Tag Archives: harrisburg

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.

He’s Gone: Harrisburg mayoral advisor out after adverse court ruling.

January 15, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg city hall

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

Communications Director Joyce Davis confirmed on Monday morning that Karl Singleton, former senior advisor to Mayor Eric Papenfuse, has not been employed with the city since Tuesday, Jan. 9 — the same day that Papenfuse learned about his court ruling from a Burg reporter. Davis could not say whether Singleton had resigned or been fired.

TheBurg reported last Tuesday that Singleton appeared before Magisterial District Justice David O’Leary on Dec. 19 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.

In the ruling entered on Dec. 27, 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.

On Monday morning, however, Rowbottom said that he did take Singleton’s threats seriously. He also said he’s even more afraid now that Singleton no longer holds a position in city hall.

“I had to take him straight,” Rowbottom said. “I’m more afraid now than before. I’m terrified for my life every day.”

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.

Both Singleton and Papenfuse declined to comment this morning.

Progress Noted, Cooperation Pledged as Harrisburg Swears in City Officials

January 2, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

District Justice Hanif Johnson swears in Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse to a second term in office as Papenfuse’s wife, Catherine Lawrence, holds a Bible from the year 1560.

Harrisburg officials invoked a spirit of optimism and cooperation today, 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.

In November, Papenfuse, Williams, Daniels and Allatt all won re-election, while Miller, Madsen and Green will serve their first elected terms following mid-cycle appointments to their positions.

At the ceremony, Papenfuse was the lone official to address the crowd, citing 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. All council committee assignments are unchanged.

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 building on S. 15^th Street, with a planned opening in the late summer.

Completion of the city’s comprehensive plan is another priority, she said. On Jan. 10, the Planning Commission will hold a meeting to present the draft plan to the public and get resident input.

Williams further said that she and Papenfuse will meet next week to review priorities for the year.

“I hope we can cooperate with the administration to move Harrisburg in a positive direction,” she said, as she heaped praise on her fellow council members as “the best council I’ve been on in the last 12 years.”

Riots & Raffles: Our editor offers his annual review of Harrisburg’s top news stories.

December 29, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Ah, January.

Bitter winds. Winter storm warnings. Slush up to your knees.

But here’s something to warm your soul—my annual “top 10” list of Harrisburg news. As usual, I’ve employed a totally unscientific, subjective process to judge what I consider to be the top Harrisburg stories for the year just ended.

10. Mega-Murals: Let’s kick off the top-10 list on a happy note, with perhaps the most delightful thing to happen in Harrisburg in 2017—the Harrisburg Mural Festival. In September, artists came to town from near and far, and, at the end of 10 days, more than a dozen new murals were sprinkled throughout Midtown and downtown. It was a fun, affirming community event the likes of which I hadn’t experienced here before. Speaking of public art, I’d like to give a quick quack-out to another way-cool project, the Downtown Ducks, which offered a bit of needed whimsy amidst the hard surfaces of Harrisburg’s business district.

9. To the Limits: Every year, an issue arises that epitomizes the perennial discord and power struggle between Harrisburg’s mayor and City Council. In 2017, there were several, but an effort by council President Wanda Williams to impose mayoral term limits had to be the most overt. Williams recalled the excesses of seven-term Mayor Steve Reed to justify her ordinance, but most people regarded it as a naked swipe at current Mayor Eric Papenfuse. In turn, Papenfuse said he didn’t necessarily oppose term limits for the mayor, but thought they should extend to council, as well. And, months later, that’s where we stand.

8. Going Up: In November, Harrisburg University offered up an early holiday present when it announced plans to build the city’s tallest building—a 30-story-plus neck-strainer at the corner of S. 3rd and Chestnut streets. The project, currently slated to break ground next year, may include a hotel and conference center, in addition to classrooms and student housing. Downtown saw other development news in 2017, as Harristown Enterprises announced new projects on 2nd Street and continued its transformation of Strawberry Square with the debut of high-quality tenants like Fresa Bistro, Provisions, Freshido and the UPMC Pinnacle medical offices.

7. What’s the Plan? A single story rarely lasts through an entire calendar year, but the saga of Harrisburg’s comprehensive plan has now extended through 2015, 2016 and 2017. The year began with the city dismissing consultant Bret Peters, as relations between the administration and its hired architect reached a breaking point. In an odd twist, it ended with the Planning Commission adopting Peters’ plan as its final working draft. Because the plan still must pass muster with City Council, I’ve already penciled in this never-ending story as part of my 2018 top-10 list.

6. Not a Laugh Riot. By springtime, it looked like 2017 might be a difficult year on the streets of Harrisburg, as the capital city got drawn into the nation’s pro- and anti-Trump drama. Following clashes between factions at one protest, Harrisburg police asked council for $65,000 for new protective, or riot, gear. That got the crowds to council chambers, with most speakers opposing the purchase. In October, council tied the funding to the creation of a new, eight-member citizen task force to advise on police issues. However, as of mid-December, council had not passed a resolution authorizing it.

5. Triple Tragedy: Every year, a few stories in this often-fragile city seem particularly tragic. For instance, the double-murder in November of stepsisters Kaliah Dearing and Natasha Harner was especially horrible and heartbreaking. But arguably no story was more tragic than the triple loss in March of 10-year-old Savannah Dominick, 2-year-old Ashanti Hughes and Harrisburg firefighter Lt. Dennis DeVoe. The girls perished from a house fire in Uptown Harrisburg sparked by a faulty hover board, and DeVoe was killed when his car was T-boned on his way to the fire. Fittingly, the Fire Bureau later retired DeVoe’s badge number and placed his name on the Memorial Wall at the PA National Fire Museum.

4. Reed Plea: Harrisburg’s “trial of the century” was set to start, with the city’s former seven-term mayor and erstwhile savior, Steve Reed, in the dock facing more than 100 criminal counts. Then, poof, it all ended. Reed suddenly accepted a plea deal on 20 counts of receiving stolen property and, a week later, was sentenced to two years of probation. The conviction was cold comfort for those wanting someone to answer for hanging Harrisburg out to dry, driving it the brink of bankruptcy. Back in 2015, the state had charged Reed with nearly 500 corruption-related counts, but most of those were dismissed because a judge ruled that the statute of limitations for prosecution had expired. Following the sentencing, the state and the city declared that, with the criminal case settled, they now could pursue civil charges against the myriad people responsible for the city’s financial implosion. So far, crickets.

