Tag Archives: harrisburg

Celebration of Harrisburg: For a night, forget the incinerator and re-live the city’s salad days.

June 18, 2012 | by Lawrance Binda

If you’ve lived a long life in Harrisburg, you probably remember Alsedek’s Restaurant. How about JH Troup and Co. music?

In the end, it wasn’t really about the records that were sold at Troup’s on Market Square or what was on the lunch menu at Alsedek’s located across the Broad Street Market.

For generations, these were places for people to meet up, socialize and be a part of their city. And that, said Anne Alsedek, is what made life in Harrisburg so meaningful.

“It’s a story of community, of family, of sharing, and the fact that people really have a need to come together,” said Alsedek, education director at Open Stage of Harrisburg.

They were places that gave texture to city life, that tied together the people, gave them common cause and interests.

In June, Open Stage will recall those days with “Stories from Home: Market2Market,” a play featuring snippets of life in Harrisburg over many years, focused on two places: Market Square downtown and the Broad Street Market area in Midtown.

Alsedek said the idea of a play about Harrisburg came about as a kind of counter-balance to the negative attention the city often receives.

Harrisburg has a long, colorful history, but one that isn’t really about monuments of the Capitol or even its many floods and misfortunes. It’s a story about relationships and neighborhoods, which often focused around city markets—Harrisburg once had seven.

“There was so much material that it was difficult narrowing our scope, so we focused on two market areas,” she said, adding that other neighborhoods will featured in future years.

You won’t get a lot of what Harrisburg is known for today—petty politics, in-fighting, debt.

Instead, the voices of ordinary people will be heard.

Alsedek interviewed the few people still around who remember the city’s golden years, before post-war deindustrialization, to capture stories of colorful characters, teenage life, crazy old ladies. Historical research yielded more stories, which stretch back to the 19^th century.

“The city needs a breather and a chance to pat itself on the back after a very difficult time,” said Alsedek, whose husband’s family owned the namesake restaurant. “So, we planned a little celebration.”

But it’s not just a story of what was, of what is lost. The play may leave many residents with a sense of what could be again, said Stuart Landon, Open Stage’s marketing manager.

Cities, after all, are designed so that people make connections and share experiences. Harrisburg, for all its problems, is no different in that regard.

“We’re re-living the past so that we can learn from it,” said Landon.

Harrisburg, Back on the Map: New approach to education helping to revive the city.

June 17, 2012 | by Mel Schiavelli

The announcement that Vector Resources, a high-tech company headquartered in California, opened an office in downtown Harrisburg completed another chapter in the economic transformation of the region, left for dead less than 20 years ago.

It’s not easy reviving an entire region, particularly when its lifeblood, manufacturing, fell victim to the post-industrial decline of the 1980s. However, thanks to the vision and prescience of Harrisburg’s corporate, government, and community leaders, our area was reinvented with an eye focused on the future and a commitment to staying ahead of the curve.

Traditional (translation: safe) ideas and strategies (translation: ask for money) were nixed; tried and true usually begets a short shelf life. And with the region’s future at stake, brave, if not risky and audacious, solutions were encouraged.

A “let’s roll this boulder uphill” mentality took hold 15 years ago among a 150-member task force charged with putting Harrisburg back on the map, and innovation paved the way for the unique business-education partnerships that have elevated higher education to new levels while catalyzing the economic growth of the Harrisburg region and attracting business to the area.

The reality of the 21^st century global marketplace—where companies’ abilities to succeed rely on a workforce that excels in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)—certainly hastened Harrisburg’s rebirth. And although the notion that studying these subjects advances students’ careers is not ground breaking, the method of instruction and the goals of a new learning institution required challenging the higher education status quo and developing a new educational paradigm to create the desired results.

The agents of this transformation are the faculty and staff who work at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. They are remaking the higher education model, integrating an interdisciplinary, competency-based academic format, courses designed and taught by corporate partners, and coaching students on life issues such as time management and work-life balance.

Championing STEM education and its vital role in maintaining a robust 21^st century economy in Central Pennsylvania, while serving as the springboard to critical careers in STEM fields, has been Harrisburg University’s vision and goal since opening its doors to students in 2005.

