Tag Archives: Harrisburg City Council

Harrisburg Council refuses to confirm housing director; mayor says programs now threatened

October 8, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Franchon Dickinson, center, as she and Mayor Eric Papenfuse accepted a check for the city’s lead abatement program on Tuesday morning.

Harrisburg City Council on Tuesday rejected a top administration appointment, with the mayor stating that the decision imperils key city housing programs.

By a 4-2 vote, council turned down the appointment of Franchon Dickinson as the city’s new director of building and housing, the second time this year council members had refused to confirm her appointment.

Following the vote, Dickinson, who was serving as interim department director, resigned her job with the city.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse railed against the vote, saying that Dickinson’s departure endangers two critical housing programs—the annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and the city’s Lead Hazard Reduction Program.

“There is no way this can be understood as anything other than pure dysfunction on the part of City Council,” he said, following the meeting.

Council members Ben Allatt, Ausha Green, Danielle Bowers and Dave Madsen voted against the appointment, while council President Wanda Williams and Councilman Westburn Majors voted in favor. Councilwoman Shamaine Daniels was absent from the meeting.

In June, council voted 4-3 against the appointment.

Just hours earlier on Tuesday, Dickinson had hosted a city hall ceremony in which she accepted a check for $5.6 million from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to continue the city’s lead abatement program for five years.

Papenfuse said that Dickinson was fundamental in securing both CDBG funds and the federal lead abatement grant and that, without her leadership, both programs were at risk.

“This puts our HUD funding in jeopardy,” he said. “I don’t feel we’ll be able to implement that grant or even our CDBG funding right now.”

City Business Administrator Marc Woolley also condemned the council vote, saying that Dickinson proved her value by securing the lead program funds and rescuing the CDBG program following mismanagement.

After the meeting, Bowers said that she couldn’t discuss the issue, which she considered a confidential personnel matter. But she said that the next move is up to the mayor.

“I would hope that the administration and City Council can find some resolution to this issue, but it would be up to the administration to determine a next step to fill the role on an interim basis,” she said.

Harrisburg Mayor: PennDOT may be receptive to changes for proposed I-83 redesign

October 8, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Aerial view of I-83 in Harrisburg from 19th Street to the Susquehanna River. A PennDOT proposal would double the width of this segment of the highway.

The PA Department of Transportation might consider making changes to its design for the widening of I-83 that would reduce the project’s impact on the community, Harrisburg’s mayor said on Tuesday night.

At a City Council legislative session, Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that PennDOT officials seemed receptive to the preliminary findings of the city’s transportation consultants, Kittelson & Associates, during a Sept. 16 meeting.

“It was a robust discussion of Kittelson’s findings,” Papenfuse told council members.

In June, the city hired the company for $72,500 to conduct a traffic and community impact study of the commonwealth’s proposal to double the number of lanes running through the city.

The study analyzes PennDOT’s widening plan, which envisions as many as 12 lanes and new interchanges, and is determining whether alternatives exist to reduce the project’s footprint and the impact on the community.

Kittelson is expected to release its final report in December, but shared its preliminary findings during the September meeting with PennDOT, Papenfuse said.

Kittelson believes that the footprint of the project can be reduced to lessen the impact on numerous homes and businesses in south Harrisburg threatened by the expansion, and PennDOT seemed receptive to the firm’s ideas, the mayor said.

Following Tuesday night’s council meeting, city Engineer Wayne Martin explained that Kittelson is recommending reducing the size of the project from 12 to 10 lanes by eliminating two collector/distributor lanes, which are lanes that parallel and connect to the main travel lanes.

Other recommendations include redesigning the proposed 19^th Street and Paxton Streets ramps to further reduce the impact on the neighborhood.

“PennDOT is committed to doing what it can to minimize the footprint,” Papenfuse said. “It seems encouraging at this point. It’s been a good dialogue and a good discussion.”

In other meeting news, City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution to pay former Jump Street Executive Director Melissa Snyder $10,000 to serve as a consultant for one year as the city takes on organizing the annual Artsfest celebration. Council also passed a resolution applying for a grant for an extension of the “Urban Meadow” in Midtown.

Also at the meeting, Papenfuse introduced Amma Johnson as the new director of the city’s Department of Community and Economic Development and Jamal Jones as the new director of business development and LERTA administrator.

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

October 4, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

These empty lots in Harrisburg may be rezoned.

Summer quickly turned into fall this week around Harrisburg, and the news was just as varied as the weather. Throughout the week, we reported a mix of city news, community developments and events. If you didn’t have time to read our stories as they happened, now is your chance to catch up.

2^nd Street in Harrisburg has a final redevelopment plan as the city decided on the winning design for converting much of the main artery back to two-way traffic. The plan includes a turning lane and medians, but not a protected bike lane. Read the details in our news story.

Fall art season is here, and our arts writer has the lowdown on the new exhibits throughout central PA. Click here to fill up on new art shows.

Harrisburg Planning Commission gave the nod to a proposal to rezone a swath of Midtown Harrisburg. A split commission approved the proposal, which would allow larger, denser development in the area. We have the details here.

Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC announced the recipients of its 2018 Catalyst Awards. In all, eight awards will be handed out, led by Eric Darr, who will receive the Catalyst Award for his work heading up Harrisburg University. Find out who won and why here.

Harrisburg’s finances are stable, with revenue projections about in line for the first half of the year, the city reported. In other news, the city announced a major lead abatement grant and the start of leaf collection. Read up on the recent city news.

Harrisburg’s music scene gets atmospheric this month, with a number of bands heading to town emphasizing experimental and improvisational styles. As always, our music writer features the best of the best in her monthly column.

Heartshine is coming to Midtown Harrisburg, a combination of community space and pay-what-you-can restaurant. The new venture on N. 3^rd Street is slated to open, of course, on Feb. 14. Find out what it’s all about.

“Mamacha Carmen,” a new photography exhibit, opened in the Paper Lion Gallery in Lemoyne. Our visual arts writer tells us about the show and the fascinating ceremony behind it.

Sara Bozich has your plans for the first feels-like-fall weekend of the year. There may be a slight chill in the air, but it’s still plenty comfortable to get out and about for events like the 2019 Harrisburg Book Festival. Get the skinny on all your weekend activities.

TheBurg’s editor has a question for Harrisburg this month: “what’s up with that?” He takes a look at the city’s redevelopment, focusing on a key block of historic buildings in Midtown. Click here to read his October column.

TheBurg’s October issue dropped this past week, showcasing some great ideas for “fall fun,” in addition to our regular heavy does of community news and features. Pick up your copy at more than 500 locations in the area and/or visit our website.

Young conservationists are in the spotlight in TheBurg’s October issue, as we feature several environmental stewards in their teens and 20s. Meet these young people and learn about their projects by reading our feature story.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events? If not, subscribe here!

Harrisburg Planning Commission OKs zoning change for Midtown, dispensary for Allison Hill

October 3, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

This empty lot at N. 6th and Reily streets is part of the area that would be rezoned.

A Harrisburg builder is a step closer to developing in a Midtown neighborhood, as the city Planning Commission has approved a zoning change that would allow a denser, more mixed-use neighborhood.

Seven Bridges Development received approval on Wednesday night to rezone about 14 city blocks just north of the Broad Street Market. The zoning change from “residential medium neighborhood” to “commercial neighborhood” would permit greater height, density and mix of uses in the Marketplace townhouse neighborhood.

“We’ve been working on this for over a year,” said Seven Bridges attorney Christopher Rice of the Carlisle-based Martson Law Offices. “The idea is take vacant parcels and give Midtown more opportunities for residential and commercial.”

In late 2005, the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority sold 71 individual lots to State College-based S&A Homes for $1 apiece. S&A built a handful of houses then stopped, causing the authority recently to buy back the undeveloped parcels.

In late April, the authority designated Seven Bridges as the potential developer of the remaining 60 lots in the Marketplace neighborhood, and, last week, the company held a community meeting on the proposed zoning change, which attracted about 20 city residents.

At that meeting, Ian Wewer, director of development and operations for Seven Bridges, said his company would only build in the area if it received the zoning change.

“Currently, we have a proposal to change zoning more conducive to development,” he told planning commission members on Wednesday night.

An outline of the area that would be re-zoned.

A handful of Midtown residents attended the meeting, and they seemed split over the proposal.

Diana Grannison, who lives on N. 5th Street, said that she supports the zoning change if it will help her neighborhood develop, with fewer empty lots.

“I’ve been waiting 30 years for this happen,” she said. “All around me, the city has redeveloped.”

However, several residents said they were concerned about such potential impacts as tougher parking, higher taxes and rising housing costs.

Cate Rowe, representing the community group Midtown Action Council, and said that she would feel more comfortable with the proposed zoning change if Seven Bridges would release information about what it intended to do. It’s hard to know the potential effect on such areas as schools and parks without a better understanding of what the company is planning, she said.

“We really need to know more about what the impact of the zoning change will be,” she said.

Wewer said previously that his company has not finalized plans for the area.

City Planning Director Geoffrey Knight said that Seven Bridges would need to return to the planning commission to get its land use plans approved for individual projects, regardless of whether the zoning change is made.

“What’s being proposed is a zoning map amendment. It’s not an application for a development,” he said. “It will allow more development to occur by right. But it won’t exempt any new project from going through the land development process.”

In the end, the planning commission voted 4-2 in favor of the change, with commissioners Anne Marek and Ausha Green dissenting.

The proposed zoning amendment now must be approved by Harrisburg City Council, which is slated to hold a hearing on the issue during its Nov. 5 work session.

On Wednesday night, the commission also approved the land use plan for a proposed medical marijuana dispensary on Allison Hill.

By a 5-1 vote, with Green again dissenting, the commission approved an application for a new, 3,000-square-foot dispensary at 137 S. 17^th St. Last year, the state granted a dispensary license to Lehigh Valley-based Local Dispensaries LLC, which wants to build its facility on an empty lot across from Hamilton Health Center. That land use plan also must be approved by City Council.