3. Election Division: High-stakes elections often bring out the worst in a body politic, and so it was once again with Harrisburg’s mayoral contest. The five-candidate primary race was rather quietly (and often poorly) run until about two weeks before the primary election, when a series of debates finally forced the candidates out from behind their Facebook pages. Then it was all division: race, neighborhood, class and anything else that could be used by challengers to try to divide and conquer. In the end, incumbent Papenfuse had the overall best debate performances and won handily. And, with the Democratic nomination determined, the mayoral election seemed to be all but settled, until . . .

2. Raffle Wreck: In Harrisburg, nothing ever seems resolved. So, candidates lose in the primary, but then often reappear in the general election. This time around, two of the losing primary candidates decided to mount last-minute write-in bids, which seemed rather innocuous and, honestly, pointless, until one of them, Gloria Martin-Roberts, lost control of her campaign. Several supporters decided to mount their own rogue campaign on her behalf, rounding up a bunch of homeless men to distribute flyers supporting the candidate. The men also handed out raffle tickets, which offered a chance to win big prizes just for voting. “Foul!” cried several concerned citizens, who complained to the county elections bureau. A judge, seeing a possible connection between the flyers and the tickets, issued an order to halt the raffle. Over ensuing days, most folks complicit in the strange affair laid the blame on others or denied involvement completely. To quote those New Zealand pop gods, OMC, “How bizarre.”

1. Up and Up: Several years ago, in my year-end “Top 10” list, I remarked that most news items were surprisingly positive, even though the city itself, broke and under state receivership, was a basket case. This year, I have the opposite assessment. Many of my top news items are rather negative, but, in truth, the city had a very good year overall. The budget is balanced, many new businesses opened, re-development continued, the city’s first bike share launched and home sales were brisk. Back in 2012 and 2013, I never could have imagined such a rapid turnaround and bright future for Harrisburg. But, thankfully, here we are. So, that’s my No. 1 story of the year.

Numerous other stories almost made the cut in this news-rich little city. My runner-up list included City Council resignations, the doomed Eastern University deal, the sinkhole solution, the surprising Civil War Museum accord, the delayed (finally begun) 3rd Street project and the Hail Mary bid for the Amazon headquarters.

Wait—did I just finish up an entire year-end news review without once mentioning parking? This is Harrisburg. That can’t be right.

Lawrance Binda is editor in chief of TheBurg.

December News Digest

December 29, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg Finalizes Budget

Harrisburg last month passed a 2018 budget did not raise city tax rates, but added a number of new salaried positions and approved millions of dollars in capital investments.

The final budget did not differ much from that proposed by Mayor Eric Papenfuse in late November, which leveraged higher revenue from a growing tax base to increase the city’s operating budget from $61 million last year to $65 million in 2018. The city will also spend $9.2 million from its cash reserves, which will cover a $2 million debt payment and $7.2 million in capital improvement projects.

Expenditures in 2018 will increase in two main categories: personnel and capital projects.

On the personnel front, the city budgeted for $32.5 million in salaries compared to $31 million in 2017. That figure, which excludes healthcare costs, will create seven new management positions and two new sanitation positions. The budget permits the Fire Bureau to make five hires and the Police Bureau to recruit 20 new officers.

The additional personnel funds will also increase salaries for two positions in the law bureau and award raises to sanitation workers represented by the AFSCME union.

The city defines a capital project as any expenditure exceeding $5,000. In 2018, proposed capital projects include $1 million on new radios and patrol cars for police, $700,000 for work on the 15th Street police substation and $80,000 for police body cameras. About $450,000 will go towards renovating city playgrounds, and projects to renovate Reservoir Park will receive almost $1 million thanks to a last minute cash transfer by Council.

Composting Plan to Proceed

Harrisburg intends to move ahead with plans to build a composting facility in Susquehanna Township, despite continued opposition from some township residents.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that the city will apply for a facility permit with the state Department of Environmental Protection this month. If DEP grants the permit, which Papenfuse believes it will, the city will begin to convert the site to a compost facility.

City officials have campaigned to build a composting facility at 1850 Stanley Rd. since summer 2017. After they were met with fierce opposition from some residents in Susquehanna Township, they agreed to delay the permit application until they had more public support. Over the following months they hosted informational sessions and visits to comparable sites to teach residents about composting.

Papenfuse made his final pitch at a township board of commissioners meeting last month, at which several township residents expressed opposition. Nonetheless, he said he believes the project has won enough support in the community to proceed.

“There’s a handful of people from the neighborhood who oppose it, but it’s not overwhelming,” he said.

Papenfuse told the crowd that composting leaves and lawn waste—which essentially involves letting the material decompose into the ground—does not carry any risks to humans, soil or water sources.

Some residents claimed that the facility would create odors or mar neighborhood views. Others worried about noise from the machinery and increased traffic from the Public Works Department trucks that transport the waste.

Papenfuse assured residents that the site would be unobtrusive when it opens. Public Works vehicles will use mostly Harrisburg roads to get to the site, and employees will operate the machinery on a limited, set schedule.

Allison Hill Substation

The Harrisburg Police Bureau is on track to open a police substation in Allison Hill in late summer 2018, but officials said last month that it would not be open around the clock.

During a hearing on the 2018 budget, Police Chief Tom Carter and Capt. Derric Moody told City Council that the substation will not operate 24/7 or have civilian staff when it opens in August.

Police may expand operations at the substation as they grow their ranks. The city hopes to hire 20 new officers and a community policing coordinator next year.

“Our goal is to have full service there, but, realistically speaking, we can’t currently achieve that with the manpower we have,” Moody said.

The plan is to use the substation as a staging area for specialized police units and an outpost for officers responding to calls in Allison Hill. The 1,600-square-foot building on S. 15th Street will include a space for police trainings and community meetings, as well as a squad room, break room, equipment room and locker room with showers.

It will also have an area for a receptionist, though there are currently no plans to hire one. Members of the public will be able to enter the substation for public meetings or interviews with police officers, but will not have access the same administrative services as the Public Safety headquarters downtown.

“We’re trying to provide a central location for officers,” Moody said.

Act 47 to Continue

Harrisburg is likely to spend another three years in the state’s Act 47 program for financially distressed municipalities, according to a state advisor who oversees the city’s finances.

Marita Kelly, Harrisburg’s Act 47 coordinator for the state Department of Community and Economic Development, last month praised the city’s “many achievements” since it entered Act 47 in 2011.

