Tag Archives: Harrisburg City Council

March News Digest

March 30, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

Free Evening Parking

Free parking could come to downtown Harrisburg as early as this month, as City Council passed a resolution that would offset street parking costs after 5 p.m.

Council agreed unanimously last month to join Dauphin County and the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID) in ponying up money to offset parking revenues that operator Park Harrisburg would lose between 5 and 7 p.m.

“I think it’s a boost for the city,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said. “I think it will lead to more people visiting downtown.”

Harrisburg’s contribution will amount to $110,000 over the next year and will come from money that the parking system already owes the city, said Papenfuse. The county has also pledged $110,000, and HDID will pay $50,000.

The county and HDID had hoped for a three-year deal, though council approved just a one-year test period.

By entering into the “memorandum of understanding,” the three entities—the city, county and HDID—must finalize the exchange with the parking system operator. Papenfuse has said he expects no pushback, as the system operator, SP+/Park Harrisburg, and its asset manager, Trimont, just want to ensure that contributions offset lost revenue, which, last year, amounted to $270,000 between 5 and 7 p.m.

Papenfuse said the parking subsidy could kick in as soon as April, but may take longer.

Since 2014, the city has tried several tactics to mitigate the cost of street parking. First, the Papenfuse administration convinced the system’s operators to lower the “happy hour” rate from $3 to $2 an hour between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. It later turned many of downtown’s loading zones into 15-minute free parking areas.

Nonetheless, downtown bar and restaurant owners continued to complain about a loss of business, which they largely blame on high parking rates.

If implemented, the plan would come with some conditions. First, it would apply only to street, not garage, parking. Secondly, it would take effect only within the HDID boundaries, which run downtown from State to Chestnut streets.

Loan Fund Launches

Whether you’re a shop owner looking to expand your storefront or an aspiring entrepreneur with a business dream, you may benefit from a new loan fund that launched last month in Harrisburg.

Impact Harrisburg is partnering with the Community First Fund and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency to launch the Harrisburg Business Opportunity Fund (HBOF) with $1 million in seed money, according to Sheila Dow Ford, executive director of Impact Harrisburg.

Impact Harrisburg, which was founded with proceeds from the sale of Harrisburg’s incinerator, will contribute $350,000 to the fund. The Pennsylvania Housing and Financing Authority has pledged $650,000 through its nonprofit subsidiary, the Commonwealth Cornerstone Group.

Loans will be available to small, for-profit business owners or aspiring business owners in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $100,000. According to Dow Ford, the goal of the fund is to encourage economic development, job creation and a diverse workforce in the city of Harrisburg.

“We’re providing for a segment of the population that has, for various reasons, been overlooked by traditional lending institutions,” she said.

Any for-profit business or startup in Harrisburg can apply for a loan, Dow Ford said, though real estate trusts or businesses that buy and sell property will not be eligible.

The new fund bears some resemblance to Harrisburg’s old revolving loan fund, which was launched in 1984 and languished in the 2000s as many borrowers became delinquent.

Dow Ford acknowledged that some HBOF loans might be considered risky by traditional lending standards, since they will be issued to people and ventures that might be denied by traditional lenders. However, she hopes that the partnership with Community First Fund will prevent the same mismanagement and delinquency that plagued the city’s revolving loan fund.

Superintendent Search Begins

The Harrisburg School District is putting up a help wanted sign, but there won’t necessarily be a personnel change in its highest office.

In a 5-4 vote, the Harrisburg School Board decided last month to accept applications for the position of superintendent. The vote means that if current Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney wishes to stay in her post, she must apply for her job and beat out other candidates.

The vote came after more than an hour of spirited public comment at last month’s school board meeting, as near-equal numbers of district residents encouraged the board to vote for or against a resolution to initiate the hiring process.

Residents who supported renewing Knight-Burney’s contract emphasized the importance of consistent leadership during the district’s recovery process. Those who called for an open hiring process said that the district deserved to consider candidates who might make more dramatic gains in student achievement.

Knight-Burney became Harrisburg’s superintendent in 2011. Since 2013, she’s been responsible for implementing the actions in a state-crafted recovery plan, which outlined almost 100 initiatives to improve the district’s academics and operations.

Her current contract, which was renewed in 2014, expires on June 30. Asked if she would reapply for her job, Knight-Burney declined to comment.

Act 47 Status Considered

“The clock is ticking” on the next step in Harrisburg’s path to financial recovery.

That’s the message that a state official had for Harrisburg’s administration and City Council last month, as both bodies were briefed on the timeline for the city’s remaining six months in the state’s Act 47 program for distressed municipalities.

Marita Kelley, Harrisburg’s Act 47 coordinator, appeared at a council work session to explain the city’s duties before Act 47 status expires on Sept. 23.

Here’s what lies ahead, according to Kelley. The mayor and the city clerk will receive a financial condition report, prepared by Kelley and the Pennsylvania Economy League. A public meeting on its contents should take place this month.

After the meeting, she and the Pennsylvania Economy League will have 90 days to prepare a final exit plan for the city. In that plan, they’ll make a formal recommendation for what the city should do in September: extend its Act 47 status, exit the program or enter the oversight of a state-appointed receiver.

The exit plan should arrive before city officials in mid-July. After another round of commenting and a public meeting, Kelley will finalize the exit plan in time for the Sept. 23 expiration deadline.

Kelley thinks it’s highly unlikely that Harrisburg will enter receivership in September. She was hesitant to recommend an action to the city last month, but said during a budget meeting in December that Harrisburg will likely spend another three years in the program, at least.

Reports Released for Train Station, Paxton Creek

A restaurant and café in Harrisburg’s train station, a pedestrian bridge over the train tracks, a flood-controlled Paxton Creek.

Those are a few of the ambitious goals laid out in two reports released last month by the state Department of Transportation, which is taking the lead on rehabilitating the blighted Market Street corridor just east of the Harrisburg Transportation Center, roughly from the train station to Cameron Street.

“These studies serve as a road map to help the city continue to develop as an attractive place to work and play,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards.

PennDOT’s first priority is rehabilitation of the train/bus station itself, set out in a report titled, “Harrisburg Transportation Center Transit Oriented Development Master Plan.”

That project includes removal of the large office space in the main lobby, the addition of an “open-concept café” in the lobby, new seating in the station concourse, the addition of a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, a new entry plaza from the lower-level Market Street entrance and the addition of office space on the upper floors.