Harrisburg Council hears that finances steady; major lead abatement grant received; leaf collection starts

October 1, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg City Council during Tuesday’s work session

The first six months of Harrisburg’s financials are in the books, and what’s the verdict?

Steady as she goes, according to the city’s finance and budget officials, who gave an update on Tuesday night to City Council.

At a council work session, city Budget Manager Erika Regalado said that, for the first two quarters of 2019, revenues came in about on budget. Property tax revenue was flat, but local income taxes came in stronger than expected, indicating a robust local employment picture.

“The economy is steady and it’s growing, and unemployment is low,” she said.

Her presentation echoed the one that Bruce Weber, director of the city’s Bureau of Financial Management, offered last week to the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, a state-appointed body tasked with approving a five-year financial plan for the city.

On Tuesday night, Weber said that he expected current trends to continue through the rest of the year.

“There aren’t any surprises, hopefully,” he told council members.

The city’s 2019 budget totals nearly $110 million, which includes a $70.8 million general fund, a $20.6 million neighborhood services fund and a $9.8 million debt service fund.

In other city news, Harrisburg announced late on Tuesday that it received a $5.6 million federal grant to continue the city’s lead abatement program.

“That’s more than we’ve ever received before,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “It’s good news for the city. It means we’ll be able to continue our lead efforts into future years.”

Specifically, Harrisburg will receive $5 million from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program and $600,000 from its Healthy Homes Supplemental program. The money will allow the city’s Department of Building and Housing Development to provide lead prevention and healthy homes activities on 480 units within Harrisburg’s Opportunity Zones.

Harrisburg also announced that its leaf collection began on Tuesday and will continue through Dec. 1.

To have their leaves collected, residents should put leaves in brown paper bags and leave them curbside the night before street sweeping. Alternatively, residents can pile leaves into streets the night before street sweeping, but should be careful not to block storm drains, the city said.

September News Digest

September 30, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Stop Signs, Charging Stations for 3rd Street

Harrisburg will retain two of four stop signs on N. 3rd Street that were threatened with removal until City Council can make a final decision on their fate.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said last month that his administration has decided to retain the stop signs at Emerald and Kelker streets, but remove them at Harris and Boyd streets.

These are temporary measures until the 3rd Street corridor project is complete, Papenfuse said. At that time, council will have the option of making a final decision on the signs by changing the city’s traffic control map.

“The traffic control map will come to City Council for approval once the project is done,” Papenfuse said.

In early August, residents along the corridor were surprised to learn that the city planned to remove stop signs on N. 3rd Street at those four intersections. Soon after, numerous residents appeared at a council meeting to protest the removal.

At the Harris and Boyd street intersections, the stop signs will be replaced with yield signs. A pedestrian crosswalk also will be added at Harris Street.

“I agree with Boyd,” said Councilman Westburn Majors. “I’m concerned about Harris Street because there’s the senior living building there.”

Papenfuse added that the 3rd Street project unexpectedly will extend into next year for the downtown area south of Forster Street for two principal reasons.

First, Harrisburg University has requested a work stoppage at S. 3rd and Chestnut streets until it removes its heavy equipment from the immediate area as part of the construction of its 17-story academic tower and hotel.

Secondly, the city has received a $40,000 state Department of Environmental Protection grant to install eight electric vehicle charging stations in front of the State Museum. The installation of the electrical infrastructure will delay completion of the project in that area, Papenfuse said.

Moreover, the city plans to complete the sidewalk-widening project around the state Capitol. About eight years ago, the sidewalk around the Capitol on Walnut Street and most of N. 3rd Street was widened. However, the project wasn’t completed, leaving the original, narrow concrete strip in place from North to State streets. That sidewalk now will be widened, as well, finishing the walkway.

Harrisburg Adopts Artsfest

When Jump Street announced it was shutting down, many Harrisburg residents wondered who would run the city’s beloved Artsfest celebration.

Now we know, as the city has opted to take the event in-house.

For 2020, Megan Roby, the city’s director of special events, will take the lead in organizing Artsfest, the long-running, three-day, arts-focused celebration along the city waterfront, said Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

“The city is taking on Artsfest for next year because no one else has stepped up,” he said.

Artsfest takes place in Riverfront Park each Memorial Day weekend, attracting more than 200 art exhibitors and vendors, as well as thousands of visitors. Several years ago, the nonprofit arts group, Jump Street, took over the event from long-time organizer, the Greater Harrisburg Arts Council. However, Jump Street now is dissolving.

Papenfuse said that adopting Artsfest, in its 53rd year, wasn’t his preferred option, but that he feared that the event wouldn’t happen otherwise.

“We can’t let Artsfest disappear,” he said. “It’s too valuable to the city.”

For one year, the city hopes to hire Melissa Snyder, the long-time executive director of Jump Street, as a consultant. To that end, City Council introduced a resolution last month that, if approved, would pay Snyder $10,000 to help transition the event from Jump Street to the city.

