlie DeBrunner, Harrisburg’s controller, said that the city should end the year with enough money in the bank to pay off its accumulated debt, our reporting found. Appearing before City Council this week, he told council members that his office projects a $34 million fund balance by year-end, which could be enough to pay off the city’s bonds, he said.

The Foundation for Enhancing Communities will celebrate its centennial this year by welcoming several awardees of a local scholarship back to Harrisburg to demonstrate musically how well they’ve used the money. They will put on a free concert this month, our magazine story reported.

“The Hand that Holds the Quill” is a play that puts the spotlight on Jacob Shallus, who penned the original copy of the U.S. Constitution. Our magazine article tells the story of how Mechanicsburg playwright Cindy Rock Dlugolecki found out that she is related to Shallus and decided to tell his story.

The Harrisburg Book Festival will return this year with in-person and virtual activities, our online story reported. From Oct. 6 to 10, Midtown Scholar Bookstore will host a discounted book sale, as well as virtual author events.

Harrisburg-area developers have proposed a five-story, mixed-use building for downtown Harrisburg, our online story reported. This would require demolition of two derelict structures now at 512-514 N. 2^nd St.

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse declared this week that he is running as a write-in candidate in the November general election, our online story reported. He stated that he decided to run for a third term, despite losing the Democratic primary in May, based on his track record of fiscal management and rebuilding the capacity of city government.

Harrisburg City Council passed a resolution that will begin the process of updating the city’s decades-old IT system, our reporting found. Over the next two years, Texas-based Tyler Technologies will phase in a new computer system.

Home sales in the Harrisburg area declined a bit in August, but prices increased considerably, our reporting found. Sales dropped to 810 housing units compared to 866 last year, but the median sales price rose by 9.3% to $235,000, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

Midtown Cinema has new oversight as former director Adam Porter has stepped down to focus on his business StartUp Harrisburg, our reporting found. Porter is replaced by Rachel Landon of Open Stage Theatre as the general manager and Stacey Werner as assistant manager.

Nyeusi Gallery opened this past weekend in Midtown Harrisburg. Our magazine article tells the story behind the gallery that seeks to showcase Black art.

Otto Banks, was named by Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse as the new economic development director, our online story reported. Banks, a former U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development official, ran for the Democratic nomination for mayor against Papenfuse in the primary election.

Sara Bozich released her Weekend Roundup that’s full of fall activities for those ready for the cooler season ahead.

Sprocket Mural Works recently finished creating a pocket park in Patrick Alley in Midtown Harrisburg. Our magazine story outlines this unique project, which included a bright, floral mural with an environmental message behind it.

Wanda Williams, Harrisburg’s Democratic nominee for mayor and City Council president, announced this week that she is gearing up her campaign for the election, our online story reported. Williams said she will re-initiate her campaign by “month’s end,” following a mourning period for her mother.

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Harrisburg controller says city could repay bonds early, contradicting mayor

September 17, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

A screen shot of Harrisburg Controller Charlie DeBrunner during this week’s City Council meeting

Harrisburg should end the year with enough money in the bank to pay off its accumulated debt, according to a key city official.

Appearing before City Council this week, Controller Charlie DeBrunner told council members that his office projects a $34 million fund balance by year-end, which could be enough to pay off the city’s bonds, he said.

“I think it’s pretty clear that we can if this holds up,” DeBrunner said. “We’re not in the administration, so we can only see what’s happened, not what’s going to happen. We don’t have a crystal ball that the finance people and the mayor do.”

In contrast, Mayor Eric Papenfuse has repeatedly stated that the city does not have enough savings to pay off about $25 million in debt, plus settle ongoing city expenses and retain an adequate reserve fund of $11 million to $13 million. He’s also said that, with a healthy fund balance, the city would regain a credit rating and be able to re-enter the bond markets for the first time since defaulting on its debt a decade ago.

For months, Papenfuse has criticized council for refusing to act on his proposed bond refinancing, introduced in early June, which would significantly reduce the city’s general obligation bond interest rate, which currently stands at 6.75%.