However, she believes that the city will not be able to afford to exit the program at the end of 2018, when it becomes eligible. While it would regain independent financial oversight, it would stand to lose some $13 million in revenue without the extra taxing authority allowed under the program.

Kelly added that Harrisburg has avoided some of the problems that plague other third-class cities across the state, such as difficulty financing legacy payments—healthcare and benefit payments for current and retired employees.

Bruce Weber, the city’s budget and finance director, reported that two of the city’s pension accounts are fully funded, but a third fund for police pensions is causing some concern.

“We only have one that’s slightly in distress,” Weber said. “We are contributing to it every year.”

Kelly will make a formal recommendation for Harrisburg’s Act 47 status in March. The only condition that would enable the city to exit the program would be a change to the third-class city code or a set of special taxing provisions for the city approved by the state legislature.

County Taxes Hold Steady

The Dauphin County commissioners last month passed a 2018 budget that keeps property taxes steady for a 13th consecutive year.

The three-person board passed a $241 million budget that contains no increase in the county portion of the property tax, which will remain unchanged at 6.876 mills.

The county does expect to spend more than it takes in for 2018, but plans to use as much as $12.5 million in reserve funds to make up the shortfall. The county stated that it still expects to have a reserve fund balance of about $25 million by the end of 2018.

Last year, Dauphin County also balanced its budget by dipping into its reserve fund. It estimated that it would spend $12.5 million in reserves, but will only spend about $5.2 million by year-end, according to current county estimates.

The county stated that it will add funds to the county coroner’s office in 2018 to deal with the rise in opioid-related deaths. Last year, there were 85 overdose deaths in the county, but the coroner expects more than 100 by Dec. 31.

Sewer Projects Begin

Capital Region Water began a new round of sewer replacement and improvements last moth, affecting several neighborhoods in Harrisburg.

Andrew Bliss, community outreach manager, said CRW is staggering the $700,000 project through the end of January. In all, CRW will repair more than 800 feet of aging and broken sewer mains and manholes at five locations.

The individual projects are:

– Mid-December to early January
S. 13^th Street, between Market Street and Howard Street
New manhole, 18 feet of new sewer pipe

– End of December to early January
Cameron and Market streets
Spray on concrete liner, 18-inch sewer pipe

– Early January to end of January
Magnolia Street between Cameron and 12^th streets
New manhole on Cameron Street, pipe lining

– Mid-January to end of January
Derry Street between 13^th and 14^th Streets
New manhole, 13 feet of pipe, pipe lining

– Mid-January to end of January
Fulton and Hamilton streets
New manhole connection

Potential impacts of the construction include street closures, parking restrictions, construction noise and temporary sewer service interruptions. When the pipe replacement is complete, the road will be temporarily patched until final street restoration is completed in the spring of 2018, Bliss said.

Customers with questions can contact Capital Region Water by phone at 888-510-0606 or by email at [email protected].

So Noted

Harrisburg School Board last month tabled a motion on whether to search for a new school district superintendent. The board is expected to revisit the issue again later this year, as Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney’s contract expires in June.

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology last month unveiled its new, expanded campus in central Philadelphia. HU is sharing the 38,000 square feet of space at 1500 Spring Garden St. with Hussian College.

Harrisburg Young Professionals last month selected Suzanne Patackis as president of the 2018 executive board, replacing outgoing President Joe Tertel. HYP also announced that Jeff Copus and Adeolu Bakare will serve as co-vice presidents, Brittany Brock as secretary and Jeremy Scheibelhut as treasurer.

UPMC Pinnacle last month named Dr. James Raczek as its new chief medical officer. In that role, Raczek leads quality and safety programs, medical education and medical staff relationships and contributes to strategic planning and implementation.

Changing Hands

Barkley Lane, 2502: US Bank National Assoc. to S. Vetock, $32,000

Barkley Lane, 2507: R.C. Medellin to R. Medellin, $48,000

Boas St., 406: A. Heisey to S. Higginbotham, $115,000

Briggs St., 270: M. Ennis to E. & A. Williams, $228,000

Brookwood St., 2435: R. House to I. & K. Mita, $56,000

Calder St., 262: J. Goldberg to R. Yaegle, $118,000

Calder St., 500: W. Tatar to S. Hoffman, $125,000

Conoy St., 115: A. & C. Stoudt to R. Rodino, $145,000

Conoy St., 121: A. Spisask to K. Russell, $92,500

Cumberland St., 214: D. & E. Zampogna to M. Santalucia, $141,000

Fulton St., 1709: J. Ganeva to C. Messner, $110,000

Green St., 1624: K. Lewis to P. & M. Rowan, $192,000

Green St., 1817: T. & L. Sopcak to B. Scelta, $129,000

Green St., 1826: D. & J. Kalbach to D. Ober, $165,000

Industrial Rd., 3300: Pennsylvania Terminals Corp. to 3300 Industrial Road Associates LP, $865,000