Papenfuse estimates the total cost of Artsfest to be about $100,000. In the end, he expects the city to break even from sponsorships and other event revenue.

The city already organizes the two other big summer events in Riverfront Park—the July 4 Food Truck Festival & Fireworks and the three-day Kipona festival over Labor Day. It also puts on such events as the Fire & Ice Festival in March, the holiday parade in November and the downtown New Year’s Eve celebration.

Ribbon Cut on River Walk

Harrisburg’s deteriorating river walk has been repaved, as the city last month unveiled a ribbon of new concrete running about two miles.

The $1.6 million project laid new concrete along much of the 10,275-linear-foot walk from Shipoke to Maclay Street, though, in a few places, old walk was repaired, not replaced, due to funding restrictions.

The project only replaced the river walk itself, not the stairs leading to the Susquehanna River. Fixing the steps, city Engineer Wayne Martin said, is a massively expensive project, though the city might be able to patch some areas.

The work was funded by a $1.5 million federal Transportation Alternative Program grant, with the city kicking in about $160,000.

At the ribbon-cutting, city officials were joined by a group of bicyclists who took a ceremonial first ride on the newly laid white concrete.

Bike Harrisburg’s Dick Norford explained that the river walk and steps were part of Harrisburg’s City Beautiful movement of the early 20th century, which gave the city numerous parks, as well as paved roads and a functioning sewer system.

In fact, the walk itself came into existence to shield a sewer interceptor, which runs beneath it.

“This is such a vital link because the Greenbelt is not just a beautiful recreational trail,” Norford said. “When a city is more inviting to walking and biking, it’s a better place to work, a better place to live and a better place to play.”

The project actually began several years ago, when the walk along the Shipoke waterfront—badly damaged from the 2011 flood—was replaced. Work kicked in again last fall, took a break for the winter, and started up again in spring.

Superintendent Condemns Voucher Proposal

A top official of the Harrisburg school district has come out strongly against a proposal that would allow city students to use public money to attend private schools.

Last month, the district’s acting superintendent, Dr. John George, called a proposed bill by House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) “ill-timed” and said it would “harm the majority of children in the Harrisburg school district.”

Turzai currently is seeking co-sponsors for a proposed bill that would establish a “pilot voucher program” specifically targeted at the Harrisburg school district. It would award “scholarships” of $4,100, which city children could use to attend private or other public schools.

The proposal also calls on the state to contribute another $3,000 in a “tuition grant,” bringing the total to $7,100 per student.

“Speaker Turzai’s proposal is ill-timed and undermines the Financial Recovery Act of 2012, the very legislation for which he advocated,” George said, in a statement. “By removing additional monies from the school district that is already financially distressed, the proposal seriously disrupts the recovery process and wrecks additional havoc, virtually guaranteeing that the district will forever remain in financial distress.”

George further stated that Turzai’s proposal “requires parents to pay a portion of the tuition,” which “may help a few, but it comes at the expense of harming the vast majority.”

“It also only further widens the economic disparity between those who can afford to pay tuition and the poorest of the poor,” he stated.

Turzai began circulating his proposal among lawmakers soon after the school year began in the 6,700-student district. He said that such action was needed given the poor performance among students on state test scores and the fourth-lowest high school graduation rate in the state.

“By allowing Harrisburg families to choose the right education environment for each student, we can finally resolve the decades-long failure to provide an adequate education to Harrisburg children,” Turzai wrote in his memorandum to House members seeking co-sponsors.

Sewer Project Resumes

Capital Region Water is giving its Front Street interceptor project another go, closing a part of Riverfront Park in Uptown Harrisburg until early November.

CRW last month closed the park between Shamokin and Emerald streets until Nov. 9 to install 1,765 feet of new pipe liner, called “cured in place” pipe, which helps prevent failure, sinkholes and leakage.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience during construction as we address our critical and aging infrastructure,” said CEO Charlotte Katzenmoyer in a statement.

The park needs to be shut down in the area due to construction and because aboveground pipes have been installed in the park to bypass water flows during the installation, CRW said.

Last year, CRW closed down the park for several months as it attempted the same project. However, the city utility authority was unable to complete it due to worse-than-expected deterioration of the 105-year-old Front Street interceptor, as well as unexpected utility conflicts, CRW has said.

The 30-inch diameter interceptor carries about 2.3 million gallons of wastewater every day from Harrisburg and Susquehanna Township to the Front Street pump station.

The project will not lead to full road closures on Front Street, but park pedestrians will be detoured across the street until completion.

Commonwealth to Build on D&H Site

When D&H Distributing announced its departure from Harrisburg, many city residents wondered what would replace the company at its longstanding Uptown headquarters.

Now we know.

Last month, the state Department of General Services announced that the commonwealth plans to build a three-story, 120,000-square-foot building to house hundreds of workers displaced from the former Harrisburg State Hospital grounds in Susquehanna Township.

“We are glad to be able to announce the award of this lease that will put nearly 900 employees into a physically and technologically advanced workspace,” said DGS Secretary Curt Topper, in a statement.