Council President Wanda Williams and other council members have said that they want to use the city’s savings to pay off the debt all at once, as opposed to refinancing it.

DeBrunner told council members this week that, by paying off the debt early, the city could save some $14 million in accumulated interest over a planned 10-year repayment period.

The Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, a body created by the commonwealth to help oversee Harrisburg’s finances, has urged the administration and council to meet to resolve their differences over financial data and to reach an agreement on a path forward. As of late last month, the two sides had not yet met.

Papenfuse has said that he welcomes alternatives to his refinancing plan, but council has not formally introduced legislation to pay off the debt in part or in full.

“I’m open to ideas,” he told TheBurg previously. “I haven’t seen anything on their part.”

Papenfuse this week said that, if council had acted in June, the refinancing could have been completed already, with the interest rate cut in half to the financial benefit of the city.

DeBrunner said that another bond payment is slated for January, so council could wait until then to see exactly how much savings the city has before making a decision on whether or not to pay off the debt.

The good news is . . . we don‘t have to do anything until we know,” he said. “We don’t have to pay any money until January 2022, so we’ll know exactly what we have then.”

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Democratic mayoral nominee Williams vows to re-initiate campaign, following grieving period

September 17, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

Wanda Williams speaks to the press on the night of the Democratic primary in May.

Harrisburg’s Democratic nominee for mayor says that she’s gearing up for the November general election, stating that her “campaign team is moving forward.”

In a statement released on Thursday night, Wanda Williams, currently president of City Council, said that she will re-initiate her campaign by “month’s end,” following a mourning period for her mother, Patricia Dockens.

“Since her funeral, just last week, we have worked as a family to persevere through this sudden tragedy,” Williams wrote in a press statement. “As anyone who has suffered the sudden loss of a parent knows, the mourning process won’t be easy or immediate, so your continued prayers of support are greatly appreciated.”

She then directly addressed the entry of current Mayor Eric Papenfuse into the race. On Wednesday, Papenfuse declared that he would run as a write-in candidate, having lost May’s Democratic primary election by 46 votes to Williams in a five-person race.

In her statement, Williams said that she was surprised by Papenfuse’s reaction in the months following the election, as he called her to concede on the night of the primary. Since then, he’s been increasingly critical of her and has cited concerns about her becoming mayor as a major reason for his write-in campaign.

Over the past few months, Papenfuse and Williams have clashed over such matters as a planned refinancing of city debt and the distribution of federal pandemic relief dollars, with each accusing the other of not returning calls and refusing to cooperate.

“The recent remarks made by the current mayor are in stark contrast to the sentiment of encouragement that was made to me when he conceded on May 18 after losing the primary election,” she wrote. “In fact, he was on the record in communicating his full support of my ability to lead the city of Harrisburg into the future and made several requests to be integrated on my transition team.”

The general election is slated for Nov. 2, though Dauphin County is expected soon to begin to distribute mail-in ballots. A Republican, Timothy Rowbottom, will also be on the ballot.

Williams’ entire statement follows:

First, I would like to take a moment to thank all the residents of Harrisburg, including many lifelong friends, and family for their outpouring of love, warm thoughts and condolences for the recent loss of my mother, Patricia Dockens. She inspired my commitment to the community and was a pillar whose example I’ve tried to emulate every day of my life. Since her funeral, just last week, we have worked as a family to persevere through this sudden tragedy. As anyone who has suffered the sudden loss of a parent knows, the mourning process won’t be easy or immediate, so your continued prayers of support are greatly appreciated. I look forward to resuming our campaign activities by month’s end.

The headlines have been intense over the past week and it’s important to me that I address the community with a balanced response.

The recent remarks made by the current mayor are in stark contrast to the sentiment of encouragement that was made to me when he conceded on May 18th after losing the primary election. In fact, he was on the record in communicating his full support of my ability to lead the City of Harrisburg into the future and made several requests to be integrated on my transition team. His absence throughout most of his term of office as an essential no-show was only exacerbated after the primary loss. Since his concession and offer to support my leadership, he has consistently obfuscated his responsibility as mayor leaving the City without leadership on the second floor. Now, when he should be supporting a smooth transition, he’s rushing to refinance bonds, spend down federal relief dollars and hire critical positions in the waning weeks of this administration with no regard for the sustained needs of the City.