Market St., 1923: K. Griffith to D. Thomas, $70,000

Mercer St., 2430: PA Deals LLC to R. Buehner, $63,900

Mercer St., 2464: C. Hobbs to T. & J. Knaub, $60,000

North St., 232: E. Finkelstein to G. Kramer, $125,000

N. 2^nd St., 812: A. Meoli to Diocese of Harrisburg, $212,000

N. 2^nd St., 2234: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to C. Eisner, $43,200

N. 2^nd St., 2527: GRSW Stewart Real Estate Trust to K. & D. Maltzie, $174,000

N. 2^nd St., 3211: E. & J. Daschbach to K. McRae, $99,900

N. 3^rd St., 925: D. Bobinchek & 921 Home LLC to 921 Home LLC, $105,000

N. 3^rd St., 2340: T. Wadlinger to D. & S. Houck, $168,265

N. 5^th St., 2736: PA Deals LLC to MidAtlantic IR LLC & Jennifer Fernandes IRA, $63,000

N. 13^th St., 139: Falco Inc. to Round the Horn LLC, $45,000

N. 16^th St., 914: J. & H. Wilbur to JB2 Properties LLC, $59,900

N. 16^th St., 916: PA Deals LLC to Z. Kissinger, $69,900

N. 17^th St., 1122: MBHH RE LLC to S. Garcia, $31,000

Peffer St., 228: N. & L. Chohany to B. Matuszny, $173,000

Peffer St., 263: Members 1^st Federal Credit Union to E. Patry, $49,900

Penn St., 1715: S. Dunn to BencMarq Holdings LLC, $77,001

Pennwood Rd., 3160: J. & M. Bush to T. Wylie, $150,000

Rumson Dr., 2983: C. Shenk to J. Jones, $69,000

S. 14^th St., 314: J. Reichwein to E. & B. Katz, $62,000

S. 14^th St., 1415: D. Fahie to City of Harrisburg, $47,000

S. 14^th St., 1419: H. & C. Pollard to City of Harrisburg, $50,000

S. 14^th St., 1439: R. & S. Dighe to City of Harrisburg, $50,000

S. 16^th St., 435: M. Bui to L. DiGiacomo & M. Ganci, $48,000

S. 17^th St., 140: Allison Hill Partners LLC to Hamilton Health Center Inc., $250,000

S. River St., 304: D. Havior to D. Ogden & Pear Tree Revocable Trust, $40,000

State St., 1406: R. & A. Sharp to JRC Properties, $80,000

Susquehanna St., 1614: J. & S. DeMuro to S. Brandon & L. Fisher, $152,000

Susquehanna St., 1701: R. Ambrose to R. Covington & T. Pean, $137,000

Susquehanna St., 1711: Susquehanna Valley Properties to N. DeMuro, $113,000

Harrisburg property sales for November 2017, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate

Harrisburg Mayor: City plans to proceed with composting facility plan.

December 15, 2017 | by Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse made a final pitch for a composting facility last night in Susquehanna Township.

Harrisburg intends to move ahead with plans to build a composting facility in Susquehanna Township, even though a number of township residents still don’t want it.

With Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse in attendance, seven township residents and one state representative appeared before the township board of commissioners on Thursday night to oppose the composting site. No residents at the meeting voiced support for the facility, but the city’s administration believes that it has won enough support in the community to proceed with the project.

“There’s a handful of people from the neighborhood who oppose it, but it’s not overwhelming,” Papenfuse said. “We’ve worked hard to include incorporate public feedback, and there were far fewer people speaking out against it tonight.”

Papenfuse said that the city would apply for a facility permit with the state Department of Environmental Protection in January. If DEP grants the permit, which Papenfuse believes it will, the city will begin to convert the site to a compost facility.

City officials have campaigned to build a composting facility at 1850 Stanley Rd. since the summer. After they were met with fierce opposition from some residents in Susquehanna Township, they agreed to delay the permit application until they had more public support. Over the following months they hosted informational sessions and visits to comparable sites to teach residents about composting.

Some of the concerns raised on Thursday were over the perceived environmental and health harms of a composting facility. Sue Helm, a representative for Pennsylvania’s 104^th legislative district, cited those reasons when she said her constituents in Edgemont did not want the facility in their neighborhood.

Papenfuse reminded the crowd that composting leaves and lawn waste – which essentially involves letting the material decompose into the ground – does not carry any risks to humans, soil or water sources.

State municipal codes require Harrisburg to maintain its own composting facility for leaves and yard waste. The city decided to build the site on land in Susquehanna Township owned by the Harrisburg School District. The Stanley Road property is owned by the school district and will be leased to the city for a nominal fee. According to Papenfuse, the facility cannot be built in a flood plain, which drastically limits the potential sites in Harrisburg city limits.

Exit Strategy: Harrisburg seeks assistance as it eyes leaving Act 47.

December 1, 2017 | by Lizzy Hardison

State Street in Harrisburg

As 2017 draws to a close and Harrisburg officials negotiate next year’s budget, they’ve already set their sights on another deadline: the end of 2018, when the city’s Act 47 status expires.

The city recently enlisted the help of a lobbying firm to craft an exit strategy, which might include new laws specific to the capital city.

Harrisburg entered Act 47 in 2011. Cities and townships under Act 47 are designated as “financially distressed” by the state Department of Community and Economic Development and given special provisions for consolidating debt and setting tax rates.

Without those provisions, city officials say, it would be impossible to balance Harrisburg’s budget and maintain basic local services. Exiting the program would require them to lower current tax rates – unless legislators amend state laws.

“My general gut tells me unless there’s legislative change, I don’t think it’s possible for us to leave Act 47,” said Ben Allatt, a City Council member and chair of the budget and finance committee.

The need for new tax laws led the city to hire local lobbying firm Maverick Strategies, which they will pay $60,000 for services in 2018. While the deal won’t guarantee a specific legislative outcome, officials hope that Maverick will convey to lawmakers the unique challenges of funding a capital city.

“I don’t think that the leaders in the House fully understand what it means for a city to be in and leave Act 47,” said Allatt. “We think if they are fully informed, it could lead to legislative change that could affect Harrisburg or other cities across the commonwealth.”

Harrisburg’s status as the state capital simultaneously drives up its expenditures and reduces its revenue base. The daily influx of commuters means that the city infrastructure serves a large population of commuters who do not pay income or property taxes. What’s more, the city cannot tax state land.

Act 47 allowed Harrisburg officials to set earned income tax and local services tax rates higher than what is allowed under the state’s constitution.

Currently, Harrisburg taxes every individual working in the city $156 a year, or $3 a week, for local services such as police, road and traffic signals, and utilities.

The $8 million annual revenue from the local services tax helps maintain the city’s infrastructure and emergency services. If Harrisburg exited Act 47 today, it would have to adjust its tax rates according to the state constitution and third-class city code.

Harrisburg finance director Bruce Weber said lowering the rates would be impossible.

“It’d mean massive layoffs,” Weber said. “We wouldn’t balance the budget.”

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that the city will seek an exemption from these tax codes due to its capital city status.

“We’re certainly in solidarity with other third-class cities across the commonwealth that are struggling, but we’re a third-class city that is also the state capital city,” he said.

Papenfuse could not say whether the lobbyists would seek amendments to the third-class city code or the creation of new laws entirely. He did add that legislative changes could provide Harrisburg an alternative to a home rule charter, which would let the city create set its own rates on income and property taxes.

Papenfuse also confirmed that one objective of the lobbyists will be annualizing the state’s yearly payment to Harrisburg. Since the city cannot collect taxes on state property, the state has routinely made an appropriation to Harrisburg for emergency fire and police services, which, in recent years, has amounted to $5 million.

That payment is subject to debate in each round of state budget negotiations and has fluctuated in size. Papenfuse hopes that legislators, with prodding from Maverick lobbyists, will make the $5 million appropriation a requirement by state law.