In January, D&H announced that it would move to a new office campus in Lower Paxton Township after almost seven decades on the 2500-block of N. 7th Street.

DGS said that the new office building will house employees from the Office of Administration’s Office of Information Technology and the Department of Human Services, including staff from offices of its medical assistance programs, income maintenance, administration, youth and families and its 24/7 ChildLine operations.

Most workers will be relocated from buildings at the former State Hospital, which the state is trying to sell. Some also will relocate from an office building on Herr Street and the Office of Medical Assistance Programs space in Camp Hill.

According to DGS, the state is entering into a build-to-suit lease with Hudson Asset Advisors, which will demolish the low-slung, sprawling D&H building. On the site, it then will build a 120,000-square-foot building with 1,000 parking spaces.

DGS expects to break ground in early 2020, with the first workers moving in during the first quarter of 2021.

DGS did not reveal financial terms, but said that it would once the pricing and terms of the lease are finalized.

Library Buys Historic House, Will Expand

For many years, two prominent parcels on N. Front Street in Harrisburg had common ownership and a shared history.

More than a century ago, those parcels separated, and the building’s side yard became the site of the McCormick Riverfront Library.

Now, those two properties are linked again.

In a recent ceremony, Dauphin County Library System (DCLS) officials announced that they had purchased the original, two-century-old house next door to the McCormick Library, with plans to renovate and turn it into administrative offices.

“This project lets us restore and preserve this historic structure,” said DCLS Executive Director Karen Cullings. “It is one of the oldest buildings in the city.”

Ken Frew, the long-time librarian for the Dauphin County Historical Society, affirmed the historic credentials of the building at 27 N. Front St.

Frew said that Stephen Hills, who came to Harrisburg to construct the original state Capitol, built the Georgian-style house for his own home around 1812. He owned the building for many years, eventually renting it out to Gov. John Schulze, one of a group of houses now known as “Governor’s Row.”

“If I had to compile a list of the top-10 most-historic houses in Harrisburg, this house would be in the top five,” Frew said.

In July, DCLS bought the 5,458-square-foot house for $295,000 from long-time owner, attorney William Balaban.

The library itself sits on land that originally was the side yard to the building, bequeathed by a later owner, Sara Haldeman Haly, who had a garden on the property.

“I am truly honored that we were able to acquire the property that was Sara’s home,” Cullings said.

Cullings said that DCLS was “in the formative stages of the project,” as it still needs to raise money for the substantial renovation.

Once the renovation is done, DCLS plans to move its administrative staff into the house. That will free up space in the library for more family and children’s activities, including STEM and arts-related programming, Cullings said.

Next door, DCLS plans to renovate the house’s first floor for community meetings and events and also will allow public access to the courtyard in the back, she said.

DCLS board President Andrew Enders wrapped up the brief ceremony with a pitch to the community to help the project come to fruition.

“It’s time for the Dauphin County Library System to continue to make our mark on this community,” he said. “But we need your support. Whether it’s your time or your money, we’ll take it.”

Urban Meadow Extension Proposed

Harrisburg hopes to extend an existing walkway by two blocks, offering a landscaped pedestrian link between the new federal courthouse and the heart of Midtown Harrisburg.

The city has applied for a $75,430 grant to PA WalkWorks, a state Department of Health program, to extend the “urban meadow” to N. 6th Street from its current terminus at Fulton Street.

“With the courthouse being built, we would like to see this extension,” confirmed Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

About a decade ago, three blocks of Boyd Street, from N. 3rd to Fulton streets, were transformed from a street alley into a pleasant walkway and bike path with the installation of pavers and native plants.

The project was part of a larger master plan to revitalize the area. In the early 2000s, the city acquired and cleared several blocks of blighted houses and commercial buildings along the 300- and 400-blocks of Reily Street.

The Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority eventually sold these blocks to GreenWorks Development and HACC, and they’re now surface parking lots. Recently, GreenWorks received a $2 million state grant to help fund a $26 million, 135-unit apartment and retail building planned for the 300-block of Reily.

The current urban meadow runs in back of these parcels.

If received, the grant would pay for design work for the two-block extension up Boyd Street to N. 6th Street, making the walkway nearly ¼-mile in total. Papenfuse said the city also is applying for a Dauphin County gaming grant, which would help fund the remainder of the project, including construction.

City Council must ratify the application to PA WalkWorks, though the city has already submitted the application in order to meet an Aug. 30 deadline.

Home Sales, Prices Climb

Both home sales and prices swung up in August in the Harrisburg area, largely due to falling interest rates.

The Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors credited declining mortgage rates for sales that rose 5.3 percent to 720 units compared to the year-ago period. Median sales prices increased by 10.5 percent to $199,500 over the same period, GHAR said.

In Dauphin County, sales totaled 346 units, an increase of 16 units, while the median sales price rose 12.1 percent to $184,900 compared to August 2018, according to GHAR. Cumberland County saw sales go up by 9.7 percent to 350 units, with the median price up by 9.3 percent to $218,500.