The close collaboration of business and education – the “Moneyball,” if you will, of an economic-development strategy for our region – goes against the grain and, perhaps, makes the purist’s view of how to reform higher education permanently “old school.”

In a hopeful sign, the White House’s President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, in a report released this month, singled out Harrisburg University as one of seven postsecondary institutions in the nation with effective programs to improve STEM education. The council, made up of the nation’s leading scientists and engineers who directly advise the president and the Executive Office of the president, recognized the university’s efforts to take students through the STEM subjects in four-year programs that leave them well-trained for the technological workforce that companies seek and prepared to fit seamlessly into the corporate culture.

The report also cited the substantial benefit to downtown Harrisburg, where $30 million in annual economic impact confirms the viability for thousands of companies across the nation looking for an area where there is workforce either trained in the STEM fields or that has access to institutions that can provide the education and training needed to thrive in today’s marketplace.

This endorsement cannot be understated. It is made by the very people who are seeking to recognize and support the economic engines of the innovation economy and corroborates the vision of those community leaders who courageously set HU on its course.

Naturally, this is great news for all who’ve been involved – supporters, faculty, staff, students, investors – but even more so, it places Harrisburg on the national map. From the time Harrisburg’s leaders recognized the urgency to link business with education, and establish an academic institution to focus strictly on the fields this century now demands – science, technology, engineering, and math – till now, the objective has been to spearhead new ways of catalyzing education so innovation and a dynamic economy naturally follow.

The model is working in Harrisburg, where students are entering the workforce not only skilled in their jobs but savvy in the corporate environment, and where Vector Resources and other high-tech companies are flocking to become part of and contribute to a thriving and growing economy.

Mel Schiavelli is professor of chemistry and president of the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, the only STEM-focused comprehensive university between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

You’ve Got a PAL: Uptown headquarters for Police Athletic League.

June 17, 2012 | by Peter Durantine

They say it takes a village to raise a child.

May’s grand opening of the newly revived Harrisburg Police Athletic League’s headquarters brought out local officials, law enforcement, banks, corporations, a college, the National Guard, a state housing agency, a local union and charitable groups.

All of them contributing support, whether financially or in-kind, to PAL, a county-wide initiative that since it began offering programs at the Downey School in January has seen the number of youth participating increase from about 40 to 400.

“Welcome to another important step in crime prevention,” said Mayor Linda Thompson, touting one of her crime-fighting initiatives.

Thompson was joined by representatives of all those groups outside the headquarters at 2000 N. 6^th St., a building owned by Homeland Center, the personal care facility down the street that has provided the space to the city rent free since 1992.

Harrisburg’s last PAL was housed for many years in what’s now the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center on N. 3rd Street.

Just before the grand opening event with its balloons and T-shirts, a group of boys walking home from school stopped to ask what was going on. A few minutes later they were in T-shirts with the PAL logo, posing for pictures and getting information on PAL.

Thompson praised the success of the program, aimed at helping all children but in particular at-risk youth. She said PAL already has started to change the relationship the community’s youth has with the police force.

“Kids are running around here saying, ‘I want that cop thing,’” she said. “Now we have kids running to officers” instead of away from them.

Police Officer Jennie Jenkins, who the mayor assigned to coordinate PAL last year, said 30 officers volunteer at Downey, 1313 Monroe St., each week, serving as mentors and counselors, teaching kids to work together and respect each other.

“This is why I wanted to become a police officer,” Jenkins said. “I wanted to be a role model.”

Another 30 volunteers come from the community and local businesses. “I wanted to give back,” said Pat Erb, owner of the Caffeine Connection on 3^rd Street who makes baked goods for PAL events. “I help with the snacks and I help with the children.”

Harrisburg’s PAL started in 1940, but the program was abandoned 30 years ago because of a lack of funding and commitment, Thompson said. Yet, police officers almost uniformly credit the program with helping to build safe communities.

“All you need is love,” said Susquehanna Township Police Chief Robert Martin, a Beatles’ fan and 29-year veteran of law enforcement. “If we nurture PAL, great things are going to come out of it.”

Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said police and youth will benefit from PAL, a program he believed had long-term, if not lifetime, benefits. “This will reduce the number of kids we see coming into the juvenile system,” he said.