Mr. Papenfuse is legally able to attempt a write-in campaign, however, I was hopeful that his voice of support would be one that I could count on when he shared his commitment to me as the only Democratic candidate.

Our campaign team is moving forward, and we are grateful for the endorsement from the Dauphin County Democrats, under the leadership of Chairwoman Rogette Harris, as well as the support of many of the candidates for Mayor who have all conceded and expressed positive reinforcement in my ability to lead the City of Harrisburg.

Through the course of my more than 20 years in politics, I’ve seen many attempts to quell the voices of Black women. I’ve seen attempts to ensure that women in politics do not have a proper stake in the conversations that are leading this city. And I’ve committed myself through this campaign to make sure that doesn’t happen any longer. The time is now to lift the voices of our small businesses, our urban centers, our schools, our communities, heal from the COVID-19 pandemic and take this city to the next level. I’m looking forward to building a broad-based coalition of support that is going to lead this city to the future.

The residents of Harrisburg finally have an authentic leader who is rooted in the community, who’s going to take input from the community, and going to ensure that this beautiful city of ours, lives, breathes and feels like the community it wants to become and has always meant to be.

I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail very soon.

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Harrisburg to upgrade outdated IT system, improve efficiency for employees, residents

September 15, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Screenshot of Steve Zimmerman (left), an IT consultant for Harrisburg and Terry Quinn of Tyler Technologies who discussed the city’s computer upgrade on Tuesday.

Decades after it was installed, Harrisburg’s aged mainframe appears headed for the scrap heap, as the city plans a major upgrade of its municipal computer system.

City Council, at a legislative meeting on Tuesday night, passed a resolution that will start the process of phasing out the city’s existing, outdated mainframe and implementing new, more efficient IT systems.

“It’s about time,” said council vice president Ben Allatt, a sentiment echoed by other council members.

The current system is about 35 years old, according to Steve Zimmerman, a former director of information technology for Harrisburg, who will provide consulting to the city on the legacy system. The city will pay Zimmerman up to $135,000 for one year of consulting work as it transitions off the old mainframe.

The city then will use Texas-based Tyler Technologies, a software company that works in the public sector, to complete the upgrade.

Over the next two years, the tech company will introduce an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that will manage day-to-day internal activities such as accounting, budgeting, payroll, scheduling and tax billing.

Harrisburg residents may also see some benefit from the upgrade, as it impacts businesses license and dog license registration, building permits access, as well as online payments.

Tyler Technologies also provides contracting for the Harrisburg School District and works with over 100 entities in the state, said Terry Quinn, senior account executive of Tyler.

The initial cost of the conversion is about $651,000 with an annual cost of $331,000, Zimmerman explained. The existing system currently costs the city $504,000 annually, he said.

In other action, council passed a resolution to continue an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with Swatara Township to allow the city to use a composting facility owned and operated by the township. The city first entered into the agreement in 2020.

Under the new contract, Harrisburg will pay the township $50,000 for the services, whereas the city previously only paid $2,945.10 per year. According to Chris Nafe, Harrisburg’s sustainability coordinator, the township said that they had originally underestimated the cost of operation.

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August News Digest

July 30, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Council Approves Projects, Artifact Sale

At a final legislative meeting before taking a summer break, Harrisburg City Council last month approved two development projects.

A village of tiny homes for veterans on S. Front Street can move forward, along with a mixed-use office and apartment building on N. Cameron Street.

The tiny home village received a vote of 6-1, with council member Shamaine Daniels voting against it.

The project was proposed last year by the nonprofit Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania, which plans to build 15 tiny houses and a community center at 1103 S. Front St. to provide temporary housing and support services for homeless veterans.

At the council meeting, some residents expressed concern with the site of the project, saying that it was prone to flooding.