According to Richards, work is expected to begin relatively soon, as the department has completed 90 percent of the design for the $15 million renovation and is now working with Amtrak on a construction schedule.

The next priority is a massive flood control project designed to restrain, improve and restore Paxton Creek, as delineated in the “Paxton Creek Master Plan.”

The plan outlines steps to modify the channel size and make other improvements that would take 133 acres out of the 100-year flood plan and partially remove another 275 acres, making the area far more attractive for redevelopment. The plan also envisions enhancing the creek area with recreational paths and restoring it to a more natural environment.

PennDOT anticipates four to five years of preliminary work before construction on the project could begin. The estimated cost of the creek improvements is $60 to $90 million, with potential grants coming from the state’s Multimodal Fund, the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The transportation master plan envisions other projects, which include:

Streetscaping and façade enhancement, including new sidewalks, landscaping, street furniture, signage and utility and lighting poles.
A pedestrian bridge that would extend the station concourse over the railroad tracks, through the former Harrisburg central post office and into the redevelopment area.
Relocation of the intercity bus terminal from Market Street to the redevelopment area and expansion of the facility.
Development of the area near an east entrance to the station.
A new plaza on Market Street.

“These projects will provide exciting opportunities for development in the city of Harrisburg, and for enhancing the quality of life for our residents,” Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with PennDOT on projects that will benefit not only Harrisburg residents but the entire region.”

New Districts Upheld

Pennsylvania’s redrawn congressional districts withstood two court challenges last month, clearing the way for some areas, including the Harrisburg area, to be unified under new district lines.

First, a three-judge federal panel threw out a Republican-led challenge to the new district map. The same day, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a Republican request for an emergency stay that would block use of the new map in this year’s elections.

As a result, the state Supreme Court’s redrawn district map will stand. This includes a new 10th congressional district that encompasses all of Dauphin County and parts of Cumberland and York counties, including Harrisburg, York and Carlisle.

The primary election is slated for May 15.

Gaming Grants Given

The Dauphin County commissioners shelled out some $6 million to dozens of projects last month in the annual disbursal of gaming grant money.

The commissioners spread the money around to municipalities throughout the county, with the largest sums, by state law, going to those nearest to the Hollywood Casino at Penn National in Grantville.

In and around Harrisburg, grants to governments included:

* City of Harrisburg: $229,724 for police equipment, the engineering bureau and for Fire Bureau dive team equipment

* Susquehanna Township: $159,900 for sanitary sewer system extension, for Progress Fire Co. vehicle replacement and for Wedgewood Hills Swim Club heat pump installation

* Lower Paxton Township: $82,825 for Devon Manor pool improvements, Koon’s pool improvements and Ranger and George Park soccer upgrades

* Hummelstown: $58,471 for municipal building debt service

* Highspire: $57,200 for roadway rehabilitation

* Steelton: $43,000 for Fire Department apparatus and Skate Park debt reduction

* Swatara Township: $13,000 for Police Department K-9 and training

Grants to Dauphin County entities included:

* MDJ Court Administration: $200,000 for construction of MDJ buildings

* Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority: $137,000 for solar farm project debt reduction

* Dauphin County Parks & Recreation: $101,000 for Detweiler Park master plan and Fort Hunter Station planning project

* Dauphin County Redevelopment Authority: $100,000 for a project on the former State Hospital grounds

* Dauphin County Land Bank Authority: $100,000 for renovation of vacant homes

Grants to organizations included:

* Camp Curtin YMCA: $100,000 for conversion of an indoor pool into a recreational area

* Central Dauphin School District: $75,600 for a school safety improvement project

* Jewish Home of Greater Harrisburg: $75,000 for an emergency generator project

* Penn FC (Harrisburg City Islanders): $72,562 for a field conversion project

* Humane Society of Harrisburg Area: $70,000 for an expansion of veterinary services

* Salvation Army: $50,000 for a new headquarters and services facility

* Harrisburg Rugby Food Club: $50,000 for Perseverance Field improvements

* Homeland Center: $40,000 for an emergency generator project

* The Nativity School: $40,000 for furniture purchase and building renovations

* Open Stage of Harrisburg: $32,000 for facility and equipment upgrades

* Capital Region Literacy Corp.: $30,000 for books in schools and clinic program

* Habitat for Humanity: $28,000 for weatherization project

* Heinz Menaker Senior Center: $25,000 for ADA-compliant restrooms

* Midtown Action Council: $13,652 for historic marker renovation and expansion

* Beacon Clinic: $5,000 for HVAC installation and renovations

More Downtown Apartments

More apartments appear headed for downtown Harrisburg, though it may be awhile before you’ll be able to move into one.

Harrisburg City Council last month introduced a resolution that would allow Harristown Enterprises to convert a circa-1952 office building to a 25-unit apartment building with commercial space on the first floor.

The building, at 124 Pine St., currently houses Keystone Human Services, which would seek new space following a sale, said Harristown CEO Brad Jones.

Keystone currently has the six-story, 30,000-square-foot building on the market for $1.5 million.

Over the past few years, Harristown has converted several downtown office buildings to higher-end apartments, most recently at the corner of N. 2nd and Cranberry streets. That 12-unit building, Jones said, has been renamed “The Bogg on Cranberry.”

The Pine Street project, he said, would consist of 18 one-bedroom and seven two-bedroom units that would range from about 700 to 850 square feet in size. Jones said that he expects rents to be about $1,095 to $1,395 a month. The project includes 19 off-street parking spaces, which would be rented separately.

If Harristown gets City Council approval, the company hopes to close on a building purchase in May. Jones, however, expects that Keystone will then lease the building back until it can find a new home, meaning that renovation work probably won’t begin until early 2019.

So Noted

Blake Lynch was named Harrisburg’s new community policing coordinator last month. In this position, Lynch, formerly director of development at the Boys and Girls Club of Harrisburg, will serve as a liaison between the city’s Police Bureau and the community.

Club XL is set to open this month near S. Cameron and Hanna streets in an industrial area of Harrisburg. Owner Phil Dobson said the 18,500-square-foot nightclub and concert venue will feature a large stage, a sophisticated light and sound system and an exterior patio, among other amenities.