The private sector shows strong support: Comcast Cable, PNC Bank, Penn National Insurance, The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, The Junior League of Harrisburg, Der Harrisburg Maennerchor, AFSCME Local 521, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, Jump Street and Harrisburg Area Community College students who developed PAL’s website: www.harrisburgpal.org.

The city’s Department of Parks, Recreation & Enrichment donated soccer equipment for PAL’s soccer program and the Pennsylvania National Guard has an officer helping mentor kids each week.

Thompson praised the support: “When the community responds to an initiative like Harrisburg PAL, we all benefit.” PAL’s roughly $175,000 budge is funded entirely through financial and in-kind contributions, said Kari Reagan-Bushey, board secretary.

Dauphin County Commissioner George Hartwick said government and the private sector had an opportunity and responsibility help youth with programs such as PAL. “We should be judged as a community by what we provide,” he said.

For more information about Harrisburg’s Police Athletic League, visit www.harrisburgpal.org.

You’ve Got a PAL: Uptown headquarters for Police Athletic League.

June 16, 2012 | by Peter Durantine

They say it takes a village to raise a child.

“Welcome to another important step in crime prevention,” said Mayor Linda Thompson, touting one of her crime-fighting initiatives.

Harrisburg’s last PAL was housed for many years in what’s now the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center on N. 3rd Street.

“Kids are running around here saying, ‘I want that cop thing,’” she said. “Now we have kids running to officers” instead of away from them.

“This is why I wanted to become a police officer,” Jenkins said. “I wanted to be a role model.”

The city’s Department of Parks, Recreation & Enrichment donated soccer equipment for PAL’s soccer program and the Pennsylvania National Guard has an officer helping mentor kids each week.

Dauphin County Commission George Hartwick said government and the private sector had an opportunity and responsibility help youth with programs such as PAL. “We should be judged as a community by what we provide,” he said.

For more information about Harrisburg’s Police Athletic League, visit www.harrisburgpal.org.

Changing Times: Harry’s Tavern gets new owner, direction.

June 16, 2012 | by Peter Durantine

Before it closed in 1993, Harry’s Tavern at the corner of 14^th and Vernon on South Allison Hill was known as one of the finest little restaurants for food and drink in Harrisburg, a hang out for journalists, mayors and state politicians.

The lonely, small brick building stood vacant for many years. When the owner, Harry Touloumes, died in 2009, neighbors wondered what would happen to the old tavern that Harry and his wife, Mary, opened in 1949.

In the same year Harry died, Victor Rivas moved into the neighborhood from New York and opened a grocery and deli just across the street from the tavern. He began to eye the two-story building with its boarded up windows and graffiti-marred walls.

But the family was reluctant to part with it; the tavern held cherished memories of a husband and father. Rivas convinced them to sell, making sure they claimed whatever mementos were inside. There were pictures, among other things.

One item of particular interest to the family was the tavern’s signature piece, the old wooden bar. “My son wanted it,” said Harry’s wife, Mary, of Camp Hill.

The 29-year-old Rivas has no intention of replacing Harry. “I don’t think so,” he said. “He has a long history here. Everybody talks about Harry.”

He said intends to provide a well-stocked grocery and deli, offering sandwiches from his deli counter as well as hot breakfast and lunch menus, Spanish dishes prepared by his mother, Lucila, whose cooking brings people from as far as downtown.

“She’s the best,” Rivas said. “That’s why everybody comes here to eat.”

Since last year, Rivas has been working on the tavern, installing new floors, doors and windows; putting in a new kitchen, an 18-foot refrigeration unit, and an air conditioning system. He left the three ceiling fans that were part of Harry’s.

Rivas has painted the exterior walls a bright yellow, replaced the crumbling sidewalk and installed a new wood stockade fence around the back and side.

Neighbors such as Rodney Schwartz welcome the re-opening on the building by Rivas. “It’s good for the neighborhood,” Schwartz said. “We’re excited about it.”

When Rivas appeared before the planning commission in the spring to present his plans to convert the tavern into Riva’s Grocery and Deli, commission members fondly remembered the place and wished him the same success as Harry.