However, representatives with the nonprofit said that, while the area is in the floodplain, they plan to build the houses a few feet off of the ground, alleviating flooding concerns.

In a 5-2 council vote, another development proposal—converting a long-abandoned building into office and apartment space on Cameron Street—got the go-ahead. Council President Wanda Williams and council member Danielle Bowers voted in opposition.

Bowers explained that she would not vote for the project because developer Harrisburg Commercial Interiors would not commit to participating in the city’s affordable housing program.

In other council action last month, Harrisburg will move towards ending what has been a long process in dealing with artifacts purchased by former Mayor Steve Reed. In 2015, numerous collectibles and artifacts were seized from Reed’s home and storage units, many bought with public money.

Council approved a resolution to work with Cordier Auctions & Appraisals, as well as Reed’s estate, to auction off the remaining items and split the funds between the city, estate and auction company.

On the topic of Harrisburg history, council also approved the adoption of updated “Historic District Design and Preservation Guidelines,” which lay out the rules for property changes and repairs for houses in the city’s historic districts.

Council is on summer hiatus until Aug. 24.

Senior Housing Proposed

A new affordable housing initiative for seniors has been proposed in Harrisburg.

The almost $15 million “Bethel Village” would constitute the largest phase of the “Jackson Square” project at N. 6th and Herr streets, according to Ryan Sanders, co-owner of Harrisburg-based RB Development.

Along with RB Development, Paladin Development, a branch of the Harrisburg Housing Authority, Gardner Capital Development and Bethel AME Church are partners in the project.

The proposed four-story, nearly 45,000-square-foot building would be available for low-income seniors 62 years of age and older. It would provide one- and two-bedroom rental units ranging in price from $300 to $1,000 per month.

Generally, residents would pay about 30% of their income on rent, explained Ava Goldman of Gardner Capital, which specializes in providing affordable senior living. They plan to have designated units for visually and hearing impaired residents, as well.

Previously, Sanders had proposed a market-rate, mixed-use residential and commercial complex for the site.

The proposed site of the project sits on the land where the historic Bethel AME Church once stood before burning down in 1995. The lot currently contains paved parking and grassy areas.

Bethel Village developers are under contract with both Bethel AME, which owns about one-third of the proposed ¾-acre building site, and owners of the connected lots.

New Owners, Plans for Midtown Bars

Two Midtown bars once targeted for closure by Harrisburg’s mayor have been sold, with plans to create a restaurant, retail space and apartments.

Last month, restaurateur Josh Kesler bought 1400 N. 3rd St., which most recently housed the Third Street Café, and, before that, the 1400 Club and Club Wanda’s.

Kesler, who owns the Millworks in Midtown and the Watershed Pub in Camp Hill, said that he would like to open a two-floor restaurant/bar, but doesn’t yet have a firm plan for the two-story, 2,500-square-foot space.

“I want to do something cool and creative, something that adds uniqueness to the neighborhood,” said Kesler, who paid $153,000 for the building.

He expects to complete the renovation and open in 2022.

The Third Street Café has been closed since April under terms of a conditional licensing agreement between the owners and the PA Liquor Control Board. The owners since have placed the license into safekeeping, according to their attorney, Chris Wilson.

The co-owners of the Third Street Café, Anthony Paliometros and the heirs of the late Frank Karnouskos, also owned the building next door, 1402 N. 3rd St., once the home of the Taproom bar.

Sean Linder and his Bethlehem-based investment group, SJL Rentals LLC, bought that building for $231,000.

Linder said that he plans to undertake a restoration of the three-story, 4,000-square-foot building, creating five market-rate apartments with commercial space on the first floor. He also plans a small addition in the rear, which would add another 350 square feet of space.

“Midtown is obviously an up-and-coming area,” Linder said, when asked why he was interested in the building. “There’s a lot of great development going on in the city.”

Linder credited Justin Heinly of Midtown Property Management for bringing the property to his attention and mentioned that anyone interested in the first-floor retail space should contact Heinly.

He said he expects to complete the building renovation by spring 2022.