Gamut Theatre Group this month plans to begin the second phase of the build-out of its building in downtown Harrisburg. The Gamut Theatre Education Center will include the Alexander Grass Second Stage, two renovated classrooms and other areas for students to learn various aspects of theater operations. The $700,000 project should be completed by August, according to Gamut.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant is making plans to open in the newly constructed Hershey Towne Square on Chocolate Avenue in Hershey. The company expects the 9,000-square-foot space to be ready late this year or early next year.

Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority announced last month that Robert “Bob” Zorbaugh will replace Jim Warner as CEO when Warner retires at year-end. Zorbaugh, the current chief operating officer, has served with LCSWMA, which owns Harrisburg’s waste-to-energy incinerator, since 1990.

PSECU last month announced the planned retirement of President Greg Smith, effective February 2019. Smith has served with the credit union for nearly 30 years.

Right on Reily is slated to open late this month in restaurant space across the street from Midtown Cinema in Harrisburg. Owner Dylan Simon said he plans to open at 7 a.m. and will feature freshly made breakfast items, sandwiches, soups and salads from the eatery at 263 Reily St.

Theatre Harrisburg last month announced the departure of its executive director, Allison Graham Hays, who served in the post for about one year. A search for a new director has begun. Those interested should send a resume and cover letter to [email protected].

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2421: J. Howard to L. Brown, $69,900

Berryhill St., 2216: PA Deals LLC to A. & L. Smith, $64,900

Boas St., 111: P. & M. Keelen to J. Swope, $67,000

Boas St., 409: A. Antoun to P. Cannon & M. Hertrich, $84,000

Boas St., 1910: Dobson Family Limited to M. Cardona & S. Guzman, $36,000

Duke St., 2433: 2013 Central PA Real Estate Fund LLC to S. Henry, $65,900

Evergreen St., 17: E. Ordonez to P. Paniagua, $40,000

Fulton St., 1625: Z. & H. Khan to J. Seibert, $125,750

Fulton St., 1722: Wilmington Savings Fund & Society FSB to PA Deals LLC, $77,500

Green St., 2322: Lake Como REI LLC to Lynn & Ryan Investment Properties LLC, $36,000

Hale Ave., 383: 2013 Central PA Real Estate Fund LLC to S. Henry, $65,000

Hale Ave., 403: O. Peck to C. & A. Bullock, $71,000

Harris St., 204: G. Olives to A. Hermany & T. Minnick, $149,900

Holly St., 1916: W. Aikens Jr. to R. & B. Cook, $43,000

Hummel St., 243: Tri County HDC Ltd. to B. Dixon, $69,900

Kensington St., 2267: M. Eismann to Blackfoot Viking LLC, $40,000

Kensington St., 2328: 2013 M&M Real Estate Fund LLC to S. Henry, $65,900

Market St., 1028: J. & A. Karagiannis to R. Luu, J. Son & KS Property Management LLC, $250,000

Market St., 1800: G. Walker to Horizon Trust FBO, Timothy Carter IRA, $105,000

Mayflower St., 1366: G. Vargas to D. Tellado, $60,000

N. 2^nd St., 221: CJ2 Group LLC to Second and Cranberry LLC, $350,000

N. 2^nd St., 2338: H. Witte & A. Atkinson to V. Paredes, $95,000

N. 3^rd St., 3218: T. & B. Seely to S. Dudek, $139,900

N. 4^th St., 1911: K. & D. Fletcher to M. DeMeo, $73,900

N. 5^th St., 1948: L. Blanton to B. & K. Feidt, $73,500

N. 5^th St., 2554: J. Johnson to D. Mallek & W. Sarris, $60,000

N. 5^th St., 3201: Branch Banking and Trust Co. to F. Nestico, $80,000

N. 15^th St., 2: R. Sharma & N. Saini to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $100,000

N. 15^th St., 1425: Top Notch Properties LLC to B. Wevodau Sr., $30,000

S. 24^th St., 563: Lake Como REI LLC to Lynn & Ryan Investment Properties LLC, $65,000

Parkway Blvd., 2509: Harrisburg Rentals LLC to A. & L. Smith, $118,500

Peffer St., 321: K. Whitehead to V. Robinson, $74,000

Penn St., 1504: R. Davis to D. & M. Witwer, $70,000

Penn St., 1612: A. La Luz to N. Giustra, $140,000

Race St., 552: G. & K. Nguyen to A. & H. Appleberry, $144,000

Revere St., 1722: R. Brunstetter to Top Unit Properties LLC, $80,000

Rolleston St., 1153: A. Phillips to C. Suriel, $43,000

Rudy Rd., 2492: HT Properties LLC to W. Marca, $59,000

Rumson Dr., 2899: S. Markowitz to M. Gleason, $58,000

S. 14^th St., 1404: S. McMurray to City of Harrisburg, $47,000

S. 14^th St., 1409: V. Brice to City of Harrisburg, $48,000

S. 14^th St., 1411: DRW Properties LLC to City of Harrisburg, $50,000

S. 14^th St., 1412: M. Hudson to City of Harrisburg, $53,000

S. 14^th St., 1420: S. Crittenden to City of Harrisburg, $52,500

S. 14^th St., 1436: J. Newhouse to City of Harrisburg, $49,000

S. 14^th St., 1441: W. & B. Hornung to City of Harrisburg, $39,000

S. 14^th St., 1442: Blue Real Estate LLC to City of Harrisburg, $51,000

S. River St., 315: Red Realty LLC & D. Shearer to J. & S. Bachman, $109,000

State St., 1713: D. Schneider to J. Virbitsky, $85,000

Susquehanna St., 1622: R. & G. Harris to H. Maierle & C. Kostelecky, $134,500

Susquehanna St., 1704 & 1706: J. Shoop to N. Lotze & A. Anderson, $122,000

Sycamore St., 1421: G. Neff to C. Pizarro, $35,000

Waldo St., 2627: PA Deals LLC to S. Henry, $54,000

Wyeth St., 1413: M. & J. Boyer to J. Hegarty, $105,000

Harrisburg property sales for February 2018, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

Harrisburg Freezes Over: Free downtown parking to begin next week.

March 27, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse this morning announced the imminent arrival of free “happy hour” parking in much of downtown.

Spring is in the air, and free parking is on the horizon for much of Harrisburg’s downtown.

Parking within the boundaries of the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID) will be free after 5 p.m. starting next Monday, April 2, Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced this morning. The free rate will be in effect for a one-year trial period.