He may not be Harry, but Rivas is a friendly, affable proprietor, quick to welcome newcomers into the grocery. He knows the regulars who stream in, happy to see him. He likes talking to them, catching up on neighborhood news.

“I enjoy that,” he said. “And they enjoy talking to me, too.”

Years and Years of Beer: Breweries have been a part of Harrisburg from the start.

June 16, 2012 | by Jason Wilson

Harrisburg, like many cities of the 19^th century, counted quite a few breweries. Most of these would be classified as smaller local establishments, the modern equivalent of micro breweries, with German-style beers and ales brewed and sold on the premises and in local wards and neighborhoods.

Though Harrisburg had been officially laid out in 1785, by 1794 there were about 300 house, 1,000 lots and 32 taverns within the small village and many of these small taverns also brewed their own beer for sale.

Between the 1830 and 1860 numerous small breweries produced beer in Harrisburg. The smaller brewers thrived until increased industrialization improved transportation and, most especially, the advent of refrigeration.

Breweries were then bought and merged into larger operations, or simply folded. Nationally, the number of breweries declined from 2,300 in 1880 to 1,400 in 1914, a trend reflected in Harrisburg. By the 1870s, several Harrisburg breweries began to dominate the local market.

George Doehne (and later his sons) operated a brewery from 1856 until after the repeal of prohibition in the 1930s. Henry Fink established a brewery in 1861, becoming Fink Beer and Ale from 1862-1875, when he established the Keystone Brewery. His sons managed the brewery until 1919 when Prohibition forced the sons to convert the brewery into the Fink Ice Company. In 1934, a year after Prohibition was repealed, the brewery closed and the property was sold to the Commonwealth, which later built the Northwest Office Building on the site. It is now home to the State Liquor Control Board.

Perhaps the best known of Harrisburg’s historic breweries was that of Robert Graupner, which existed in various forms from 1875 until 1951. In 1876, brothers Edward and John Koening operated a brewery on Cameron Street. The brewery went through several owners and was eventually sold to Bauer and Graupner in 1892. Around 1893, Graupner, a German immigrant, became the sole owner and in 1896 he built a new brewery at 10^th and Market streets, which lasted until 1951, surviving Prohibition and all the other city breweries.

Prohibition, coupled with refrigeration, railroads, and the rise of huge national conglomerates sealed the fate of hundreds of breweries nationwide, with many folding well before Graupner’s in 1951. Harrisburg spent the better part of half a century without local breweries, but that changed in the late 1990s.

Breweries such as Tröegs, which since moved to Hershey, and Appalachian Brewing Company on Cameron Street, located one block from where Graupner’s once stood, have revived and preserved the spirit of local brewing that has been a part of Harrisburg’s history for more than 200 years.

Tasty Nostalgia: State workers bite into Old Town Deli.

June 16, 2012 | by Peter Durantine

With its pickle barrel out front under the window, a weighing scale that greets patrons when they enter, and a décor reminiscent of old style delis, Old Town Delicatessen brings something new and unique to 3^rd Street downtown.

“We’ve been watching the place for months,” said Debbie, having lunch with her friend, Suzie, the first week Old Town opened. “It’s a great use of this space.”

Located in a late 19^th century building across the street from the Capitol, Old Town opened in May at 512 N. 3^rd St. Owners Ron and Julie Gilbertson spent more than six months renovating the first-floor space.

“I think it’s definitely serving a need,” said Suzie, who, like Debbie, works at a nearby office. They declined to give their last names, they said, to avoid hurting the proprietors of their regular noontime haunts.

A Philadelphia native, Ron has worked in the food industry, but having a business he owns is the realization of a dream.

“I’m very excited,” he said, looking at Julie, a Re/Max realtor. “I always say you’ve got to have the support.”

“He pretty much wanted to be his own boss,” said Julie, who grew up in Mechanicsburg.

The couple relaxed after another busy lunch at one of the tables. With the dark-wood ladder-back chairs, mocha-colored walls and antique lighting, everything looks fresh and new, yet old fashioned.

“We picked out everything ourselves; lots of hours at Lowes,” Julie said. “We agreed on everything.”

Ron joked. “She picked it out and I said, ‘Looks great to me, honey.’”