Notably, in 2015, Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse tried to revoke the business licenses of both bars, claiming that they were “nuisance bars.”

Dave Larche, then the owner of the Taproom, agreed to close his bar and later sold his building to his next-door neighbors, Paliometros and Karnouskos. For their part, Paliometros and Karnouskos repeatedly appealed the city’s business license revocation, eventually winning their case in court.

Alice Anne Schwab, the executive director of the Susquehanna Art Museum, located directly across the street from the bars, said that she looks forward to the renovations of the two buildings.

“We’re super-excited about something positive happening there,” she said. “The proposals I have heard about are really very much in keeping with businesses that are above board and operate with the public interest in mind.”

Kesler said that, in part, he was motivated to make the purchase in order to add to the growing vibrancy of the Midtown commercial district on 3rd Street, where numerous small businesses have opened recently.

Linder added that he also wanted to ensure that the block retained its architectural character.

“For years, they just let their beautiful buildings deteriorate,” he said. “There’s so much historical integrity there that needs to be preserved.”

Business Grant Program

Through a local grant program, some Harrisburg businesses have a chance at receiving financial support.

Impact Harrisburg last month rolled out its “Making an Impact” funding to benefit projects that impact the city economically.

“We can affirm that access to our funding has been a benefit to the economic structure and overall wellbeing of our community,” said Gloria Martin-Roberts, board chair of Impact Harrisburg.

The program will distribute $300,000 to eligible businesses and nonprofits. Eligible projects include those that wouldn’t have adequate funding otherwise and will be started immediately. Businesses must also contribute a match to the project, financial or otherwise, and have annual net revenues of $500,000 or less.

The Impact Harrisburg board plans to focus on assisting minority-owned businesses, Martin-Roberts said.

Applicants may request up to $25,000 for activities such as minor construction, building façade improvements, equipment purchases, furniture and fixture purchases, installation costs and job training, explained Sheila Dow-Ford, executive director of Impact Harrisburg.

In May 2020, Impact Harrisburg, along with the city, distributed around $1.5 million in “Neighborhood Business Stabilization” grant money to 314 small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. That program allowed businesses to utilize funds for general administrative expenses like rent, mortgage and payroll. This new round of funding cannot be used for those purposes, Dow-Ford said.

Dow-Ford described the “Making an Impact” program as “small, but mighty,” with the possibility to uplift often overlooked organizations in the city.

“This is a good news story in Harrisburg,” she said.

Home Sales, Prices Rise

Harrisburg-area home sales continued to show strength in June, in terms of both transactions and prices.

The Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR) reported that 819 housing units sold in June, compared to 530 in June 2020, while the median price rose to $228,000 from $199,900 a year ago.

Last year, the number of home sales was depressed due to the pandemic. A better comparison may be June 2019, when 850 houses sold for a median price of $190,788.

In Dauphin County, 376 homes sold in June for a median price of $209,000, versus $179,950 the previous year. In Cumberland County, 394 houses sold for a median price of $258,500, compared to $224,900 in the year-ago period, according to GHAR.

Prices also were up in Perry County, where 35 houses sold for a median price of $200,000 versus $175,900 last year.

Houses were also selling quickly. According to GHAR, the “average day on market” dropped to 16 days in the three-county area, compared to 45 days last year and 41 days the year before.

So Noted

Camp Curtin Memorial-Mitchell UMC Church has been purchased by a Harrisburg couple, Chris and Erica Bryce, for $50,000. Two years ago, the Susquehanna Methodist Conference put six churches on the market as it consolidated congregations. Chris Bryce said that he had no firm plans yet for the building, but that conversion to apartments was probable.

Dustin LeBlanc was named last month as the managing director of the West Shore Theatre in New Cumberland. In this position, LeBlanc will be responsible for most operations of the 81-year-old theater, which is set to reopen next year following a renovation.

Eric Turman last month was sworn in as the new superintendent of the Harrisburg School District. Turman, the former principal of Reading High School in Reading, replaces Chris Celmer, who served as acting superintendent until a permanent replacement was hired.

