Tag Archives: harrisburg

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

December 15, 2016 | by Sara Bozich

I guess it’s winter, and I don’t know about you but my holiday schedule is completely in gear for this weekend.

Tonight I’m headed to the Jump Street Open House, then off for a little QT with T. After which, I’ll return home to finally decorate the tree.

On Friday, Jimtern and I are headed to York for a mini field trip and cowork. Collusion is on the list, as is ORD.

Saturday morning should be the usual gym + market, but by evening, we’re off to the ballet to see CPYB perform with the Harrisburg Symphony at Hershey Theatre. Then Sunday, it’s a birthday Brunch ‘n Bowl (plus sneaking in the Steelers game).

What are you doing this weekend?

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“New Beginning”: Harrisburg Council OKs nonprofit structure for Broad Street Market.

December 13, 2016 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg’s historic farmers market was given the all clear to transition to a nonprofit entity tonight, as City Council approved a lease and management agreement with the soon-to-be-formed Broad Street Market Alliance.

Though not on the agenda, a resolution to enter into the agreement was approved by a unanimous vote after council brought it up from the floor.

Market Manager Beth Taylor, who attended tonight’s meeting, said the management agreement will allow the market to enter a new era, able to tap into grants reserved for nonprofits and raise funds more easily for upgrades and improvements.

“I find this to be an exciting time,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the future to see everything that the market is able to do.”

For decades, the market, which dates back to 1861, was squeezed among various entities, run by the for-profit Broad Street Market Corp. under the auspices of Historic Harrisburg Association. In addition, the city owns the two market buildings and property and had been liable for all maintenance and repairs. That responsibility now will fall to the Broad Street Market Alliance.

“This is big news on the Broad Street Market,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said after the meeting. “The new Alliance will be able to start out completely fresh.”

Papenfuse said that market leadership already is eyeing a $100,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant that would allow it to make critical repairs. The grant, he hopes, will be awarded in springtime.

Before approving the agreement, council passed an amendment that will give council members or representatives two seats on the Alliance’s 15-member board of directors.

Moreover, council introduced a resolution that would add more free parking for the market. Under the resolution, James Street, William Street and N. 4^th Street would become two-hour market parking from Verbeke to Sayford streets.

Currently, those streets are residential permit parking for the Marketplace neighborhood, though most of the effected blocks are lightly developed. Having been introduced, the resolution likely will be voted on by council next month.

The market also plans to form a group called Friends of the Broad Street Market, which will assist the board in raising funds and will participate in other efforts to support the market.

“Now the real work begins,” said Chris Herr, president of the current, for-profit board. “There’s lot of work to do.”

The first order of business, he said, will be organizational—dissolving the current Broad Street Market Corp., officially becoming the new, nonprofit Broad Street Market Alliance and naming board members.

“It’s very appropriate to the new year that we have a new beginning,” Taylor said.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

December 8, 2016 | by Sara Bozich

This weekend was originally on hold for a trip to NYC, but we canceled it, so now we have zero plans! I’m looking forward to finishing my Christmas shopping and wrapping and getting into the minor decorating we do here at Surra World Meat Headquarters.

Also on my list: bad Christmas movies (and hey, maybe a good one), making a roast and watching the Steelers on Sunday.

What are you doing this weekend?

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

December 1, 2016 | by Sara Bozich

It’s a busy busy weekend for us! Tonight is the GK Visual staff holiday dinner, and of course, tomorrow is our Holiday Pop-Up Party at St@rtup Harrisburg. Some space remains, but ticket sales end TODAY.

Saturday, I’m hoping to hit the gym, then the market and HBG Flea with my mom. By night, it’s another holiday party.

We’re back in State College on Sunday for our first Penn State Wrestling match of the season (in the BJC!).

What are you doing this weekend?

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Going, Gone: The last day for a furniture store, another day on Market Street.

November 30, 2016 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

We got registers.

Anybody want these old registers? We got $10. $10 on these old registers. Sold. We got these walking sticks. $5. We got a buyer. Hey, nice old magazine racks here. $10. $5. $2. Anybody? No? Put it on the pile. Nice little vintage diner stool there. Sold. $7 is the buyer. Now, some nice pool cues. Buyer number is 177. One-seven-seven. Now, a nice crane scale. Anyone out there want a nice crane scale?

And so went the Kerry Pae Auctions auctioneer. By the end of the day, several thousand items had sold (and a bunch hadn’t), clearing out two sprawling warehouses and marking the final day of business for A. Lane Used Furniture.