Papenfuse stressed this morning that the deal would only apply to metered spots between State and Mulberry streets. Rates will still be enforced at city garages and metered parking spots outside of that zone.

A map of downtown Harrisburg’s coming free parking zone after 5 p.m.

Papenfuse hopes that the targeted elimination of evening parking enforcement will bring more patrons to downtown businesses. Harrisburg City Council approved the deal this month after restaurant owners complained that the current $2 per hour evening parking rate hurt their business revenues.

The policy change comes after Harrisburg entered a “Memorandum of Understanding” with the Dauphin County Commissioners and HDID to offset meter costs from 5 to 7 p.m. for meters within the business zone. Harrisburg and Dauphin County will contribute $110,000 each and HDID will kick in $50,000, bringing the total cost of the subsidy to $270,000.

That money will be paid to SP+ and Standard Parking, the entities that took control of Harrisburg’s municipal parking system as part of a debt restructuring plan in 2014. The $270,000 sum represents the total revenue SP+ has collected from meters and enforcement fines between 5 and 7 p.m. in the HDID zone.

Papenfuse said that Monday, April 2, also marks the start of the second business quarter, which will allow SP+, HDID and the local government entities to track the effectiveness of free parking on business revenues. Members of City Council have said that they will only renew the deal next year if it carries a clear economic development incentive.

February News Digest

February 28, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

CRW Releases Infrastructure, Rate Plan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fight Against Dogfighting

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zembo Shrine to Sell

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

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

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

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

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

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

The deal includes 396 parking spaces adjacent to the building.

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

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

Youth Center Approved

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grant Input Sought

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Strawberry Square Apartments

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

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

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

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

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

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

Comp Plan Chugs Forward

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spradley Chosen for School Board

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

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

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

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

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

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

So Noted

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

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

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

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

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

Changing Hands

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Harrisburg Council confirms CRW appointments, delays action on financial advisor, downtown parking

February 27, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg City Council tonight

Harrisburg City Council approved four of the mayor’s board appointments tonight but bucked his will on two other pieces of legislation, including one that would bring free evening parking to the city’s downtown business district.

The city’s legislative body appointed Garvey Pressley, Crystal Skotedis, Alisa Harris and Andrew Enders to serve on the board of Capital Region Water. Skotedis and Pressley are current board members. Enders and Harris are newcomers, replacing vice chair William Cluck and board director Daryl Walters.

CRW’s board approves all contracts, budgets and strategic plans for the city’s water/sewer authority. All of the board appointees were nominated by Mayor Eric Papenfuse and endorsed by current board chairman Marc Kurowski.

Council also confirmed the appointment of Shannon Gority, a former CRW executive director who stepped down last year, as a member of the city’s Zoning Hearing Board.

In other action, council sparred with the mayor over a resolution to hire a financial planner for the city, which would allow it to enter into negotiations with one of its creditors and potentially secure a lower interest rate on loan payments.

Papenfuse said that Ambac Insurance Corp., which the city agreed to pay $125 million over a 20-year period as part of its 2013 debt deal, has expressed interest in re-negotiating the terms of the city’s debt payments. Due to requirements under the federal Dodd-Frank financial reform bill, however, the city can’t enter those negotiations without a financial advisor.

Last year, the city issued an RFP and convened a selection committee to choose an advisor. The selection committee unanimously picked Fairmont Capital, which was recently restructured as Marathon Strategic Advisors LLC. The firm, based in New Jersey, is not yet incorporated in Pennsylvania.

Papenfuse explained that Marathon’s senior advisor was favorably recommended by Marita Kelley, the city’s Act 47 financial oversight coordinator. But Kelley’s word alone wasn’t enough for council members, who said tonight that they would not approve the contract with Marathon until they were able to consult two additional references.

Papenfuse warned council that delaying the vote would delay the negotiations with Ambac, which could, in turn, jeopardize favorable interest rates.

“Interest rates will continue to go up,” he said. “This is time sensitive, and to delay even a few more weeks could end up costing the city in the long run.”

Council members rejected the allegation that they were delaying a potential loan restructuring. They claimed that they were applying the same level of due diligence as they would for any city contract.

“We’ve been burned by consultants before,” said Councilwoman Shamaine Daniels.

Council also delayed voting on a deal that would eliminate parking enforcement in Harrisburg’s downtown business district from 5 to 7 p.m. The deal calls for Harrisburg, the Dauphin County commissioners and the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District to pay a combined $270,000 a year to Park Harrisburg, the private company that manages Harrisburg’s parking assets.

The agreement originally called for a three-year term, but council proposed adopting it as a one-year trial period. Council President Wanda Williams recommended delaying the final vote until the county commissioners could discuss and agree to the single-year term.

A Living Downtown: Harristown plans another residential conversion.

February 26, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

Harristown hopes to convert this downtown office building to apartments.

More apartments appear headed for downtown Harrisburg, though it may be awhile before you’ll be able to move into one.

The city’s Zoning Hearing Board tonight approved a variance that would allow Harristown Enterprises to convert a circa-1952 office building to a 25-unit apartment building with commercial space on the first floor.

The building, at 124 Pine St., currently houses Keystone Human Services, which would seek new space following a sale, said Harristown CEO Brad Jones.

“We believe it is a good place for some very nice apartments,” Jones told the board. “It fits in with our goal to revitalize downtown Harrisburg.”

Keystone currently has the six-story, 30,000-square-foot building on the market for $1.5 million.

Over the past few years, Harristown has converted several downtown office buildings to higher-end apartments. In fact, the company just started work today on another project, the conversion of a small, empty office building at the corner of N. 2^nd and Cranberry streets into 12 apartment units. That building, Jones said, has been renamed “The Bogg on Cranberry.”

The Pine Street project, he said, would consist of 18 one-bedroom and seven two-bedroom units that would range from about 700 to 850 square feet in size. A variance was needed because current zoning code restricts new housing units to a size of at least 1,200 square feet.

Jones said that he expects rents to be about $1,095 to $1,395 a month. The project includes 19 off-street parking spaces, which would be rented separately.

Harristown still must get the approval of City Council before it can proceed with the project. If that happens, the company hopes to close on a building purchase in May. Jones, however, expects that Keystone will then lease the building back until it can find a new home, meaning that renovation work probably won’t begin until early 2019.

At tonight’s meeting, the Zoning Hearing Board also was slated to hear a variance application to establish a vehicle storage and repair business in a series of garages at 1408 Susquehanna St., as well as a commercial parking facility across the street in a small parking lot at 1418 Susquehanna St.