For the Arts: Bill Lehr’s style may be soft, but his impact raises the roof.

November 30, 2017 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

“Here’s the thing about Bill Lehr.”

With that introduction, Alice Anne Schwab begins to explain how the Susquehanna Art Museum has benefited from William Lehr Jr.’s long-time leadership.

“He generally says little in a meeting or assembled group, so when he does speak, it is almost always going to be profound and vital to the cause,” said Schwab, SAM’s executive director. “I listen very carefully because that’s when he’s going to utter the brilliance. And then he’s out the door!”

For years, Lehr may have been best known locally as a top Hershey executive and then as president and CEO of Capital BlueCross. But since his retirement a few years ago, he’s increased his already substantial involvement in the arts, now serving as president of SAM’s board and in several other key positions.

“He is highly respected in the business community as well as the arts community, and that respect translates to many positives for us,” Schwab said. “He contributes financially, which is obviously hugely important to the success of nonprofit arts organizations, but he is also tremendously generous with his time. He’s truly the busiest retired guy I know.”

Americans for the Arts, a national network of arts organizations, supporters and activists, has now recognized Lehr’s contributions, recently presenting him with its annual Legacy Award.

“We’re excited to be honoring Mr. Lehr,” said Inga Vitols, the group’s spokesperson. “He shines a light on what has been possible with the dedication of leaders who believe passionately in the cause.”

Indeed, Lehr is very passionate about the arts.

“In all permutations,” he said, “not only because I learn from them and enjoy them myself, but because they are an essential element in the development and maintenance of a vibrant community.”

What couldn’t he live without?

“Thank goodness I don’t have to choose just one, but, if I did, it would be music,” Lehr said. “We attend Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz and Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra concerts. We also attend shows at Theatre Harrisburg, Hershey Theatre, Gamut Theatre Group and Open Stage.”

Lehr’s stint at SAM is actually his second. He also served on the board in the early 2000s, aiding its move to a new building, said Schwab.

“His presence as a dedicated helper in the museum’s time of great need was a catalyst for several other great community leaders to come on board,” she said. “Bill came back to the board at the end of 2015 and was elected board president soon after. In September, he was reelected for another year.”

Despite Lehr’s quiet demeanor, he is one of those people who, “behind the scenes of any preforming arts or cultural organization, makes it happen,” said Jeff Woodruff, executive director of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra.

Lehr came on the board of HSO in 2006 and stepped down 10 years later because of term limits. He spent the last four as chairman.

“Bill continued to be a soft-spoken man, playing behind the scenes, but in his own giving way, he leads by example,” said Woodruff. “He has been very generous offering funds out of his pocket and encouraging others to give.”

Harrisburg-area arts are so important to Lehr that he retired early to have ample time to contribute the most he could. Over the years, he’s been a board member for dozens of organizations, including Whitaker Center, Harrisburg Symphony Association, the Cultural Enrichment Fund and Metro Arts of the Capital Region (now Jump Street).

“Bill was a model board member, a strong advocate for HSO who knows how to run a meeting and someone who attended every concert and event,” Woodruff said.

Lehr has seen many changes in the local arts scene over the years. Some organizations have come and gone, though many others have taken root and become successful. One notable change has been the prominence of women, who head many nonprofits today.

Among the women Lehr says he admires globally is Mother Theresa. Locally, he points to the leadership of Janice Black, president and CEO of the Foundation for Enhancing Communities, and Kathleen Pavelko, president and CEO of WITF.

When he’s not busy with advocacy, Lehr enjoys being with his three children and five grandchildren. He and his wife Beverlee, an artist herself, are also tireless travelers, having visited 70 different countries so far.

“We’re working on several others to go on our list,” Lehr laughed.

But being home in the Harrisburg area keeps him plenty busy, as well. After all, there’s always one more concert to attend; one more play to go to; one more exhibit to see; and, of course, one more organization that needs his advice and assistance.

Here Too: Yes, Harrisburg can have nice things.

November 30, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

The whispers began well before the official opening last month.

Hmm . . . do you think Harrisburg will support this place? Can it survive here? Will it last longer than a month, a year?

It seemed too hip, too different—maybe even a little radical. Too—should I say it—nice? Sure, it might work in Philly or Pittsburgh or D.C., but certainly not here in dumpy old Harrisburg.

In this case, I’m talking about Provisions, the snug, urban-style grocery that opened its doors downtown in Strawberry Square. But it could equally apply to a bunch of other businesses that have started over the last decade.

A huge, independent bookstore on a forlorn block in Midtown? No way. A vast arts center in a dilapidated wreck of a building? Yeah, right. An upscale French bistro? Ha!

I refer to Midtown Scholar, H*MAC and Rubicon, respectively. But it could equally apply to so many other places that have opened in recent years: Little Amps (Harrisburg wants cheap coffee); the Millworks (too artsy, too pricey); Note Bistro (doomed location); Zeroday ($6 pints??); LUX, Union Lofts, Flats at Strawberry Square (too big-city, too expensive).

All have proven the haters and trolls wrong. They are still in business. Most are thriving.

The armchair critics also roared over the new Harrisburg Bike Share. But it had about 500 sign-ups in its first month in operation, according to sponsor Communities in Schools PA. The sturdy white bikes with the front baskets are now a common sight along the riverfront and City Island. Chalk up another success.

Therefore, I’m calling time on “old Harrisburg.” This is the Harrisburg with little more to offer its residents than cut-rate goods, unhealthy food and substandard housing. This is the Harrisburg owned by people who flee each night to the suburbs, snug in subdivisions where their blighted buildings and dangerous bars would never be tolerated. This is the Harrisburg with an inferiority complex, where anyone hoping for better is shouted down as an outsider or an idiot.

Of course, I realize that change, as is its nature, is distributed unevenly across the city, with some neighborhoods progressing and others not. But we need to realize—simply because it’s a fact—that Harrisburg’s economy has changed. Over the past decade, it’s deepened and diversified, and it should no longer surprise anyone that the city can support nicer and, yes, sometimes more expensive goods and services.

A couple of years ago, a friend told me that he was thinking about opening a business and asked me what I thought. My advice was this—go higher end. By higher end, I didn’t mean Gucci or Givenchy. I meant “mass market nice,” something a notch or two better than conventional wisdom in this town seemed to believe would work.