Should one feel badly about a business closing after nine decades? After all, 90 is old in human years; it’s downright Jurassic in store years. And, as we all learned from the Bible or The Byrds, to everything there is a season, right? So, then what can be gleaned from the final gasp of the city’s ancient man of retail?

First, for all you bored office drones with a dream, the lesson may be this—operating a successful business takes scary commitment. Gene Fievish had it. When Fievish took command of the store from his aunt in the mid-1960s, A. Lane was already middle aged. The third-generation owner soon became synonymous with the store, where he could found inside—or, often, sitting outside with a buddy, watching the world drive by—until his death last year. By his own admission, Eric Epstein, Fievish’s nephew, didn’t have that kind of commitment, though he earns praise for attempting to extend the lifespan of a store that, but for his uncle’s sheer force of will, may have perished ages ago.

Which brings me to my second point.

The A. Lane inventory auction meant much more than the closing of a single musty, cluttered old store. It also emphasized, at least to me, the critical condition of a small, yet important, commercial stretch of Harrisburg, one that once provided urban connective tissue between the industrial corridor along Cameron Street and the smaller retail shops of downtown.

Today, these two blocks of Market Street constitute a graveyard of the pre-information age. There’s the mostly empty former post office, the very empty old Patriot-News headquarters, the shuttered Geiger & Loria Reporting Service building. Yes, Pavone has done its share, converting an old bank branch into beautiful office space. However, it’s the only bright spot in an otherwise dismal stretch of vacant, near-vacant and rundown buildings.

Indeed, the area is a tough sell. It’s cut off from downtown, sits directly atop flood-prone Paxton Creek, is victim to creeping blight and is now zoned in such a way that prohibits most industrial uses—even though it long has been an industrial area (for decades, the towering Graupner Brewery and the boxy Standard Baking Co. dominated these blocks).

However, you know something—I’m cautiously optimistic. For all its negatives, the area has some compelling strengths. It may be disconnected from the downtown core, but it’s still very close in, which could suit rapidly growing companies from the other side of the underpass (hello, Harrisburg University). There is also a lot of developable land, several cool, if decrepit, historic buildings, easy access to the highway and acres of cheap parking thanks to TransitPark.

Perhaps most significantly, the area is a stone’s throw from the Harrisburg Transportation Center (aka the train station). So, it stands to benefit from increased train travel, greater bus service (there is a movement to make the station more multimodal) and a growing aversion to car ownership. If redeveloped, this neighborhood would be one of the most walkable in the city.

To that end, PennDOT, along with the city and the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority, recently launched an initiative to plan transit-oriented development right in this area. In September, they asked for public input and expect to release their plan this month for the Harrisburg station neighborhood. I tend to be skeptical of these types of top-down efforts, if just because there’s usually no direct path from government-led plan to private-industry reality, no matter how worthwhile. That said—I’m eager to see what they come up with.

Chances are we’ve reached the low point along the 800- to 1000-blocks of Market Street. Redevelopment likely will come, though slowly, perhaps framed by government but ultimately driven by market forces and greater trends in society. The area reminds me of long-blighted sections of other cities, which developers eventually “discovered” after demand spilled over from more desirable areas nearby. When change comes, though, this patch of Market Street probably will retain little of its past, as the few remaining historic buildings, by then, may be too far gone to save, and new construction will probably have to be built above the flood line.

At the A. Lane auction, I bid on a single item—an old gumball machine, which I got for $15. After paying for it, I made my way through the crowd, exited the building one final time and placed my new toy gingerly into the trunk of my car. I looked up the block and immediately saw a huge, wooden “For Sale” sign, which stood outside the building next door. All around me were the relics of another time, when brewers and bakers and postal workers and journalists filled these streets, packing into nearby restaurants and bars, as well. Those days are long gone. But, someday, something else will be built here, and the area will finally shake off its decades-long, post-industrial decline. It’s up to us to figure out what—and when—that will be.

For more information about transit-oriented development and the Harrisburg initiative, visit www.planthekeystone.com/tod.html.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

His Back to the Wall: The tough road behind, ahead, for Howard Henry.

November 30, 2016 | by Danielle Roth

Howard Henry fixes things.

Since Nov. 15, 1998, he has fixed automobiles at Howard Tire & Auto on Cameron Street in Harrisburg, the business he built from the ground up. Nearly 30 years ago, he pulled himself out of homelessness and addiction. At the age of 9, he mowed lawns in his trailer park for cash after his father left for Vietnam.