Perry County had a decrease in volume, with sales down by 11 units to 24 units compared to the year-ago period, GHAR said. The median sales price also dropped, down 9.5 percent to $153,750.

So Noted

Jason Isbell has put Harrisburg on his upcoming concert tour, scoring a date at the Forum. The Grammy Award-winning Americana/roots icon will play on Dec. 20 as part of the Harrisburg University concert series.

Open Stage of Harrisburg announced last month that it was rebranding simply as “Open Stage” and changed its logo. The changes were made in anticipation of opening its expanded and renovated theater in downtown Harrisburg.

Recycle Bicycle last month moved out of its home of the last four years, the Atlas Street Warehouse in Uptown Harrisburg. The nonprofit wants to purchase a new, permanent home, preferably on Allison Hill, and hopes to make an announcement soon.

Salman Rushdie is returning to Harrisburg in December, with an appearance at Midtown Scholar Bookstore. The world-famous author will speak and sign books to promote his newest novel, “Quichotte.”

Shady McGrady’s is up for sale, joining a number of other long-established bars and restaurants to hit the market in the Harrisburg area. The owners are asking $650,000 for two buildings, plus the liquor license and fixtures. In recent months, several other local institutions have been listed for sale, including the FireHouse Restaurant in Harrisburg and the Glass Lounge in Susquehanna Township.

Two Poodles debuted in the Broad Street Market, selling scratch-made bagels from its stand in the brick building. Owners Bill Weber and Shea Mascia, who reside in Elizabethtown, also sell bagels in York Central Market.

Whitaker Center is turning 20-year-old classroom space into a new, 3,000-square-foot STEM Design Studios in the Harsco Science Center. Très Bonne Année, an annual, wine-focused fundraiser, is underwriting much of the $450,000 cost of the new STEM center.

Changing Hands

Benton St., 512: J. Eldred to V. Doan, $103,000

Briggs St., 1836: BSR Rental Trust to J. Cruz & C. Soto, $69,000

Chestnut St., 2123: T. Barton to T. Allen, $200,000

Cumberland St., 119: S. Pritchard to J. & L. Weigle, $129,000

Delaware St., 262: WCI Partners to A. Hanlon, $114,000

Derry St., 2414: U.S. Bank NA to HT Properties LLC, $36,400

Green St., 1100: B. Smith to D. & K. Rosemarino, $169,900

Green St., 1430: B. Rice to K. Roberts, $148,000

Green St., 1612: B. Brubaker to G. Hoffner, $150,000

Green St., 1710: Federal National Mortgage Association to M. Della Porta, $120,000

Green St., 1920: WCI Partners LP to A. Hanlon, $123,000

Green St., 1935: R. Holder to T. Holder, $200,000

Green St., 2320: M. Chajai to M. Sadi, $31,000

Hale Ave., 444: P. Huynh to MRG Homes LLC, $55,000

Harris St., 414: J. Underhill to Z. Jackson, $107,000

Herr St., 415 & 426 Snipe Al.: J. Foreman to K. Baran & R. Gillis, $62,500

Holly St., 1937: T. Hardison to CR Property LLC, $30,000

Hudson St., 1131: T. Smarsh to M. Hester, $104,000

Hudson St., 1257: R. Madara to R. & N. Purdy, $125,000

Hummel St., 210: Justgeoff Partners LLC to Ice Properties LLC, $51,000

Kensington St., 2142: C. Smith to D. Anderson, $75,000

Lexington St., 2615: A. Oglesby to S. Das, $59,900

N. 2nd St., 402: North Front Associates to N&R Group, $200,000

N. 2nd St., 509: 509 Partners LLC to Pennsylvania School Boards Association Insurance, $335,000

N. 2nd St., 1519: H. Task to T. Kunkle, $224,900

N. 2nd St., 1821: W&P Real Estate Investments to R. Rammouni, $56,000

N. 2nd St., 3115: G. Fiaschetti to C. & C. Harris, $77,900

N. 3rd St., 2331: F. Laoukili & M. Mtere to S. Morton & R. Bushner, $970,000

N. 4th St., 2434: PA Deals to L. & C. Lautsbaugh, $70,000

N. 4th St., 3309: D. Wright to K. Dierolf, $121,000

N. 5th St., 2326: L. Palmer to S. Wolfe, $87,000

N. 5th St., 2558: V. Rivas to R. Morel, $65,000

N. 5th St., 2731: PA Deals LLC to R. Narinesingh, $79,900

N. 6th St., 2646: Preferred Trust Company Custodian & D. Clements to Builders Property Management & Marketing Group LLC, $42,000