Fresh Pressed HBG held its grand opening last month at 221 N. 2nd St. in downtown Harrisburg. It’s the second location for the York-based business, which offers juices, smoothies and cleanses.

Harrisburg University last month announced “Tech ‘n Town Week,” which will feature concerts, a crypto-currency conference and the return of the e-sports tournament, the HUE Invitational, among other events. The festival takes place Sept. 19 to 25, with full information at www.harrisburgu.edu/tech-n-town-week.

H*MAC’s former owners last month were awarded $4.7 million in actual and punitive damages in a defamation lawsuit. A Dauphin County judged ruled that John Traynor and the former partnership of Bartlett, Traynor & London, which owned the Midtown Harrisburg arts and entertainment venue, were defamed by online comments that later turned out to be false.

Kipona will return next month with a live, three-day festival in Riverfront Park and on City Island, according to Harrisburg officials. The Labor Day weekend event will feature art, music, food vendors, fireworks, a beer garden and Native American cultural performances, among other activities. Due to the pandemic, much of last year’s festival was held virtually.

Trader Joe’s is slated to open its first store in central PA next year, as it repurposes about 12,500 square feet of space in the former Camp Hill Bon-Ton in Lower Allen Township. Trader Joe’s has about 500 stores in 42 states and is known for offering high-quality food products at affordable prices.

Verber Dental Group last month announced Search Dental, a $2.5 million dental facility, which will open in Silver Spring Township in April 2022. The 7,500-square-foot, 12-operatory facility is the first phase in a 3.5-acre dental campus located adjacent to Cumberland Valley High School, according to Verber.

Zachary’s BBQ & Soul opened last month as the newest restaurant concept at H*MAC in Midtown Harrisburg. Philadelphia-area chef Keith Taylor offers his take on soul food staples such as Carolina pulled pork, pulled chicken, boneless short rib, pork spare ribs and Caribbean jerk barbecue chicken, as well as some bar food favorites.

Changing Hands

Barkley Lane, 2527: D. Sharp to H. Alberto, $69,900

Bellevue Rd., 1915: J. Charles & D. Vanlee to C. Bouslama, $61,000

Benton St., 700: J. Sourbeer to SPG Capital LLC, $62,000

Berryhill St., 1506: RWH Properties LLC to RRMM Real Estate LLC, $42,000

Berryhill St., 1645: M. & M. Quinones to P. & C. Baquero, $46,100

Berryhill St., 2016 & 2020: Staley Berryhill Street Properties LLC to W. Stanley, $850,000

Berryhill St., 2146: J. Elias Holdings LLC to R. & C. Murphy, $65,000

Berryhill St., 2258: T. Baka & R. Teklit to E. Tesfamicael & L. Ghebremichael, $50,000