But he can’t fix this.

On May 5, a wall holding up the parking lot for The McFarland apartments collapsed. Gravel, asphalt and a silver Nissan Altima came plummeting onto the roof of his warehouse. Nevertheless, he kept his main garage operating. Then, in June, after a heavy spring rain, the mass of debris crashed further into the warehouse. The Altima slid down another two feet into piles of bricks. The red fence that circled the parking lot pushed up against what was left of the ceiling, now in shreds.

Two days later, Harrisburg condemned his warehouse and eight apartments in The McFarland. Still, Henry slogged on until mid-October, when an engineer he hired said his property was no longer safe to inhabit. He was forced to close up shop and let his employees go.

Eight months after the initial landslide, the damage continues to lay open and exposed to the elements. Whenever rain falls, washing out more dirt and debris, he worries, and he is now concerned about winter’s freeze and thaw.

To make matters worse—no stakeholders want to take responsibility for the million-dollar damage.

Owners of The McFarland have distanced themselves from the cleanup. Owner Isaac Dohany appealed the city’s condemnation order. During the appeal—a code hearing to determine if the order was given properly—attorney Adam Klein attempted to place blame on PennDOT.

However, PennDOT’s internal investigation found that its contractor’s work to the adjacent Mulberry Bridge did not contribute to the collapse.

“For us, it’s not about assignment of blame,” Henry said. “We have always felt like, if we can get people to the table and begin to talk about the challenges that the community as a whole faces as a result of that hill, then blame and money would be put aside for safety concerns.”

He rallied staffers from Gov. Tom Wolf’s office, as well as Rep. Scott Perry. He’s been in communication with the mayor’s office. Engineers, lobbyists and lawyers have come out of the woodwork to help him.

Meanwhile, he’s returned his inventory of new tires to the manufacturer. Most of his 15 former employees have found new jobs. Photos of grand openings and family still hang on the yellow paneled walls. Whenever he visits the shop, he makes sure to give the fish in the waiting room’s tank extra food.

“I am minimizing and reducing costs at every turn, but I’m staying,” he said. “I’m staying in an empty store, but me and the fish are staying.”

Holding onto Hope

Henry says he cannot afford to move into a new space. After eight months of financial strain, his company did not even have the funds to throw an annual anniversary dinner, which was planned for Nov. 15.

“While we are not broke, we are at the threshold of prudent reserve,” he said.

This isn’t the first time Henry has seen financial strife. In 1998, before he opened the shop, he slept on a mattress in a warehouse while going through a divorce. He’s come full circle, he said.

“I just feel like, if God did this,” he said, waving his arm to indicate the auto shop, “with the last 20 years of my life, He must have something really huge in store.”

Then he added, “It must be enormous.”

Henry’s faith guides him through trying times. About 28 years ago, he fought an addiction to alcohol. After burning every bridge and attending rehab four or five times, he resorted to living in a box behind a Dillsburg grocery store.

On Oct. 22, 1989, he pulled himself to sobriety.

The weight of the debris destroying his business has challenged his fortitude. On Sept. 13, he had alcohol for the first time since 1989. He drank a few swallows of beer in an attempt to cope with the weight of the damage laying on his warehouse.

“I just wanted to stop the pain,” he said. “The pain I feel is not for me. It’s for my employees. It’s for my family. It’s for all those who looked at me and asked me to fix this, and I can’t.”

Immediately, he regretted those sips. He threw the beer away. That’s when he knew he hit a spiritual low.

This experience has challenged him beyond his imagination, but he has emerged victorious, he said.

“I believe, maybe for the first time, in my gut in a way that I’ve never experienced, that nothing—absolutely nothing—in this life can happen to me, and I would be left alone,” he said. “I’ve come to a point of peace with all that.”

Hearts that Wrench

Two days before he officially closed his doors, Henry received an important letter in the mail. It was notification that his personal ministry had become an official nonprofit, which he calls Heart Wrenched.

It all started back in 1998 when a single mom driving a beat-up car with three babies in the backseat pulled into his new shop. Henry and his original business partner, Troy Hughes, decided they needed to act. They fixed her car for free then cobbled together an A-frame sign out of coroplast. They spelled “we fix flats free” in duct tape.

For the next 18 years, Henry continued serving the less fortunate, quietly given away more than 500 cars, thousands of tires and countless hours of service. He has only met a few of the people who have received his good will. He stayed purposefully busy when someone came to the shop for free services, he said.