N. 12th St., 1002: Cameron St. Body Shop Inc. & Aumiller’s Auto Parts Inc. to DF Herr LP, $750,000

N. 15th St., 1419: 1900 Capital Trust II to S. Jumaevo & A. Ruziev, $33,000

N. 16th St., 716: H. Lowery to J. Vazquez, $135,000

N. 16th St., 1223: KDR Investments LLP to W. West, $79,000

N., 17th St., 117: Justgeoff Partners LLC to Ice Properties LLC, $40,000

N. 18th St., 706: C. Harper to T. Mulally, $55,550

N. Cameron St., 33: Musalair Trust to 27 33 N. Cameron St. LLC, $5,264,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 303: A. Cahall & M. Brenner to R. & S. Cuyjet, $127,000

Peffer St., 329: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development information Systems & Networks to J. Secrest, $34,500

Penn St., 1931: R. & B. Precourt to Z. Ashley & A. Garman, $150,000

Pennwood Rd., 3127: J. Bell to N. Lilla, $125,000

Rolleston St., 1411 & 1315: Keystone RH LLC to JWM Associates, $1,360,000

Rumson Dr., 331: D. Burns to T. Ait, $85,000

S. 14th St., 47: Redevelopment Authority City of Harrisburg to Capital Region Economic Development Corporation, $115,000

State St., 131: Grandtree Farms Incorporated to WCI Partners LP, $150,000

State St., 1406: JRC Properties LLC to AISH Partners LLC, $80,500

State St., 1726: K. Fearnbaugh to Three Bridges Holdings LLC, $69,500

Verbeke St., 222: E. Dean to S. Price & D. Lyons Jr., $157,500

Walnut St., 1818: J. Monroe Trust to F. Counts, $33,000

Woodlawn St., 2259: D. Enders to HL Bowman Building LLC, $199,963

Woodlawn St., 2323: Brothers & Sister Food Service Inc. to Indigo Foods USA, $680,000

Harrisburg property sales for August 2019, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

September 27, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

A rendering for a proposed new building on Market Street in Harrisburg

A sleepy summer quickly transitioned to a busy fall around Harrisburg–news-wise, that it. This past week gave us everything from major construction proposals to Farm Show news to new wrinkles in the battle over the city’s sewer system. If you missed anything, you can read it all right here.

3^rd Street corridor project marches on in Harrisburg, as construction wraps up in the heart of Midtown. Click here to read about the timeline and when streets may be closed.

Capital Region Water extended the comment period by almost a month over its proposed stormwater fee. Also, CRW will give a presentation to City Council next month on the proposal. Find out the details here.

Environmental Integrity Project responded to a letter to the editor in TheBurg by Capital Region Water. Read CRW’s original letter then check out the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit’s response.

Harrisburg announced it will interview four companies that have expressed interest in buying the city’s water/sewer system. This then led to a heated exchange between the mayor and City Council. Learn the latest by reading our stories.

Harristown and Select Capital are teaming up to bring a new office building to downtown Harrisburg. Where and what will it be? Read our story for all the details.

Homeless encampment near the Mulberry Street Bridge must disband by Sunday, and long-time residents are unsure where to go next. Our feature story offers a glimpse into a community that most people didn’t even know was there.

Iconography is an ancient art form, and we have a great example of modern icon art right here in Harrisburg. TheBurg’s fine arts columnist tells us about an exhibit at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral.

Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority got some surprise news this week, as the chairman stepped down. The ICA, which is tasked with approving a five-year financial plan for Harrisburg, is down to four voting members. Find out what happened.

Next Step Performance is on the move, relocating from its 3^rd Street studio to larger space at the 1500 Condominiums. Get all the details by reading our feature story from the September issue.

PA Farm Show announced its theme for the 2020 event this week. With only 100 days to go until the January start, let the countdown begin.

Sara Bozich is ready for another warm weekend in the Harrisburg area. Scan over her long list of events then get out and do something fun.

Seven Bridges Development wants to build mixed-use and higher-density projects in the MarketPlace neighborhood near the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg. First, though, the company is trying to get the area re-zoned. Check out our story to find out what they’re doing and what may be coming.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events? If not, subscribe here!

CRW extends comment period for proposed stormwater fee

September 26, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

A sign on Harrisburg’s lower river walk warns about the combined sewer system.

Capital Region Water is extending the public comment period for a proposed stormwater fee for Harrisburg.

The CRW board of directors on Wednesday night voted to extend the public review and comment period by almost a month, to Oct. 22.

“The month-long extension will ensure we have done all we can to give residents the opportunity to review and comment on a plan that is designed to improve the health of local waterways and enhance our neighborhoods,” said CRW CEO Charlotte Katzenmoyer, in a statement.

In June, CRW proposed a separate stormwater fee for most CRW customers beginning Jan. 1. It originally set a Sept. 25 deadline for comments, but the board decided to extend it to give residents more opportunities to voice their opinions, Katzenmoyer said.

In addition to receiving more than 70 comments to date, CRW has made dozens of presentations on the proposed fee at community meetings and forums. CRW also will give a presentation at a Harrisburg City Council meeting on Oct. 15.

Under the proposal, the average Harrisburg residential customer would pay a stormwater fee of $72 starting Jan. 1. Customers with larger properties, including many commercial customers, would pay more based on the total amount of impervious surface on their properties.