I reached this conclusion not based on my own personal likes or aspirations, but by looking around at what was already succeeding: Café Fresco, Stage on Herr, Suba, Cork & Fork, Federal Taphouse. “Something better” seemed to be where the market was moving in Harrisburg. I told him that that’s what we did with TheBurg—and it worked for us, too.

In contrast, you know what’s not working? People who treat the city like it’s still old, ramshackle Harrisburg, who seem stuck in the past. In the decade I’ve been here, countless convenience stores, cell phone resellers and used goods shops have opened and closed just along 3rd Street in Midtown. It simply doesn’t seem to be a successful business strategy any longer.

I also urged my friend to heed what I call the “three C’s” of success: capitalization, competence and commitment. As a small business owner and enthusiast, I’ve seen even good ideas flop due to owner malpractice. I told him that, if he chose to open a store, he had to ensure that he was well capitalized, deeply understood his product and business and was willing to work 12-hour days (he wasn’t and didn’t).

So, here’s to Provisions, Harrisburg’s newest small business. It’s a little funky, a little urban, a little fun. And it offers a completely different, superior food-shopping experience for anyone accustomed to the numbing, cold sterility of the suburban supermarket. May it have a long, long life!

Lawrance Binda is editor in chief of TheBurg.

November News Digest

November 30, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

City Election Marred by “Raffle”

Harrisburg’s uncontested mayoral election last month was supposed to be a sleepy affair, but it was upset by a raffle with apparent connections to a write-in candidate.

A Dauphin County judge issued an injunction on Election Day to stop the distribution of raffle tickets that may have encouraged people to vote a certain way in the race for Harrisburg mayor.

“The Court finds that the raffle ticket is also promoting of a particular race and suggestive of balloting,” according to the court order.

People at many city polling stations were found to be handing out raffle tickets, which promised prizes for voting. These included a new iPhone X (first prize), $500 in cash (second prize) and a $200 Best Buy gift card (third prize).

Dauphin County Sheriff Nicholas Chimienti later visited a downtown office owned by developer Jeremy Hunter, where Hunter stored both raffle tickets and flyers supporting write-in candidate Gloria Martin-Roberts.

Martin-Roberts, however, later denounced Hunter’s efforts, saying she never authorized the raffle or the flyers.

“I clearly told Jeremy, ‘do not distribute any of that information with my name on it,’” Martin-Roberts said. “He does not listen to anyone.”

Hunter also told TheBurg that he spent thousands of dollars in the primary and general elections in support of Martin-Roberts. At press time, those expenditures had not been reported to the Dauphin County elections bureau.

3rd Street Project Starts

Harrisburg officials last month broke ground on the long-awaited repaving of 3rd Street, though most of the work will not start until the spring.

Crews began on the Midtown portion with new curbing and ADA-compliant ramps at intersections. Work is expected to continue through December, depending on the weather, and will resume in March.

The entire project includes about a two-mile stretch of the main artery from Chestnut Street downtown to Seneca Street in Uptown Harrisburg.

Actual milling and paving of the street will hold off until next year, said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. The project is expected to continue throughout much of 2018, wrapping up in October.

Papenfuse stressed that the project is not just for motorists. He said the improvements will make it easier to walk and bike, as well as drive along the street.

“By the time we are done, this entire area will be returned to the residents of the city,” he said.

City Engineer Wayne Martin said that, when paving begins next year, he expects temporary road closures and detours lasting about three days at a time. He also said that some parking, about 10 spaces at a time, will be occupied by construction equipment.

As part of the project, Capital Region Water will install trees and other environmentally friendly infrastructure, including green “bump outs,” to reduce storm-water flow, said CRW board chairman J. Marc Kurowski.

He said the project is part of CRW’s City Beautiful H2O program, which is meant to replace outdated infrastructure and improve storm-water flow.

“We’ll have new trees and new ways to manage storm-water,” Papenfuse said. “This will become a showcase for design for the whole region.”

Harrisburg has contracted with Elizabethtown-based Doug Lamb Construction Inc. for the $5.5 million project, a cost split between the city and CRW. The city is paying an estimated $3.5 million, with CRW footing the remaining $2 million.

Most of the project is funded by a grant from Impact Harrisburg, a nonprofit set up as part of the city’s financial recovery.

City Incumbents Returned to Office

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse sailed to an easy re-election victory last month, despite two candidates mounting late write-in bids.

With all 28 precincts reporting, Papenfuse garnered 3,788 votes. All write-in candidates together tallied 502.

Shortly before the election, two of Papenfuse’s defeated opponents in the Democratic primary, Gloria Martin-Roberts and Lewis Butts, declared that they would mount write-in campaigns in the general election.

With his victory, Papenfuse will begin his second, four-year mayoral term in January.

Five Harrisburg City Council candidates also ran unopposed in their races. Council incumbents Wanda Williams, Shamaine Daniels and Ben Allatt each won four-year terms, as did newcomer Ausha Green. Councilman Dave Madsen earned a two-year seat.

Harrisburg Treasurer Dan Miller and Controller Charlie DeBrunner each ran unopposed and will serve four-year terms.

For school board, all the listed Democrats won four-year seats: Brian Carter, Carrie Fowler, Danielle Robinson and Judd Pittman. Incumbent James Thompson, who lost in the Democratic primary but cross-filed, lost on the Republican side.

Percel Eiland, running unopposed, took the two-year seat for school board.

One district justice seat was contested. In the race for district 12-01-05, Democrat Hanif Johnson defeated Claude Phipps, who was on the Republican ballot, by a vote of 954-347.

In Dauphin County, Republican Matthew Krupp defeated Democrat Diane Bowman in a close race for prothonotary. In the heated contest for three Court of Common Pleas judgeships, sitting Judge Lori Serratelli lost to challengers Ed Marsico, Royce Morris and John McNally.

HU Proposes Downtown High-Rise

A new high-rise may soon add to downtown Harrisburg’s skyline, as Harrisburg University of Science and Technology last month issued a request for proposals for a new, mixed-use building.

According to the RFP, the proposed building at Chestnut and S. 3rd streets would house the school’s emerging Health Science Education Center, from which it would offer degree programs in nursing, pharmaceutical sciences and other health programs.

The RFP is asking for bids of at least 200,000 square feet for educational space, plus housing for more than 300 students. The building, currently proposed to be 36 stories, may also contain amenities such as a boutique hotel, restaurant, executive conference center and/or fitness facility.