“I didn’t want them to thank me for it, but I wanted them to thank God,” he said.

Henry now is executive director, chairman of the board of four members and nearly every other position of Heart Wrenched. He has the business model, marketing materials and even the corporate bank account.

It’ll work like this: Local nonprofits and ministries will identify a person in need. Then they will connect that person with Heart Wrenched, which will provide the parts.

“We will recruit garages just like myself who have the heart to fix something for someone who cannot afford it,” he said.

That’s right—Henry believes, one day, he’ll reopen his shop, despite the fact that engineers have warned him that the condemned section of The McFarland could collapse, which would be an even bigger disaster. Still, he holds out hope that the owners eventually will take responsibility and start cleaning up.

When talking about his life, Henry points to all the things he’s already endured and overcome—homelessness, divorce, alcoholism—which leaves him with the resolve to remain optimistic despite the mountain of dirt and debris that crashed into his roof, destroying his building and his business.

“I’m excited about the possibilities of what God’s about to do in my life,” he said. “I can’t wait. I just can’t wait.”

Author: Danielle Roth

New Kid in Town: Rabbi Friedman brings youth–and fresh ideas–to Kesher Israel.

November 30, 2016 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Congregation Kesher Israel has experienced a rabbinic changing of the guard.

Rabbi Akiva Males, who shepherded the Uptown Harrisburg Modern Orthodox congregation for nine years, accepted a position this past summer at a synagogue in Memphis, Tenn. Enter Rabbi Elisha Friedman.

This is a first full-time pulpit for the 29-year-old Friedman, who received his rabbinic ordination at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary in June 2013.

Some might find a smaller community like Harrisburg daunting, but Friedman, a native of West Hartford, Conn., is like a fish in water. After his engineer father changed fields to the rabbinate, the family lived in various places in New York and Israel.

“So, I grew up in very small Jewish communities,” Friedman said.

And, coming here, it wasn’t the first time that he had spent time in Pennsylvania’s capital city.

“Years ago, my father came to Kesher Israel as a scholar-in-residence, and I was with him,” Friedman said.

Obvious Strengths

Founded in 1902, Kesher Israel is based on the “observance and study of Torah, prayer and acts of loving-kindness,” according to its website.

“The people are warm and down to earth and really care about heir shul (Yiddish for ‘synagogue’) and community and appreciate what the rabbi does,” Friedman said. “Unlike in some larger communities, I really feel I am making a difference in Jewish life and playing an important role in the [wider] Jewish community.”

He also acknowledges that he’s taken on a lot of responsibility.

“Considering my young age, it’s something I wasn’t sure I’d be trusted with for a few more years,” he said.

Friedman’s sentiments are reciprocated.

“I’ve been hearing repeatedly from many congregants how pleased they are with our choice, that we definitely made the right one,” said Dan Grabenstein, synagogue president. “People appreciate Rabbi Friedman’s friendly and upbeat personality, in addition to his interesting and meaningful divrei Torah (Torah teachings).”

And Friedman appreciates the small city where he’s landed. He points to “obvious strengths” in central Pennsylvania—beauty, affordable housing and “all the amenities a religiously observant person would need,” including kosher food, a Jewish day school and a ritual bath, not to mention proximity to New York, New Jersey and Baltimore—and other major Jewish centers.

“The community also has a lot of unity between the various synagogues and rabbis,” he said.

But Friedman derives enjoyment, too, from the quiet lifestyle.

“There is almost nothing I can imagine I would prefer doing than being an out-of-town rabbi,” Friedman said. “You can ask my wife. I say it all the time.”

His wife, Yamit Friedman, was a charter school teacher in New York and is now working on a master’s degree at Penn State Harrisburg in urban education. She is also a graduate assistant at Penn State.

Of course, there are challenges, as well. Kesher Israel’s “major one” is membership.

“Both building our membership more generally, and, specifically, attracting young families to the area,” Friedman said.

The Harrisburg Jewish community overall is aging, so attracting younger members to the synagogue is a high priority.

“Many of KI’s members have passed away or are getting older and less active,” he said. “We’d like younger families, which would also greatly help the Silver Academy”—the community day school founded by the late Rabbi David L. Silver in 1944.

Natural Fit

The attempt to attract new residents to Harrisburg predates Friedman’s tenure, as

Kesher Israel has been conducting a project called “KI Recruiting.” It seeks employers who might offer job opportunities for Jews relocating to Harrisburg and assists their integration into the community.