However, in a letter to the board, the company’s lawyers said they were withdrawing the application for the 1408 Susquehanna St. property. The board was unsure of the company’s intentions for 1418 Susquehanna St. Because the applicant did not attend the meeting, the board granted a continuance for that part of the application pending clarification.

2 for 2: Council considers, approves development projects in Harrisburg.

February 13, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

More apartments are coming to Strawberry Square.

Harrisburg City Council tonight approved a pair of land use proposals at its semi-monthly legislative session, giving the green light to a residential conversion project downtown and a community center extension in North Allison Hill.

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

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

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

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

Council tonight also passed a resolution authorizing Bethesda Mission to expand its community center on Herr Street in North Allison Hill. The proposal calls for the renovation of an old printing plant at 1424 Herr Street, which will create a full-size gymnasium, classrooms, office space and an event hall with a full-service kitchen.

The 10,000-square-foot space needs extensive renovations, including an overhaul of its HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems, Cindy Mallow, director of development at Bethesda Mission, told TheBurg last week.

The renovated facility will also be joined to the Bethesda Mission Youth Center, which is next door at 1429 Herr St. Together, they will create a full-service community center with classes and amenities for all age groups.

Bethesda Mission hopes to break ground on the project in the summer of 2018.

Rate Debate: More apartments, more talk of rental rates at Harrisburg council.

February 6, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

Thirteen more apartments have been proposed for Strawberry Square in Harrisburg.

Affordable housing was back in the spotlight tonight, as the Harrisburg City Council listened to plans for another downtown apartment conversion.

At their biweekly work session, council members heard from Harristown Enterprises CEO Brad Jones about plans to convert empty office space inside of Strawberry Square into 13 apartments—10 one-bedroom and three two-bedroom units.

Jones’ presentation of the project rekindled a discussion from the prior council meeting two weeks ago, when council President Wanda Williams read a lengthy statement saying that she expected downtown developers to include affordable housing in their plans going forward.

“I certainly will be watching,” she said at the time.

Williams was absent from tonight’s work session, but Councilman Dave Madsen picked up the thread, saying that he had spoken with Williams about their concerns over rental rates for newly renovated, higher-end units in downtown Harrisburg.

“We discussed that pricing has been a concern with these projects,” said Madsen. “But, as I understand with Wanda Williams, we’d like to move this project along, but with future projects, that you consider throwing in a few affordable housing units.”

Madsen said that he’s heard from constituents recently who said that they’re troubled over the issue of affordable housing in Harrisburg given recent higher-end projects downtown. Perhaps paradoxically, he also said that constituents seem to desire the high-quality housing being built by downtown developers like Harristown.

“We’ve seen everything downtown,”said Madsen, relating what residents have told him. “Why aren’t we seeing it in our neighborhood?”

Over the past two years, Harristown has brought about a half-dozen projects to council for approval. Nearly all have been conversions from empty, even dilapidated office space, to higher-end residential units. In all, the company has constructed about 60 apartment units from these projects, Jones said tonight.

Just two weeks ago, council approved a Harristown project at N. 2^nd and Cranberry streets, which will convert a long-empty, historic office building to an apartment building with 12 one- and two-bedroom units.

And Harristown now has another downtown project on the boards—the conversion of a six-story office building at 124 Pine St. into a mixed-use project consisting of 25 apartments with retail space on the first floor. That project, which requires a variance, is slated to go before the city’s Planning Commission and Zoning Hearing Board this month.

Jones came to tonight’s meeting armed with data, as he tried to counter the narrative that his company’s apartments are too pricey. He said that about 15 percent of Harristown’s existing units could be rented by someone with an annual income of just $25,000 to $40,000 a year, while another 40 percent could be afforded by someone with an average income of $60,000 a year.

He also emphasized that his projects—and, in fact, most apartment projects in the city over the last decade—rehabilitated existing empty and blighted housing stock and did not lead to displacement.

“The point I want to make tonight is that that has not occurred to this point,” he said. “Could it happen in the future? Sure. We’ve seen it happen in other places.”

Several council members said that they should not single out individual projects or developers in a pursuit of affordable housing. Instead, the city, they said, needs to develop a clearer policy on what it expects from all builders as Harrisburg continues to redevelop.

“This governing body needs to figure out what our policies are going to be,” said Councilwoman Shamaine Daniels. “We just can’t have one investor or one developer solve the affordable housing issue in the city.”

Madsen concurred.

“This has long been a concern,” he said. “It should require legislation on our part or our side.”

Council is expected to take a final vote on the Harristown residential conversion in Strawberry Square at its legislative session next week.

January News Digest

January 31, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

Comprehensive Plan Draft Criticized, Defended

Harrisburg’s draft comprehensive plan faced a cool reception from business leaders and city administrators last month, as the city Planning Commission hosted its first hearing on the document following a months-long dispute between the city and the plan’s author.

During a hearing in City Council chambers, members of the business community said the plan stepped on the toes of property owners and private developers. They feared that the proposals for land use would restrict investment in the city.

Private citizens and representatives from neighborhood associations were more supportive. Those who spoke out commended the plan’s goals to connect parks and neighborhoods and to redesign roadways for pedestrians and cyclists.

The plan, developed by the Harrisburg-based Office of Planning and Architecture, aims to guide development and urban planning in the city for the next 20 years. The project was delayed more than a year after OPA’s principal, Bret Peters, feuded with the city about compensation, deadlines and proposals in the plan.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse wants the Planning Commission to discard the consultant’s draft entirely and adopt a new draft written by the city’s Planning Bureau. He said their in-house plan includes many of the best ideas from Peters’ draft, but is less specific and ideological.

“[Peters’] plan is a recipe for disaster,” Papenfuse said. “It’s unworkable and unsalvageable.”

Other business professionals offered more specific criticisms.

Attorney Charles Courtney spoke on behalf of his client, Adam Meinstein, who owns the former U.S. Postal Service building at 813 Market St. The draft comprehensive plan recommends dividing that property between commercial, residential and business uses. Courtney said that the specificity of the plan limited his client’s discretion for how to develop the property.

“We need to have a broader view,” Courtney said. “If and when that property is developed, all the stakeholders will want to work together and not have it hamstrung by language in the comprehensive plan.”