The dinning room seats 11 and has café seating outside, where diners can enjoy an impressive view of the Capitol. They expect to have their website up soon.

Ron chose Boar’s Head meats and cheeses for his menu of specialty sandwiches and salads. The company sent a chef in to show Ron how to prepare items, such as making sure there’s just the right amount of ham and cheese on the pretzel roll.

“Boar’s Head has been great,” he said, and noted items he believes make the deli standout among the city’s eateries. “Utz is my favorite potato chip, so we have Utz.”

Old Town also serves breakfast – fresh bagels, muffins, fruit, soufflé-strata – and home made soups. His choice of coffee is from Longbottom Coffee and Tea in Hillsboro, Oregon, which air roasts its beans.

Ron even has old fashioned bicycles to deliver orders in a limited area downtown.

If the first four days of opening is any indication, the Gilbertsons can expect success. Old Town has stayed open well past its afternoon closing time, said Julie. “People have been coming in and we’ve been serving them.”

Old Town Deli, 512 N. 3^rd St., is open 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Mon-Fri. 717- 856-8432.

Concerns Aired over MID: Complaints, praise heaped on Midtown district.

May 26, 2012 | by Lawrance Binda

A plan to boost safety in Midtown Harrisburg had its first public airing last month, as residents had a chance to give their views of the proposed Midtown Improvement District (MID).

More than 100 residents packed Midtown Scholar Bookstore for the two-hour meeting, offering opinions of the plan’s scope, cost, effectiveness and accountability.

The evening began with the two principal organizers–Eric Papenfuse, owner of Midtown Scholar Bookstore, and Bill Fontana, executive director of the Pa. Downtown Center–explaining what the MID is, how it would operate and how much it would cost.

“Our government cannot support the security we need,” said Papenfuse. “The reality of the situation in Harrisburg today is that the government cannot do what they should be doing.”

In March, Papenfuse and Fontana, working with numerous community groups in Midtown, unveiled their plan, which would levy a fee, averaging about $60 per year, on the owners of the proposed district’s 4,162 properties. Commercial property owners would pay slightly more.

The money raised, about $420,000, would primarily fund the hiring of off-duty Harrisburg police, who would patrol the area bordered by Forster, Maclay, Front and N. 7th streets.

To take effect, the plan would be voted on by each property owner, failing only if 40 percent of the owners of all properties rejected it. If the MID passed that stage, the City Council would have to approve it.

Papenfuse said he hoped the MID would be up and running by Oct. 1.

To reach that point, supporters may have some work to do, as numerous residents voiced a variety of objections to the current proposal.

“I’m totally against the association you’re forcing on us,” said Midtown resident Bill Fritz. “It’s a shift of responsibility for what we’re paying in taxes already.”

Several residents agreed, while others expressed concerns that the scope of the MID was either too narrow or too broad.

“I’d like you to reassess what your goals are here,” said one resident. “I’d like your focus to be wider than security.”

Fontana explained that, once in place, the MID could apply for a variety of grants that could help expand its mission, such as for economic development and infrastructure improvements, especially through the state’s Elm Street and Main Street programs.

“This is your money,” he said. “You can do with it what you want to do.”

Papenfuse and Fontana worked to allay other concerns, stating that accountability would be assured through a yearly audit required by the state and that they would consider building in fee reductions for low-income residents.

One resident said he was concerned funds would be eaten up by administrative costs.

Papenfuse said than an administrator, earning $40,000 to $50,000 per year, would be the only person on the payroll not a police officer. And that salary, he hoped, would be offset by funds collected from the area’s nonprofit groups.

An advisory council now will draft a formal proposal for the MID. If all goes smoothly, property owners would cast ballots for the proposal this summer, with a City Council vote in September.

It would be the state’s first residential improvement district. Its initial focus on police security would make it even more unique

“I think people feel this a matter of life or death–literally,” said Papenfuse.

Concerns Aired over MID: Complaints, praise heaped on Midtown district.

May 3, 2012 | by Lawrance Binda

A plan to boost safety in Midtown Harrisburg had its first public airing last month, as residents had a chance to give their views of the proposed Midtown Improvement District (MID).

More than 100 residents packed Midtown Scholar Bookstore for the two-hour meeting, offering opinions of the plan’s scope, cost, effectiveness and accountability.