Friedman believes these efforts will tally well with Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s program to attract people to Harrisburg, since Orthodox Jews need the amenities the city offers.

Plus, there’s the rabbi’s age.

“Part of the reason KI chose me is my relative youth and the hope I can use it to connect with younger families,” he said.

Friedman’s career choice was influenced by his father, but not exclusively.

“I’ve always been very into my Judaism and kind of obsessed with religious and theological themes,” he said. “So, the field seemed a natural fit.”

He also loves rabbinic “multitasking.”

“The rabbinate requires public speaking, programming, quiet study and erudition, schmoozing, writing and, of course, some politics,” Friedman explained. “It feels like a field that exercises and challenges a lot of talents, which I think is somewhat rare in this age of specialization.”

Not to mention counseling, which Friedman embraces due to his affinity for psychoanalysis.

“I consider it one of the great truths that guides me,” he said.

On a lighter note, Friedman also likes pop music, which helps pass the time while he drives.

“Some of the songs can be moving in a kitschy way,” he said, laughing.

Kesher Israel Congregation is located at 2500 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.kesherisrael.org.

Author: Barbara Trainin Blank

November News Digest

November 30, 2016 | by Lawrance Binda

Martin-Roberts Declares for Mayor

The race for Harrisburg mayor got off to an early start last month, as former City Council President Gloria Martin-Roberts threw her hat into the ring.

Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd of about 100 at the National Civil War Museum, Martin-Roberts said she would seek a unified, prosperous city. She said she hopes to build better community relations with the police, support small businesses and encourage home ownership.

Her platform, with the slogan of “A City of Unity,” aims to include parts of the city that she said have been left out of Harrisburg’s economic growth.

The Harrisburg native, self-described as “homegrown,” grew up in the Allison Hill and Uptown neighborhoods and graduated from John Harris High School. She said she seeks to serve all of the Harrisburg community.

“I do not have a favorite neighborhood,” she said.

Martin-Roberts retired after two terms on City Council in 2011, including one term as council president. In 2012, she ran for 103th district seat in the state’s House of Representatives and lost to now-state Rep. Patty Kim. She also served on the city’s school board.

Shortly after Martin-Roberts declared for mayor, city resident Lewis Butts announced his candidacy. Butts unsuccessfully ran against Mayor Eric Papenfuse in the last mayoral race.

The mayoral primary is slated for May 16. Papenfuse has not yet announced whether he will seek a second term.

3^rd Street Repaving Set

Come next spring, Harrisburg will begin repaving much of 3^rd Street, a major thoroughfare now marked by potholes, bumps and uneven pavement.

Three sections of the lengthy street will be repaved: from Chestnut Street north to State Street, from Forster Street north to Muench Street and from Maclay Street north to Seneca Street.

In addition to street paving, crews will plant more than 150 trees, install sidewalk ramps and expand sidewalks. The changes will ensure walkability for pedestrians, enhance the cityscape and update water infrastructure, said city Engineer Wayne Martin.

Construction will run from April to October, finishing in 2018.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse acknowledged that there will be disruptions due to the project. Parking will be restricted at points along 3^rd Street and construction crews will work during select periods at night.

“This will be a short term inconvenience with long-term benefit,” Martin said.

The project, a partnership between Harrisburg and Capital Region Water, is funded in part with a $6 million grant from PennDOT. Other funding comes from Impact Harrisburg and the city’s general fund, which has contributed about $1 million over multiple years to the project, Martin said.

Papenfuse encourages property owners to make gas line or water infrastructure improvements during the time of the repaving project. Making such improvements will be easier and cheaper for property owners while the city is repaving the road, he said.

Cop Cleared in Shooting

A city police officer will not face charges following the August shooting death of an Uptown Harrisburg man.

Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said that he will not file charges against Officer Tony Elliott, saying that the shooting was justified.

Elliott shot and killed 20-year-old Earl Shaleek Pinckney after officers were called to the 2300-block of Green Street for reports of a domestic disturbance. When they arrived, they saw Pinckney with a knife to the throat of his mother, Kim Thomas, Marsico said.

Thomas has denied that her son was threatening her with a knife.

Marsico also said that police have responded to numerous domestic calls at the house over many years involving Pinckney allegedly threatening family members.

Following the announcement, Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse said he would independently review police files of the incident to confirm “that the investigation was done fairly.”