Boas St., 405: J. Varner & C. Fowler to H. Lewis, $185,000

Boas St., 424: C. Furlong to J. Smith, $170,000

Boas St., 1907: Ultra Renovations and Investments Inc. to T. Roebuck, $115,000

Brookwood St., 2314: E. Hager to M. Kraft, $89,000

Calder St., 118: Lynch Financial LLC to A. & W. Harvey, $190,000

Calder St., 500: R. Metzger to E. Shellenberger, $180,000

Chestnut St., 2031: K. Hassinger to N. & C. Hamani, $68,829

Conoy St., 114: W. McMartin to B. Stehle & A. Johnson, $147,500

Croydon Rd., 2854: R. Williams to G. & M. Romero, $88,000

Delaware St., 262: A. Hanlon to C. Zeger, $138,000

Delaware St., 268: F. Hamid to C. & E. Batista, $137,500

Derry St., 1441: SNL Realty Holdings LLC & Touch of Color to K. Tejada, $80,000

Derry St., 2403: Tassia Corp. to A. Lopez, $115,000

Derry St., 2529: T. Thornton to SPG Capital LLC, $65,000

Division St., 505: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $45,000

Edgewood Rd., 2307: J. Perkins to M. Bailor & S. Yann, $226,000

Emerald Ct., 2451: J. & S. Theodorou to M. Spence, $111,000

Forster St., 226: League of Women Voters Pennsylvania to J. Dubina, $88,750

Fulton St., 1409: R. Buyers to R. Davis Jr., $130,000

Green St., 710: N. Pinkston & C. Maximowicz to J. Elliott, $202,000

Green St., 916: J. Ehring to Capozzi & Ehring Realty LLC, $160,000

Green St., 1401: Hunter Properties to R. Rammouni, $80,000

Green St., 1405: A. Stouffer to C. & C. Thomas, $195,000

Green St., 1412: J. Ehring to Capozzi & Ehring Realty LLC, $150,000

Green St., 2810: Church of God of Prophecy & Christian Insight Ministry to Christian Insight Ministry, $145,000

Green St., 3208: G. Arrieta & K. King to J. Aponte & D. Torres, $235,000

Green St., 3232: B. Spangler & S. Keene to J. Jones, $155,000

Greenwood St., 2111: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $48,000

Hale Ave., 411: D. Wilson to I. Yolov, $50,000

Harris Terr., 2465: J. Davis to E. Garcia & Y. Marcucci, $35,000

Herr St., 307: B. Andreozzi to J. Varner & C. Fowler, $192,500

Herr St., 313: J. Kleinfelter to J. & M. O’Callaghan, $178,600

Holly St., 2002: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $48,000

Hummel St., 340: M. Nichols to K. Torres, $55,000

James St., 1329: V. Paredes to I. Mallouli, $85,000

Liberty St., 1610: Ivy Leaf Properties LLC & Lehman Property Management to H. Lopez, $60,000

Manada St., 2031: R. Torres to D. Perez, $120,000

Market St., 1811: HE Pressley Properties LLC to Jimruz LLC, $72,000

North St., 1711: SPG Capital LLC to P. Marte, $80,000

North St., 1842: Sunshine ABQ Real Estate Investment LLC to O. Perez, $105,000

N. 2nd St., 809: Vantage Rentals LP to A. & S. Grimes, $179,000

N. 2nd St., 1009: J. Kok to J. Flothmeier to J. Ambridge, $215,000

N. 2nd St., 1102: L. & A. Morato Lara to S. & J. Toole, $195,000

N. 2nd St., 2323: A. & A. Mathew to A. Deitrich & J. Cortez, $190,000

N. 2nd St., 2404: K. Liu to JLE Ventures 2404 LLC, $90,000

N. 3rd St., 1218, 1220 & 1222: Furlow Partners Inc. to COBA Apartments LLC, $2,800,000

N. 3rd St., 1619: T. Fridirici to J. Pronio, $187,500

N. 3rd St., 3010: Equitable Builds LLC to S. Ruiz & A. Ramirez, $212,000

N. 4th St., 1920: Tang & Perkins Property Management LLC to A. Nix, $109,000

N. 4th St., 2112: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $60,000

N. 4th St., 2215: L. & C. Sukhwinder to K. Torres, $54,000

N. 4th St., 2333: Dauphin County Property Investors LLC to I. Molina, $51,500

N. 4th St., 2448: S. Lewis to J. Graf, $100,000

N. 4th St., 2709: T. Landis to H. Fountain, $137,000

N. 5th St., 1504, 1504½, 1506, 1506½, 1508, 1508½, 1510, 1510½, 1512, 1514, 1516, 1516½, 1518; 439, 441 & 443 Boyd St.; 427, 429, 429B, 429½, 431 & 433 Kelker Alley; 1517 Fulton St.; 420, 426 & 428 Reily St. & 1515 Walker Alley: Redevelopment Authority to 400 Reily Street LLC, $81,000