The school envisions the building as a high-rise on parcels that include 222 Chestnut St., currently a surface parking lot owned by Vartan Enterprises, and 24, 26 and 28 S. 3rd St., which contain small commercial buildings owned by Mechanicsburg-based Dauphin Land Co. Under the RFP, those low-rise, 19th-century commercial buildings would be demolished.

HU President Eric Darr said that the current property owners have agreed to sell their parcels to HU for the project. He added that the proposed location was perfectly situated between UPMC Pinnacle and the university’s main academic building on Market Street.

“Being a block away from Harrisburg Hospital makes all the sense in the world,” said Darr, who estimates the total cost of the project at $120 to $140 million.

HU has set Feb. 2 as the deadline for responses, with a proposal selection date of April 10. An evaluation committee comprised of members of the university’s executive staff, board of trustees and outside advisers will evaluate the proposals.

Darr said he hopes to break ground in 2019 and that construction should take about two years.

Overnight Shelter Opened

Following a change in policy at Harrisburg’s largest rescue mission, a downtown shelter will open an emergency overnight shelter for 30 homeless men.

Downtown Daily Bread, a soup kitchen and daytime shelter operated by Pine Street Presbyterian Church on N. 3rd Street, got approval from the city to operate a 30-bed men’s shelter from Dec. 1 to March 31 at its facility at 234 South St., according to Anne Guenin, director of Downtown Daily Bread.

Downtown Daily Bread currently runs a daily drop-in shelter where people can nap, shower, receive meals and pick up mail. It serves between 70 and 90 people on an average day, Guenin said.

The night shelter will be in the same facility as the daytime shelter, which operates from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The nighttime shelter will open at 7:30 p.m., giving crews time to clean and convert the gymnasium to a dormitory with cots, and will close at 6 a.m.

Guenin said that the shelter originated in response to an operational change at Bethesda Mission, which this year decided to focus its efforts on long-term recovery programs and open its emergency shelter only in extreme weather conditions.

Comp Plan Back on Track

Harrisburg’s long-delayed comprehensive plan appears to be back on track, as the city’s Planning Commission last month agreed on a draft plan and set forth a path for final approval.

The commission unanimously opted for a draft submitted by the Office for Planning and Architecture, a city-based firm headed by urban design consultant Bret Peters.

In May 2015, the city hired Peters for $200,000 to create a comprehensive plan, which cities use as frameworks to guide policy, ranging widely from land use to recreation. Plans typically have a shelf life of only 15 to 20 years, though Harrisburg’s had not been redrafted in some four decades.

Originally, the city expected its plan to be finished in about 10 months. However, a dispute with Peters over the editing process, communication and, especially, pay, led to a long delay.

At one point earlier this year, the city and Peters parted company after Peters wanted more money to complete the project.

That holdup ended with the commission’s decision to go with Peters’ draft, which is now public. A public hearing is slated for Jan. 10.

Following the hearing, the commission may make additional changes based on public input. It then must approve the final draft before submitting it to City Council for its approval.

More Apartments Approved

Harrisburg is poised for more apartment conversions, as the city’s Zoning Hearing Board last month gave the go-ahead to two projects.

The board voted unanimously to permit as many as 18 rental units in Tracy Mansion, which would complete the restoration of the historic Midtown building.

Owner Jack Kay of York-based Susquehanna Real Estate plans between 14 and 18 one-and two-bedroom units in the eastern portion of the century-old building at N. Front and Muench streets, space that has long sat empty.

“All of the existing architectural features will be restored and, if anything, enhanced,” Kay told board members.

Industrialist David Tracy built the 30-room mansion as a private residence in 1918. In 1951, it became an osteopathic hospital and eventually a mental health facility.

Kay bought the building in 2005 with plans to convert it to an office condominium, adding a new, seven-story building in the parking lot next door. He received zoning board approval two years later, but the project died after the recession hit in 2008.

In 2012, Kay sold the western part of the building to Char Magaro, who opened the restaurant, Char’s Tracy Mansion, there.

Kay said that he believes there now is a market in Harrisburg for upscale apartments, which motivated him to seek a special exception for that use. He said that his apartments will be “nice units” with such features as high-end finishes, river views and in-unit washers and dryers.

He said that he hopes to undertake the project next year, but that the timing depends upon securing financing, among other factors. He said that he had not yet determined rental rates, but that they would be competitive with recent projects by Harristown Enterprises and WCI Partners.

Last month, the zoning board also unanimously granted a variance to Harristown for the conversion of a downtown office building to residential space.

Harristown plans to develop 12 one- and two-bedroom apartments from a worn-out, long-empty office building at the corner of N. 2nd and Cranberry streets. It currently has the building under contract with the seller, Camp Hill-based CJ2 Group.

With Planning Commission and zoning board approvals, Harristown now must have its land use plan approved by Harrisburg City Council before it can begin the project.

Water, Sewer Rates Rise

Water and sewer rates in Harrisburg are set to increase more than 7 percent next year, as Capital Region Water passed its 2018 budget last month.

The CRW board unanimously approved the spending plan, which will raise drinking water rates 7.5 percent for all city and suburban customers. Sewer rates will go up by 7.1 percent for city customers and vary for suburban customers, depending on their location.

The 2018 full-service rates for water and sewer service are $9.46 and $6.99 per 1,000 gallons, respectively. Under the new rates, an average customer who uses 4,500 gallons of water per month will pay an additional $5.56.

A few months ago, the board was faced with even higher rate increases, in excess of 10 percent, said board Chairman J. Marc Kurowski. However, CRW was able to scale those back to more reasonable levels, he said.

“Nobody’s excited with having to have rate increases, but we’ve kept them manageable,” Kurowski said.

CRW has raised rates for several years running. For 2017, the utility increased drinking water rates by 11.6 percent and sewer rates by 7.9 percent.

David Nowotarski, CRW’s chief financial officer, said the rate increases were needed, in part, to pay for ongoing capital upgrades to water and sewer infrastructure.

For 2018, CRW expects to spend about $8.9 million for water system upgrades and about $33 million for sewer projects. CRW has several major initiatives in place to repair and upgrade the city’s aged water and sewer infrastructure.

So Noted

Brighter Living held its grand opening last month at its facility at 979 E. Park Dr., Harrisburg. Brighter Living offers daily activities for seniors such as crafting, cooking, watching movies and gardening, as well as therapeutic activities.

Merit Marketing last month acquired Portland, Ore.-based communications firm, LT Public Relations. Harrisburg-based Merit stated that the acquisition strengthens its West Coast presence and gives it a team of senior advisors in media relations, executive training and crisis communications management.