Water Rates to Increase

Expect to pay more for water and sewer service, as the Harrisburg area’s water authority plans significant rate increases for 2017.

Capital Region Water proposes to raise 2017 drinking water rates to $8.80 per 1,000 gallons, compared to $7.88 this year, an increase of 11.6 percent. Sewer rates will increase to $6.53 per 1,000 gallons versus $6.05 in 2016, a hike of 7.9 percent.

The monthly “Ready to Serve” water charge also will increase, up to $6.95 from $6.22 this year for most customers.

For a typical residential customer consuming 4,500 gallons per month, these changes will result in an increase of $7.07 per month, according to CRW.

“Our board of directors does not take rate-setting lightly, but the water systems that our families, local economy and environment depend on every day were long ignored,” CRW CEO Shannon Williams said in a statement.

The 2017 budget includes a $12 million investment in the drinking water system and a $31 million investment in the combined wastewater and stormwater systems, with many of the projects driven by compliance with regulations, according to CRW. This work includes renewal and replacement of Harrisburg’s aging, buried pipes and treatment facilities.

“After years of deferred maintenance and lack of investment in our drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems, we continue to make long overdue improvements to our aging infrastructure to prevent the even higher costs of failure,” said Williams. “Public health and safety is our highest priority and governs the decisions we make.”

Sewer Project Starts

A sewer pipe replacement project that began last month will continue throughout much of December.

Capital Region Water began a $1.3 million project to replace and renew aging sewer infrastructure at 10 locations to protect against sinkholes and ensure reliable wastewater service, said Andrew Bliss, community outreach manager.

The work affects relatively small sections of Green Street, N. 4^th Street, Oxford Street, Crescent Street, Bailey Street, Maclay Street and Parkway Drive.

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

No Smoke Zones

Harrisburg last month put up 45 new signs in city playgrounds, deeming them as “tobacco-free zones.”

The statewide “Young Lungs at Play” initiative aims to eliminate the exposure of second-hand smoke to children in public places. Those who violate the tobacco-free zone are subject to a $50 fine.

“Even a brief exposure to second-hand smoke can be dangerous,” said Deborah Brown, president and CEO of the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic.

Roughly 11 percent of Harrisburg’s infants, children and teens have asthma. About 7 percent of adults in Harrisburg have chronic lung conditions, Brown said.

Harrisburg joins the ranks of cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in implementing this initiative in its 27 parks and playgrounds, said Dr. Loren Robinson, deputy secretary of health promotion at the state Department of Health.

So Noted

Aroogas Grill House & Sports Bar has purchased a building at 1591 S. 19^th St., just outside Harrisburg, for a new headquarters, training facility and central kitchen. As the restaurant chain has expanded, it has needed a larger facility and the ability to centralize certain labor-intensive food preparation, according to a news release from the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC, which helped Aroogas secure a $673,440 PA Industrial Development Authority low-interest loan for the project.

Boneshire Brew Works joined the rapidly expanding Harrisburg craft beer scene last month, opening at 7462 Derry St., a few miles outside the city. A large crowd greeted the new brewery, which offers a wide selection of both traditional and non-traditional beer styles.

The Federal Judiciary last month declared a new courthouse for Harrisburg its top priority for the next round of construction funding. Congress is expected to fully fund the $194.4 million project at N. 6^th and Reily streets next year, after which a timeline will be set for the building phase.

Lyft launched its car-sharing service last month in central Pennsylvania, including in Harrisburg, Lancaster and York. Lyft competes against Uber, which has been in the local market for almost two years.

Ougi’s Cocina debuted last month in the stone building of the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg. The eatery offers home-style Latin food, such as pork, chicken, plantains, empanadas and rice and beans.

Third Street Café last month purchased the building next door, the former home of the Taproom. The Taproom closed last year after Harrisburg revoked its business license. The city also targeted the Third Street Café for closure. However, that bar has remained open following a so-far successful court fight.