Kevin Kulp, president of the Harrisburg Senators, said that the plan would be catastrophic for businesses on City Island. It calls for the elimination of all surface parking on City Island and for parking to be relocated to a garage on the island and overflow lots in downtown Harrisburg.

“We don’t have enough parking as it is, and we need every bit of it,” Kulp said.

Geoffrey Knight, director of the city’s Planning Bureau, said that the plan Harrisburg adopts needs to guide development, not direct it. If an owner did not want to develop a property according to a mandate in the comprehensive plan, Knight said, the owner would have to seek a waiver from the Planning Commission, which is the first body to consider land use proposals.

Some residents came out in support. Joyce Gamble, leader of Camp Curtin Community Neighbors United, said her organization supported the plan and hoped to work with the city to shepherd it to approval. Zach Monnier, a North Street resident, said he appreciated proposals that would make renters stakeholders in their neighborhoods.

Peters later rejected the charge that he did not prioritize private business interests in his draft. Raising the aggregate real estate values in Harrisburg is central to the plan, he said, and will benefit property owners as well as residents. He also said that Harrisburg needed the kind of specific planning that made many attendees at the meeting balk.

“Laissez faire real estate and planning have been practiced in this city for 50 years, and it hasn’t worked,” Peters said.

Planning Commission members will consider the input from the meeting when they convene on Feb. 5.

Mayor’s Aide Loses Job

A senior mayoral aide who was found liable in civil court for threatening an Allison Hill resident is no longer employed with the city.

Communications Director Joyce Davis confirmed last month that Karl Singleton, former senior advisor to Mayor Eric Papenfuse, has not been employed with the city since Papenfuse learned about the court ruling. Davis could not say whether Singleton had resigned or been fired.

In December, Singleton appeared before Magisterial District Justice David O’Leary for a hearing on a civil suit filed last July by Allison Hill resident Timothy Rowbottom. Rowbottom said in court that Singleton threatened his life during a heated argument on May 9, a week before the primary municipal elections, following a debate between mayoral primary candidates at the Hilton Harrisburg.

“I’m from Hall Manor, you should be scared of me,” Singleton allegedly told Rowbottom, referring to Harrisburg’s largest public housing complex, according to the court ruling. “I know where you live; I can have you taken out.”

Rowbottom, who campaigned for Papenfuse challenger Jennie Jenkins during the mayoral primary, allegedly made racist remarks to Singleton prior to the argument. He admitted to calling Singleton “a sorry excuse for a black man” and that he (Rowbottom) “is blacker than [Singleton] ever will be,” stated the court ruling.

O’Leary found Singleton liable for making malicious threats. The judge also said that Singleton’s political position compounded his liability.

Since Rowbottom admitted in court that he was unapologetic for his racially inflammatory remarks and claimed he was unafraid of Singleton, O’Leary only awarded the plaintiff nominal damages.

Davis said she was unaware of any plans to replace Singleton, whose position was incidentally reduced to part-time in January. Papenfuse said during budget hearings in December that the recent addition of a full-time business advisor to his cabinet reduced the need for a full-time aide.

City Officials Sworn In

Harrisburg officials invoked a spirit of optimism and cooperation last month, as the city swore in its returning mayor and most of City Council.

In city hall, newly inaugurated District Justice Hanif Johnson administered the oath of office to Mayor Eric Papenfuse, Treasurer Dan Miller and council members Wanda Williams, Shamaine Daniels, Ben Allatt, Dave Madsen and Ausha Green.

At the ceremony, Papenfuse cited the progress Harrisburg has made during his first term following the financial crisis that nearly bankrupted the city and sent it into state receivership.

“Today, Harrisburg is not a symbol of failure,” he said. “In Pennsylvania and throughout the nation, Harrisburg is a glowing symbol of renaissance and renewal.”

He credited his fellow elected officials, city workers and residents for “the optimism and hope that is so palpable on our streets today.”

“Yes, we have achieved a lot working together these past four years, but much work lies ahead,” he said.

Following the ceremony, City Council held a brief reorganization meeting, unanimously re-electing Williams as council president. Allatt took over as vice president by a 4-3 vote over Councilman Westburn Majors. Daniels, who served previously as vice president, was not re-nominated.

Williams said that, for 2018, her principal goal is ensuring the construction of the police substation on Allison Hill. The city plans to raise a 1,600-square-foot modular building on S. 15^thStreet, with a planned opening in the late summer. Completion of the city’s comprehensive plan is another priority, she said.

Brewpub RFP Issued

Have you always dreamt of running your own brewpub? If so, you may want to give Harristown a call.

Harristown Enterprises last month issued a request for proposals (RFP) as it seeks a qualified entrepreneur to open a brewpub or full-service restaurant in a large space on Market Street long occupied by the Gingerbread Man.

CEO Brad Jones said Harristown went this route after several potential deals fell through for the space.

“We really want to get the word out,” Jones said. “We think there are a lot of people out there who will find this to be a really attractive deal.”

The 6,000-square-foot space, part of Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg, has been empty since the Gingerbread Man closed down in 2014.

The RFP lists several criteria:

Brewery or distillery with a full-service restaurant or a brewpub or restaurant with a liquor license
A lease of at least seven years
Operations seven days a week

Harristown plans to charge $10.50 per square foot of rentable space for the first year and is offering to help defray the cost of the build-out. If interested, Harristown requires a business plan, resumes and financial information by Feb. 5.

“We feel the downtown is underserved for breweries,” Jones said. “That’s the one thing we’re missing.”

U.S. Marshal Killed

A deputy U.S. marshal was killed and a York City police officer wounded last month after gunfire erupted in an Allison Hill residence, where members of a federal fugitive task force went to serve a warrant to a Harrisburg woman.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Christopher David Hill, 45, of York County, an 11-year veteran of the Marshals Service, was killed in the gun battle.

Kevin Sturgis of Philadelphia, who opened fire at the officers, later succumbed to gunshot wounds, said law enforcement officials. The subject of the warrant, Shayla Lynette Towles Pierce, was taken into custody at the scene, charged with making terroristic threats with a weapon, officials said.

According to U.S. Attorney David J. Freed, officers in the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrived at the residence in the 1800-block of Mulberry Street just after 6 a.m. to serve Pierce an arrest warrant. After they announced their presence and entered, they apprehended her on the second floor of the dwelling.