Until now, stormwater costs had been included in a customer’s wastewater bill, not broken out separately. If the stormwater fee is imposed, customers should experience less of an increase in the wastewater portion of their bills than they would have otherwise, CRW has said.

CRW said it expects the fee to raise about $5.3 million annually exclusively for stormwater operations and projects. It plans to invest $315 million over the next 20 years to upgrade its infrastructure and reduce the flow of stormwater into area waterways.

Harrisburg’s sewer system suffers from deferred maintenance going back decades, as well as an outmoded, combined design that allows untreated sewage to empty into the Susquehanna River during rainstorms. CRW is under a partial consent decree with the federal Environmental Protection Agency to slash the amount of sewage overflow.

Separately, Harrisburg is considering selling the city’s water/sewer system, interviewing interested, qualified private water companies beginning this week.

To learn more about and comment on CRW’s proposed stormwater fee, visit their website.

Harrisburg council, administration spar over water system future, meetings

September 24, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg City Council chambers on Tuesday

Two branches of the Harrisburg city government sparred on Tuesday night over an administration plan to interview private companies that have expressed initial interest in taking over the city’s water/sewer system.

At a work session, several City Council members questioned a plan by Mayor Eric Papenfuse to interview four companies that responded to a “request for information” (RFI) issued two months ago by the city.

“You put the cart before the horse,” said council President Wanda Williams. “You should have had a public meeting to explain what you’re considering. In actuality, you’re continuing this process without informing the council.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Papenfuse issued a statement saying that six entities had responded to the city-issued RFI, and the administration determined that four of those companies were qualified and experienced enough to warrant an informational interview. Those companies are:

Bryn Mawr-based Aqua America
Hershey-based PA American Water
Paramus, N.J.-based Suez North America
Boston-based Veolia American Water

The first interview is slated to take place on Wednesday, with the last on Oct. 8.

As he has previously, Papenfuse stressed to council that the interviews are for informational purposes only–that there is no formal bidding or sales process underway.

“All we’re doing is gathering information,” he said. “We’re trying to gather information in a clear and transparent way. If we go down that path, we’ll need to have a greater conversation.”

Nonetheless, council members said that they felt left out of the process and said that the public felt the same way.

“I’m receiving five and six emails a day saying that you’re not being transparent about the process,” Williams said.

Papenfuse said that he felt it was necessary to perform this “due diligence” before potentially going through a more public bidding process.

He cited two principal reasons for taking this first step.

First of all, he said that he wants to better understand the city’s options in light of continuing negotiations with the state-appointed Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority over a five-year financial plan for the city. Secondly, he wants to explore options for sewer system improvements other than those undertaken by the city’s municipal utility authority, Capital Region Water (CRW), which plans to impose a user stormwater fee starting Jan. 1.

“We have a comment period closing tomorrow for CRW for a major rate increase that will impact our residents,” Papenfuse said. “Council has not had a hearing despite CRW’s request to do so, despite my request to do so.”

Williams said that council has been attempting to set up a public meeting with CRW to discuss the proposed stormwater fee. That meeting is now scheduled for Oct. 15.

Papenfuse added that he hopes for concrete options from companies that will lead to less pollution flowing into the Susquehanna River and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay, at a cost that city customers can afford to pay.

CRW plans to spend some $315 million over the next 20 years to stem the flow of wastewater into area waterways. But Papenfuse has criticized that plan as incomplete and said that it doesn’t have final approval from the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

In the end, council members seemed resigned that the interviews with the private companies would proceed, with Papenfuse pledging greater council and public involvement if the administration decides to take a next step.

“If recommendations come from those meetings, I will share them with council, as well as the underlying reasoning behind them,” Papenfuse said.

This story has been updated to include information about the upcoming CRW meeting with City Council.

Harrisburg to interview 4 companies as it ponders selling water/sewer system

September 24, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Capital Region Water at work on Allison Hill in Harrisburg

Harrisburg has received six responses to a request for information as it considers privatizing its water/sewer system.

Of those six, the city administration plans to interview four respondents due to their “experience operating comparable systems,” according to a statement from the city administration. They are all significant municipal water system companies with existing operations in the commonwealth:

Bryn Mawr-based Aqua America
Hershey-based PA American Water
Paramus, N.J.-based Suez North America
Boston-based Veolia American Water

The city will interview representatives from these four companies starting tomorrow and concluding on Oct. 8, according to Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s office.

In July, the administration released a “request for information” to gauge preliminary interest from companies in acquiring the city’s water/sewer system, setting a response deadline of Sept. 16.

Papenfuse has repeatedly said that the request for information was just a first step and that no decision has been made on whether to pursue privatization.

“We’re just in the information-gathering, due diligence mode,” he told Harrisburg City Council last week.

Papenfuse has also pledged public meetings in case the city does decide to proceed with selling the system. Currently, municipal utility authority Capital Region Water serves 20,300 water customers and 17,000 wastewater connections.

During a council meeting in August, numerous city residents spoke out against privatizing the system, and the administration has also received pushback from city council members.

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