Changing Hands

Berryhill St., 1619: R. Deitzel Jr. to Slatehouse Group LLC, $40,000
Berryhill St., 2416: D. & M. McNaughton to D. Tran, $37,000
Boas St., 410: I. Rosenblum to F. & V. Piscioneri, $36,000
Brookwood St., 2633: T. McGarrity Jr. to M. Rodriguez, $108,000
Cumberland St., 218: M. Myers to D. MacGregor, $117,000
Green St., 1123: R. Kushner to C. Stephens Sr. & T. Lott, $109,900
Green St., 1732, L1: AJ Fedore and Co. Inc. to A. Christian, $144,500
Hamilton St., 633, 635, 637 & 639: M. Allen to Commonwealth of PA, Dept. of General Services, $71,988
Harris St., 344: PA Deals LLC to MidAtlantic IRA LLC FBO & Phillip Sachs IRA, $55,000
Harris Terr., 2469: Dobson Limited Family Partnership to J. Sparkman Jr., $64,000
Holly St., 2014: T. Poole to M. Diallo, $52,000
Hudson St., 1246: PA Deals LLC to G. & J. Modi, $123,000
Kelker St., 236: T. Jackson to D. Zurick, $195,000
Kelker St., 628: PA Deals LLC to S. Orr, $55,000
Kensington St., 2220: A. Roland to IRA Club LLC & T. McDougal, $42,500
Marion St., 1414: J. Stauffer to T. Andrews, $72,000
Meadowlark Pl., 3000: US Bank NA Trustee to P. Murphy, $33,000
N. 2^nd St., 29: Woori America Bank & S. Moon to C. Yi, $170,000
N. 2^nd St., 2137: R. Alexander to M. Larkins, $79,900
N. 2^nd St., 2633: M. Weldon to C. & D. Peter Fritts, $310,000
N. 6^th St., 1500, Unit 502: A. Gulotta to P. Stier, $400,000
N. 6^th St., 2983: PA Deals LLC to G. & J. Modi, $119,900
N. 6^th St., 3116: G. Peck to F. Arkhipov & A. Holmes, $97,900
Sassafras St., 261: M. Doyle to E. Shultz, $106,500
S. 3^rd St., 15: M. & S. Yeh to Dewberry LLC, $135,000
S. 13^th St., 1417: H. Nguyen to HT Properties LLC, $30,000
S. 19^th 20: S. Orellana to J. Gonzalez, $55,000
S. 28^th St., 700: C. & J. Bernard to Y. & A. Caro & R. Melchor, $133,000
S. Front St., 25: Dauphin County General Authority to County of Dauphin, $2,610,000
Southfield Rd., 2217: J. Brown to R. & J. Alpert, $278,000
State St., 1727: Gary Neff Inc. & City Limits Realty to N. Holvick, $42,900
Susquehanna St., 1608: C. Frater to P. Klein, $140,000
Susquehanna St., 2136: TLG Investments LLC to E. & R. Killeen, $41,000
Swatara St., 2104: V. & M. Cecka to J. Riggs, $38,500
Swatara St., 2113: PA Deals LLC to S. Orr, $56,000
Verbeke St., 212: Lynn & Ryan Investment Properties LLC to Kingdumb Properties LLC, $43,000
Verbeke St., 224: J. & J. Woland to S. Crossin, $125,000
Vernon St., 1347: D&F. Realty Holdings LP to Urban Lighthouse Ministries, $92,000
Vernon St., 1356: R. & C. Schwartz to J. & C. Peters, $35,000
Wayne St., 1616: J. Strickler to C. & J. Caraballo, $64,900
Wyeth St., 1417: D. Drabik to PA Deals LLC, $89,900

Author: Lawrance Binda

Hidden Oasis: Once again, the historic Lochiel Hotel welcomes you (but first you have to find it).

November 30, 2016 | by Courtney Gontz

I have a friend who lives by the belief that the best places are the ones that are a bit hidden, around the next bend, off the beaten path.

When he’s next in Harrisburg, I’m going to take him straight to the 901 Lounge at Lochiel Hotel, which opens this month on Shanois Street.

Where exactly is Shanois Street?

Well, that’s the point. It’s a small, leafy, dead-end road off Cameron Street that you’ve probably driven past a hundred times without knowing it. And it has exactly one building on it—the stately, historic Lochiel Hotel.

Originally built as a schoolhouse in the 1800s, it took the name of the Lochiel once the original hotel downtown was converted to the Colonial Theater more than a century ago. The second Lochiel later became a popular dance hall, bar, blues club and, for a short time, Italian restaurant. For the past few years, it’s sat mostly empty.

In September, Navy veteran Brian Douglas purchased the building, which is adjacent to the Capital Greenbelt and just two blocks from PennDOT, and now wants locals to rediscover its history and charm over a glass of wine, a cold beer or a signature cocktail, perhaps while listening to some music and having a bite to eat.

“Making good food is the key,” he said.

While you visit, Douglas hopes you’ll enjoy the beautiful, original crown molding, the old glass front bar and rustic hardwood flooring, all now restored.