N. 5th St., 1634: P. Hardy to N. Kamel, $150,000

N. 6th St., 1328: W. Zhang to M. Osborne, $170,000

N. 6th St., 2211: Curtin Heights ME Church to 608 N. Third LLC, $50,000

N. 6th St., 2612: MNK Properties LLC to C. Guerrier, $50,000

N. 6th St., 2665: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital, $48,000

N. 6th St., 2667: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $55,000

N. 6th St., 3014: C. Dixon to A. & W. Keisling, $83,500

N. 14th St., 210: PBTB Group LLC to Dreams2Reality Services LLC, $67,500

N. 16th St., 606: 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC to J. Moore, $120,700

N. 16th St., 820: Truemac Homes Trust to E. Hubbard, $123,000

N. 18th St., 802: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to B. Nevid, $119,000

N. 19th St., 706: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to L. Murrell, $40,000

N. 19th St., 1001: M. Myers to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $45,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 305: M. DiMatteo to Zinc One Texas LLC, $195,000

N. Front St., 3201: F. & W. Krevsky to Y. Duan, $310,000

Park St., 1840: T. & S. Rollason to J. Pichardo, $35,000

Penn St., 1311: A. Genre to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $75,000

Penn St., 1526: Heinly Homes LLC to H. Stevens, $190,500

Penn St., 1702: A. & D. Schade to T. Underkoffler, $175,000

Penn St., 1726: A. Hovne to C. Benedict & J. Sarji, $190,000

Penn St., 1820: Alex Manning Enterprises LLC & D. Kapil to Lancaster County Restoration LLC, $135,000

Penn St., 2334: N. Symons to T. Jackson & R. Pennypacker, $135,000

Pennwood Rd., 3204: C. Heckert to A. Daniels, $95,000

Prince St., 713: J. Mosco to Z. & A. Einhorn, $106,100

Reel St., 2618: E. Chattah to L. Ware, $88,450

Reel St., 2725: J. Louden to D. & C. Huffer, $56,000

Seneca St., 640: Kirsch & Burns LLC to B. Brown, $130,000

S. 13th St., 431: R&K Realty Group LP to Dima Properties LLC, $65,000

S. 13th St., 1413: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to 1413 S 13th St Harrisburg LLC, $116,000

S. 13th St., 1440: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $45,000

S. 13th St., 1463: J. White to D. Adams, B. Groft, E. Roy & A. Sullivan, $62,500

S. 15th St., 316: Great Row LLC to Cooperwink LLC, $42,900

S. 16th St., 16: M. Carter to NA Capital Group LLC, $35,000

S. 16th St., 524: W. Brown to J. Camacho, $46,500

S. 16th St., 1014: M. Batista to D. Cario & Y. Mercedes, $123,500

S. 19th St., 1324: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $48,000

S. 24th St., 700: C. Barna to J. Valverde, $82,000

S. 25th St., 734: G. Mathias to SPG Capital LLC, $63,000

S. 26th St., 622: M. Cain to K. Seitz, $140,000

S. 26th St., 628: R. & R. Seneca to A. Rai, $163,000

S. 27th St., 655: B. Dehning to T. Young, $99,000

Spencer St., 1855: M. Castro, B. Villalobos & R. Alexandra to M. Hoogerbrugge, $75,900

State St., 231, Unit 204: J. Montenegro to S. & Y. Yates, $130,000

Susquehanna St., 1703: R. Taylor to L. Mayton, $130,000

Susquehanna St., 1915: D. James to E. Seaman & J. Baran, $145,000

Susquehanna St., 2116: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPF Capital LLC, $48,000

Susquehanna St., 2118: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $48,000

Sycamore St., 1506: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $50,000

Verbeke St., 254: D. Bixler to R. Unger, $205,000

Verbeke St., 1327 & 1329: DC Projects LLC to Phantom Property Investments LLC, $75,000

Vernon St., 1306: Sweet Properties of Philadelphia LLC to JCAS1 LLC, $240,000

Vernon St., 1407: G. Thomas & K. Hernandez to JIMRUZ LLC, $30,000

Vineyard Rd., 212: E. Kawa to R. & J. Aronson, $222,000

Walnut St., 1610: C. Hall to J. Cherry Jr., $30,000

Zarker St., 1942: Next Generation Trust Services FBO Leon Wriole IRA to G. & L. Boone, $38,500

Harrisburg property sales for June 2021, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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