UPMC Pinnacle opened its new medical office, Strawberry Square FamilyCare, last month in downtown Harrisburg. The office features six exam rooms, a laboratory, conference room and waiting area. It is open weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., located on the first floor, atrium-level of Strawberry Square, adjacent to Rite Aid.

Changing Hands

Balm St., 119: K. & R. Thames to T. McNair, $55,000

Berryhill St., 2216: M. & N. Haile to PA Deals LLC, $31,000

Berryhill St., 2334: W. J. & J. Morrow to X. Rios & L. Vega, $52,000

Berryhill St., 2338: PA Deals LLC to L. Myers, $59,500

Briarcliff Rd., 2311: W. & E. Warren to S. & A. Cornick, $220,000

Briggs St., 2035: L. McArthur to C. & M. Bruner, $64,000

Calder St., 321: C. Steinbacher to R. & F. Armetta, $40,000

Chestnut St., 1200, 1202, 1204, 1206, & 1208: San Pef Inc. to Round Rock Investments LLC, $369,000

Derry St., 2612: J. Beal to T. Dunmyre, $68,900

Evergreen St., 26 & 28: San Pef Inc. to Round Rock Investments LLC, $95,000

Fulton St., 1418: PA Deals LLC to E. Shenk, $109,500

Girard St., 740: I. Naranjo & D. Benitez to O. Caban, $64,000

Green St., 1327: S. O’Neal to B. & S. Cincotta, $118,000

Greenwood St., 2237: J. Erb to A. & S. Rankin, $50,000

Herr St., 1614: T. Lawson to E. Andrades, $52,000

Holly St., 1914: J. Kaffaya to D. Berhe, $43,000

Hudson St., 1215: PI Capital LLC to V. Jackson, $97,000

Hummel St., 342 & 1508 Hunter St.: Equity Trust Co. Custodian Terry Casey IRA to E&K Homes, $34,000

Kensington St., 2335: PA Deals LLC to End Properties LLC, $69,500

Kensington St., 2343: PA Deals LLC to L. Myers, $59,500

Lenox St., 2032: J. & J. Belfonti to S. Ash, $43,000

Linden St., 128: Hal Don Properties LLC to A. Elkanouni, $56,500

Maclay St., 1037: J. & S. Pagliaro to P2N2, $65,000

Mercer St., 2440: T. Carey to D. Chen & M. Brinkman, $55,000

Mulberry St., 2000: L. & R. Moore to P. Robinson, $50,000

N. 2^nd St., 912: S. Meyers to J. Radabaugh, $185,000

N. 2^nd St., 1215: R. Shultz to R. & G. Armetta, $137,700

N. 2^nd St., 2401: R. Buxton to M. Rathfon & S. Ewing, $162,000

N. 2^nd St., 3301: D. & C. Gilkey to K. & K. Eshenaur, $197,900

N. 3^rd St., 1914: J. Hobbs to J. Vega Jr., $90,000

N. 3^rd St., 2016: WCI Partners LP to K. Reed, $212,000

N. 3^rd St., 3301: N. Johnson to E. Verbos, $135,000

N. 4^th St., 1336: M. Reed to R. & F. Armetta, $80,000

N. 4^th St., 1620: Keech Equity Investments LLC to Acharya Rentals LLC, $60,000

N. 4^th St., 3116: L. Deatrick to G. & J. Desgres, $90,000

N. 6^th St., 930 & 932: K. & N. Galoyan to R. & F. Armetta, $170,000

N. 5^th St., 3024: J. Olan to C. Geis, $95,000

N. 6^th St., 3020: S. McCutcheon to L. Harris, $70,300

N. 7^th St., 2301 & 2327: Sam Hill Properties LLC to DF7 LP, $410,000

N. 17^th St., 28: V. Rivas to I. Mirambeaux, $35,000

N. Cameron St., 1301: J. & J. Salinger to R. Chatue & H. Tambo, $295,000

Oakwood Rd., 2301: PI Capitol LLC to J. Swetlick, $280,00

Penn St., 1721: PA Deals LLC to L. Myers, $129,000

Pennwood Rd., 3120: S. McCoy to J. Mohler & J. Suter, $38,000

Pennwood Rd., 3143: F. Travitz to T. Marhon, $85,500

Rolleston St., 1033: V. Clyde to L. Le, $35,500

Rudy Rd., 1959: E. Ripka to J. & M. Weaver, $66,500

Rumson Dr., 2627: G. & G. Chacon to L. & M. Holston, $81,000

Rumson Dr., 2956: A. & M. Berra to R. Gonzalez & M. Cabrera, $68,000

S. 14^th St., 1407: R. Williams to City of Harrisburg, $51,000

S. 14^th St., 1417: J. Vogelsong to City of Harrisburg, $49,000

S. 14^th St., 1421: S. Mosley to City of Harrisburg, $57,000

S. 14^th St., 1425: J. Coleman & A. Dannar to City of Harrisburg, $48,500

S. 14^th St., 1430: L. & C. Matter to City of Harrisburg, $51,000

S. 14^th St., 1438: A. & M. Reuveni to City of Harrisburg, $51,000

S. 14^th St., 1444: Atlantic North Star Properties to City of Harrisburg, $55,000

S. 14^th St., 1447: C. & F. Randolph to City of Harrisburg, $46,000

S. 14^th St., 1451: C. Colon to City of Harrisburg, $57,000

S. 14^th St., 1454: J. McFarland to City of Harrisburg, $52,000

S. 25^th St., 736: M. Anderson to L. Crowder, $44,500

S. Cameron St., 130: Goldman Sachs Mortgage Co. & Ocwen Loan Servicing LLC to D&F 130 Cam LLC, $161,500

State St., 1326: Arthur A. Kusic Real Estate Investments to C. & T. Semancik, $100,000

Susquehanna St., 1635: R. Drakeford to S. & D. Williams, $99,900

Susquehanna St., 1932: St. Glecos to J. Gallant, $82,450

Swatara St., 1518: Tri County HDC Ltd to D. Kiser, $68,000

Sycamore St., 1625: T. Price to K. Fields, $79,042

Verbeke St., 208: M. Barrette to C. Malloy & K. Sica, $89,999

Wayne St., 1517: R. Palmer to J. Alvarado, $40,000

Harrisburg property sales for October 2017, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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