His vision is ambitious.

The lounge will open at 10 a.m. every day, aiming to serve the area’s over-30 crowd. That includes lunch, happy hour, dinner, drinks and music. It will stay open late on Friday and Saturday.

“We will provide a clean, safe and fantastic environment for mature adults,” Douglas said.

He wants to keep the lounge simple. There are a lot of bars that try to be so much that it’s almost overwhelming, he said.

The grounds will be open, so guests are encouraged to come in, grab a drink and wander around the property. You’ll not only be surrounded by nature, but, if you look closely, you’ll glimpse traces of Harrisburg’s industrial past as Shanois Street, hard against two different railroad tracks, was once a corridor to several factories.

You can even relax under “Mother,” a tree that has stood tall and proud outside the building for about 100 years. It’s said that, if you sit quietly under the tree, you can almost hear the blues music in the air from Lochiel’s storied past, Douglas said.

Besides regular service, Douglas said he also will host different “theme” nights, from LGBTQ and Latin to old-school dance and comedy. On Sundays, brunch will be featured in one of the five different dining areas. Or you can sit at the bar and watch your favorite football team play.

“I want this place to be like a little oasis here in Harrisburg,” he said.

The 901 Lounge at Lochiel Hotel is located at 901 Shanois St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.The901Lounge.com, email [email protected] or call 771-770-9452.

Author: Courtney Gontz

Get Down, December: Party like it’s 2017.

November 30, 2016 | by Kait Gibboney

Driftwood. Photograph by Marc Safran Photography.

As 2016 winds down, it’s the perfect time to listen to some vibrant music to get you into that new year spirit.

This month, I’d like to draw the focus away from the mindless holiday music this time of year. Don’t get me wrong—I like holiday tunes. But it’s rare to hear something new, unfamiliar and exciting among the repetitive classics. I mean, how many covers of “Santa Baby” have you heard in your lifetime? As a remedy, these bands promise to be lively and grab your attention. If you’re looking for something new and energetic to listen to, these three acts have some hot tunes to keep you warm.

THREESOUND, 12/3, 5PM, H*MAC STAGE ON HERR, $TBD
Threesound comes to the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center from Virginia on their “Different Spaces” tour. This quartet has an upbeat, happy sound paired with smooth guitar and solid drum rhythms. The band fuses genres together to create unique music that guarantees some groovy tunes. Their second album, “Different Spaces,” was released earlier in the fall. Also on the bill for the evening is DigitalDavy, a DJ from Pennsylvania playing what he calls a combination of Nu-Disco and Deep House. Both acts’ sweet sounds will undoubtedly stir up some dance fever in the audience.

SEASONS, 12/4, 1:30PM, PA FARM SHOW COMPLEX, $8
Taking place during the Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show, local Celtic folk band Seasons will play in the afternoon. This band is what you get when you mix contemporary folk to new-age Celtic music featuring exciting vocals and soaring strings. Seasons is made up of siblings Mary-Kate Spring, Peter Winter, Mary-Teresa Summer, Mary-Grace Autumn and Mary-Clare Chun Lee. The group is well traveled nationally and internationally and has opened for Grammy award-winner Ashley Cleveland. Celtic music isn’t too common around these parts, so it makes my inner-Irish self happy to hear a new take on a familiar sound. If you’ve never heard them before, you can find their self-titled album on their website for an introduction of a distinct take on the Celtic genre.

HUMAN HOST, 12/10, 7PM, LITTLE AMPS COFFEE ROASTERS, $5 suggested donation
This experimental New York jam band is accompanied by Lancaster experimental alternative rock band Future Dinosaurs and Pottstown alternative punk band Boffo. The group formed in 2002 and consists of members Mike Apichella, Steve Yankou and John Hollahan. This band is definitely worth checking out beforehand. Their album “Ophiopogon’s Blue Wonder” provides a surreal listening experience. Their bizarre style, blended with traditional rock, makes for an interesting sound, so swing by Little Amps Coffee’s Uptown location in the evening for a fun, house-style show.

Mentionables:
Get the Led Out, Dec. 1-3, Whitaker Center; Driftwood w/Rivers, Dec. 9, Abbey Bar; Strangled Darlings, Dec. 10, Midtown Scholar Bookstore; Corinna Joy, Dec. 10, Carley’s; Catullus, Dec. 31, H*MAC Stage on Herr

Author: Kait Gibboney

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