After placing Pierce in handcuffs, Freed said, gunfire erupted from the second floor of the residence. Hill and York City police officer Kyle Pitts were both struck. Hill died of his wounds at UPMC Pinnacle Hospital, Freed said. Pitts underwent surgery and is expected to fully recover.

Sturgis fled to the first floor of the building and exited through the front door while firing his weapon, officials said. Officers returned fire and killed him.

School Board Vacancy

The Harrisburg school district is accepting applications for a vacancy on the school board.

Board member Matthew Krupp resigned his seat last month after assuming the elected office of Dauphin County prothonotary.

Applicants have until mid-February to submit their applications. The successful candidate will serve out the remainder of Krupp’s four-year term.

For more information, visit the school district’s website.

Major Gift for SAM

The Susquehanna Art Museum last month announced a $2 million donation from local art collectors, Marty and Tom Philips.

As a result of the donation, the museum building, located in Midtown Harrisburg, has been renamed the Susquehanna Art Museum at the Marty and Tom Philips Family Art Center. The gift is contingent on SAM raising at least $1 million in matching funds over the next two years.

In addition, SAM last month announced naming gifts from the S. Wilson and Grace M. Pollock Foundation, which will lend its name to the Education Center Gallery, and Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP, which will have its name above the museum’s entry portico.

So Noted

2K Networking announced a change of ownership last month, as Josh Hinkle, former director of business development, acquired the Harrisburg-based technology company. He took over from former CEO Glenn Pepo, who will stay on as a consultant.

Barley Snyder, which has locations throughout central and eastern Pennsylvania, last month opened its newest office in downtown Harrisburg. The office is staffed with 10 attorneys formerly of Rhoads & Sinon and is located in that firm’s former space at the M&T Bank building.

RSR Realtors last month named Jamie Berrier as president of the Lemoyne-based real estate company. She succeeds Greg Rothman, who will remain as a partner and board chairman, the company said. Moreover, RSR named Jim Koury as CEO, Garrett Rothman as vice president and broker of record and Bill Rothman as treasurer.

Smith Land & Improvement Corp., headquartered in Camp Hill, announced last month that Richard E. Jordan III, formerly chief operating officer, is now president and CEO. He replaced his father, Richard E. Jordan II, who will retain the role of chairman of the board.

The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC) announced last month the availability of more than 120 scholarship funds available to Pennsylvania students administered by its organization. For more information about scholarship opportunities or to apply, visit www.tfec.org.

Vista, a provider of autism services in eight counties in central PA, last month appointed Kirsten Yurich as chief executive officer. In this role, Yurich, previously the organization’s chief clinical officer, will oversee all operations of the Vista School, the Vista Foundation and Vista Adult Services.

Changing Hands

Balm St., 57: K. & R. Thames to C. & S. Epps, $50,000

Boas St., 318: M. Webb to C. Hughes, $144,000

Boas St., 1815: Harrisburg Rentals LLC to S. Henry, $64,000

Chestnut St., 2014 & 2015 Zarker St.: R. & B. Cielinski to T. Smallwood, $33,500

Croyden Rd., 2962: J. & R. Harle to M. Cabrera, $48,000

Cumberland St., 121: L. Williams to J. & K. Bowser, $59,000

Derry St., 1525: J. Rissler to M. & A. Mekhaiel, $40,000

Derry St., 2641: L. Knoll to E. Chandler, $79,900

Dunkle St., 631: B. Drake to A. Eubanks, $64,900

Emerald St., 521: N. Clelan to C. Gibbs, $84,900

Green St., 1509: R. Stare to A. & K. Tyson, $95,500

Green St., 1936: D. Marquette to G. Tsambas, $210,000

Green St., 2106: J. Evans to Segue Systems LLC, $39,010

Greenwood St., 2506: N. Hanna & J. Parisi to T. Davis & J. Martinez, $99,000

Hanna St., 106: S. Fahey to D. Frank, $174,000

Herr St., 1933: Bajwa & Rana LLC to N. & M. Gill, $250,000

Julia St., 1945: J. & S. Pagliaro to Kanta Estates LP, $230,000

Kelker St., 622: PA Deals LLC to End Properties LLC, $54,000

Lenox St., 1935: J. & K. Alvarez to B. McKinley, $72,500

Lewis St., 308: A. Dittman to C. Engvall & A. Bryant, $112,000

Lewis St., 322: J. Chelgren to K. Franklin, $60,000

Logan St., 2417: W. Blackway to Y. Aquayo & I. Class, $41,000

Market St., 810, 812 & 900 and 12, 21 & 23 N. 9^th St., and 24 & 26 N. 10^th St.: 812 Market Street LLC & Twenty Lake Holdings to 812 Market Inc. & L&B Realty Advisers LLP, $1,600,000

Market St., 1301: J. & S. Kim to 80 Second Street LLC, $180,000

Nagle St., 121: D. Gadel to P. Donohoe & J. Augustine, $182,000

North St., 1721: D. Hawkins to R. Scott, $40,000

N. 2^nd St., 1813: E. Pettis & C. Barker to J. Bailey, $81,500

N. 2^nd St., 2141: D. Kumpf to T. & J. Perla, $117,500

N. 2^nd St., 2838: S. & B. Blank to Diamond Real Estate Solutions Inc., $90,000

N. 2^nd St., 3224: K. Petrich to B. Najia Property LLC, $39,000

N. 3^rd St., 512: Genex Properties to RLJG Inc., $80,000

N. 3^rd St., 1209: N. Riess to R. Abel, $129,000

N. 3^rd St., 1616: W. Taylor & C. Pimentel to T. Breitsprecher, $100,000

N. 6^th St., 2470 & 2472: F. & E. Karnouskos & Sixth Street Holdings LLC to Rivas Property Investments LLC, $80,000

N. 17^th St., 94: S&S Property Management to N. Booth, $34,000

N. Front St., 1525, unit 402: R. & R. Fried to S. Anthony, $205,000

Penn St., 1930: J. McSurdy & J. Lentini to T. Holderman, $157,400

Penn St., 2139: Central Penn Properties to PA Capital Area Investments LLC, $30,000