The evening began with the two principal organizers—Eric Papenfuse, owner of Midtown Scholar Bookstore, and Bill Fontana, executive director of the Pa. Downtown Center—explaining what the MID is, how it would operate and how much it would cost.

“Our government cannot support the security we need,” said Papenfuse. “The reality of the situation in Harrisburg today is that the government cannot do what they should be doing.”

The money raised, about $420,000, would primarily fund the hiring of off-duty Harrisburg police, who would patrol the area bordered by Forster, Maclay, Front and N. 7^th streets.

To take effect, the plan would be voted on by each property owner, failing only if 40 percent of the owners of all properties rejected it. If the MID passed the stage, the City Council would have to approve it.

Paperfuse said he hoped the MID would be up and running by Oct. 1. To reach that point, supporters, may have some work to do, as numerous residents voiced a variety of objections to the current proposal.

“I’m totally against the association you’re forcing on us,” said Midtown resident Bill Fritz. “It’s a shift of responsibility for what we’re paying in taxes already.”

Several residents agreed, while others expressed concerns that the scope of the MID was either too narrow or too broad.

“I’d like you to reassess what your goals are here,” said one resident. “I’d like your focus to be wider than security.”

Fontana explained that, once in place, the MID could apply for a variety of grants that could help expand its mission, such as infrastructure improvements, especially through the state’s Elm Street and Main Street programs.

“This is your money,” he said. “You can do with it what you want to do.”

Papenfuse and Fontana worked to allay other concerns, stating that accountability would be assured through a yearly audit required by state that would consider building in fee reductions for low-income residents.

One resident said he was concerned funds would be eaten up by administrative costs.

Papenfuse said that an administrator, earning $40,000 to $50,000 per year, would be the only person on the payroll no a police officer. And that salary, he hoped, would be offset by funds collected from the area’s nonprofit groups.

An advisory council now will draft a formal proposal for the MID. If all goes smoothly, property owners would cast ballots for the proposal this summer, with a City Council vote in September.

It would be the state’s first residential improvement district. Its initial focus on police security would make it even more unique.

“I think people feel this a matter of life or death—literally,” said Papenfuse.

Your Credit & You: A few simple steps can shore up your credit score.

May 3, 2012 | by John Anthony

These days, a credit score can come between you and your dreams. Whether it is your dream home, dream car or dream job, your credit is impacting your price and ability to buy.

It is critical in these times to understand how we can raise our score and thereby improve our purchase capacity and own what we want and need at the lowest possible cost. To that end, here are a few ideas on points to keep in mind when working on raising your scores.

Pay Your Bills On Time – It’s obvious, but it needs to be said. Approximately 35 percent of your score is tied to how you pay your bills. Nothing replaces making your payments on time. There is no extra credit for paying early but the impact of paying late will be felt for at least two years.

Keep Your Balances Low – This one might surprise you. Many think that paying off your debt will drive their scores higher when, in fact, keeping small balances on your revolving debt may have a higher impact. Additionally, spreading your debt out among all available lines (or credit cards) will reduce ratios important to the algorithmic calculations.

Consider Not Closing Out Your Older Credit Cards – Before closing out accounts, consider that the age of your credit has impact on your score. Closing out your oldest credit may have long term effects. To this point, young people should consider opening and holding open accounts early in life.

Don’t Let Everyone Pull Your Credit – Be aware that when a creditor pulls your report to determine if they will extend you credit, your score is negatively impacted. The points you lose will be gone for a year. When shopping, do so in short confined periods of time. Don’t let just anyone pull your credit.

Be Purposeful About The Credit Types You Hold – One should have a balance of revolving accounts (credit cards, for example) and installment accounts (closed ended loans such as car and college). Additionally, borrowing from institutions that cater to higher risk customers may have a negative impact to your score.

Be purposeful. I suppose that’s the best advice. Some say “knowledge is power.” I say that “applied knowledge is power.” Your credit touches so many parts of your life. Taking the time to evaluate and plan your credit profile will save your thousands.

John Anthony, a mortgage lender in central Pennsylvania with 25 years in the industry, has taught for multiple organizations across the country on credit and mortgage topics.

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