Pennwood Rd., 3210: J. Clark to A. & G. Powell, $117,500

Reily St., 313: Judy Fisher 2004 Trust to E. Krokonko, $77,000

Rose St., 925: D. Niles to R. Ritchie, $80,000

Rumson Dr., 281: G. Burdsal to J. Runyan, $72,000

Seneca St., 226: R. Ralls to I. Billington, $127,000

S. 2^nd St., 316: Diamond Real Estate Solutions LLC to A. Radford & N. Towne, $110,000

S. 13^th St., 14: H. & L. Grajales to B. Crews, $67,000

S. 14^th St., 1414: A. & G. Evans to City of Harrisburg, $55,000

S. 14^th St., 1416: G. Evans to City of Harrisburg, $51,500

S. 14^th St., 1429: J. Newhouse to City of Harrisburg, $45,000

S. 25^th St., 638: PA Deals LLC to Mid-Atlantic IRA James Eshelman IRA, $60,000

S. 26^th St., 734: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development and Information Systems Networks Corp. to J. Gilpatrick, $41,000

S. 29^th St., 526: Kusic Capital Group LLC to R. Morris & A. Courtney, $150,000

S. Front St., 629: Harrisburg PA Properties LLC to J. Snyder, $50,000

S. Front St., 709: D. Smith to L. Foster, $182,900

State St., 1730: Mussani & Co. LP to Next Generation TC FBO Akhter Parvez IRA, $60,750

State St., 1911: JP Homes Inc. to G. & E. Varghese, $34,000

Susquehanna St., 1637: Harrisburg Rentals LLC to S. Henry, $83,900

Susquehanna St., 1716: L. Caro to S. Goodman, $98,500

Valley Rd., 2317: M. Thomas to G. & K. Kooiker, $144,000

Walnut St., 401: M. Tamanini to B. Kowalczyk, $100,000

Yes, But: Council OKs apartment plan, but approval comes with a warning.

January 23, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg City Council at tonight’s meeting.

City Council tonight approved new apartments and office space for downtown Harrisburg, but not before one council member issued a warning to developers of future projects.

Speaking tonight before a vote on two projects proposed by Harristown Enterprises, council President Wanda Williams read a statement criticizing the recent spate of high-end apartment projects downtown, calling them a form of gentrification.

“Many buildings downtown are being renovated for upscale apartments,” Williams said. “I want them renovated for people with lower paying jobs.”

Harristown has spearheaded many of the apartment projects in the downtown neighborhood, including office-to-residential conversions on S. 3^rd Street and in Strawberry Square. Since 2016, it has added about 50 higher-end apartments in the area of 3^rd and Market streets.

One of the Harristown projects approved tonight will bring yet more housing to the downtown business district. The company plans to convert a vacant, turn-of-the-century office building at 221 N. 2nd St. to an apartment building with 12 one- and two-bedroom apartments and a 500-square-foot retail space.

Williams said she wants affordable housing projects downtown to keep pace with job growth in that area.

“I’m very in favor of developers investing in Harrisburg, but until we talk about having affordable housing for everyone–including cashiers and clerks who work in downtown bars and restaurants–in every neighborhood of our city, we have not done our jobs,” Williams said.

Following her statement, council voted unanimously to approve the projects. In addition to the residential conversion, Harristown received approval to construct a new, six-story office building at 21 S. 2nd St., the former site of the Coronet restaurant. Harristown razed that property to accommodate the new project, which will also feature retail space on the ground floor. Harristown is awaiting an anchor tenant before starting construction.

Council also passed a resolution tonight in support of a statewide, grassroots redistricting effort. An initiative led by Fair Districts PA seeks a constitutional mandate to create a non-partisan citizens commission to redraw legislative maps. Members from the Dauphin County chapter of Fair Districts PA asked council to support their legislation.

“This resolution would say that Harrisburg believes in fair redistricting,” said Jayne Buchwach, a city resident and member of the Dauphin County Fair Districts chapter. “Harrisburg was among the disenfranchised cities in Pennsylvania after redistricting in 2011.”

Chapter coordinator Jean Handley explained that Harrisburg was “cracked” during the 2011 redistricting process — meaning it was split between two congressional districts, thereby diluting the voting power of the largely Democratic city.

Most of Harrisburg lies in the state’s 4^th congressional district, which is currently represented by Republican Scott Perry. Republican Congressman Lou Bartletta represents South Harrisburg neighborhoods in the state’s 11^th congressional district.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the state’s congressional map “clearly, plainly and palpably” violates the state constitution. The legislature has until Feb. 9 to draw a new map.

Harrisburg Council discusses attorney hire, downtown development

January 17, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg City Council at tonight’s work session

Hiring an attorney is a top priority for Harrisburg City Council, which met tonight to talk about priorities and goals for 2018.

During council’s first work session of the year, President Wanda Williams said that she planned to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for a contract attorney who would do legal work for council.

“We’ll issue an RFP to get that started,” she said, without specifying details such as expected timeframe or compensation.

Currently, the city’s law bureau does work for both council and the administration. Williams, however, has expressed dissatisfaction with the arrangement, criticizing the quality of communication between the bureau and council, as well as the timeliness of receiving ordinances, resolutions and other legal documents.

City Solicitor Neil Grover tonight said he supported council hiring its own part-time lawyer, a position that he held several years ago during the city’s financial crisis.

Besides hiring an attorney, council members listed numerous other goals for the coming year, including:

* better communication with the city’s small business community
* encouraging more minority-owned businesses
* fighting blight
* encouraging the development of more affordable housing
* renovating the city hall atrium
* making council meetings more efficient
* ensuring better communication between council members
* updating and improving the city’s sanitation processes and enforcement
* focusing more on improving and promoting Allison Hill

Council tonight also heard from Brad Jones, president and CEO of Harristown Enterprises, which wants to undertake two downtown projects.

The first project would convert a long-vacant, circa-1900 office building at 221 N. 2nd St. to an apartment building, with 10 one-bedroom units, two two-bedroom units and a small, 500-square-foot retail space on the ground floor.

If council approves Harristown’s land use plan, the $1.7 million project would begin by March and wrap up by August, Jones said.

For the second project, Harristown would construct a new, six-story office building at 21 S. 2nd St., with retail on the first floor. Harristown recently razed a dilapidated, three-story building in that spot that once housed the Coronet restaurant, which closed after a serious fire in 1994. Once constructed, the new building would be joined via interior connections to 17 S. 2nd St., home of the SkarlatosZonarich law firm.

The $7.1 million project would begin once Harristown secures an anchor tenant for the new building, Jones said.

Council is expected to vote on the land use plans for both of Harristown’s projects at its legislative session next week.

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