Tag Archives: Homeland Center

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

December 22, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg Treasurer Dan Miller at a press conference on Monday

Happy Holidays from us at TheBurg! We hope you enjoy quality time spent with family and friends. Before you jump into the festivities, get up to speed on this week’s local news coverage.

DaisyAge recently opened in downtown Camp Hill as a modern-meets-vintage boutique, our magazine story reported. Owner Sandra Sharp has been collecting clothes for decades, and now she shares her unique finds with customers.

Governor’s Square’s future plans will remain in limbo as owner Uptown Partners will continue to weigh offers on the sale of its affordable housing development, our online story reported. The bankruptcy court has delayed the final hearing on the sale until Jan. 30.

Harrisburg City Council approved a 2024 general fund budget without a tax hike, our online story reported. City administration also shared how inflation and the impacts of COVID affected the budget.

Harrisburg Treasurer Dan Miller held a press conference to state his opposition to the city’s plan to raise residents’ trash rates, our online story reported. City officials responded to his comments, defending the bill hike.

The Homeland Center in Harrisburg made some discoveries about its history during the process of creating its 2024 calendar fundraiser. In our magazine story, read about the local women and city churches that founded the center.

New Year’s Eve celebrations will take place in downtown Harrisburg with music, fireworks, kids’ activities and a strawberry drop, our online story reported.

Open Stage’s productions of “Who’s Holiday!” and “A Christmas Carol” have become staples for central Pa. audiences. In our magazine story, hear from the two lead actors of the shows.

Professional Santa Clauses in the Harrisburg area share what it’s like to be the star of the season. In our magazine story, hear from a few local Mr. Clauses on what their jolly jobs are like.

Rosemary remembers a meal of oysters that she had during a family trip to Williamsburg, Va., years ago. She recreates that dish for Christmas Eve this year. Find the recipe, here.

Sara Bozich has pulled together all of this weekend’s last-chance holiday activities. Find all of the festivities, here.

State Rep. Dave Madsen announced his candidacy for a second term for 104^th legislative district in Harrisburg, our online story reported. Madsen was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 2022.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events delivered right to your email inbox? If not, sign up here!

Support quality local journalism. Join Friends of TheBurg today!

Bankruptcy court postpones selecting buyer for Governor’s Square development until the new year

December 19, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Photo by Dani Fresh

The fate of a blighted and bankrupt Harrisburg low-income housing development will remain in limbo for at least another month.

Uptown Partners, owner of the Residences at Governor’s Square, will weigh offers for the sale of its properties through mid-January, with a final bankruptcy court decision slated for the end of next month.

Originally, a final hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Dec. 19. However, Chief Judge Henry Van Eck has continued the hearing until Jan. 30 at 10:30 a.m.

Governor’s Square filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in May, converting to Chapter 11 in August in order to have more time to seek a buyer for the over 200 units.

For the past several years, the apartment complex has received hundreds of city code citations and condemnations, and residents have raised concerns about quality of life issues and health hazards.

According to court documents filed by Uptown Partners, Governor’s Square has received five purchase offers, with Hilco Real Estate Sales handling the sale.

The filing states that each bid contains different terms, but that all offers include the assumption of a portion or all of an existing loan from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that was given to Governor’s Square by the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority when they renovated the properties around a decade ago. The bidders are not named.

HUD must approve the loan assumption, which Uptown Partners believes will take several weeks. Uptown Partners stated in the filing that it would be more efficient to hold the auction with the five bidders after HUD reviews them.

The judge has ordered a continuance, pushing back the auction, originally planned for Dec. 1, until Jan. 17. The report of the auction will be filed by Jan. 19. Objections to the sale must be filed by Jan. 23, before the final hearing on Jan. 30.

Additionally, Uptown Partners has filed a motion to sell four of the Governor’s Square units to Homeland Center in Harrisburg. If approved in court, the center, located on N. 6^th Street would obtain four dilapidated units near its building on the 500-block of Peffer Street.

According to the filing, Homeland was given a right of first refusal to purchase the properties for $1 as part of a tri-party agreement formed with Uptown Partners and the Redevelopment Authority in 2006.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Highlighting History: The Homeland Center in Harrisburg learns about its unique founding, shares discoveries in annual calendar

November 29, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

These women helped establish the Society for the Home for the Friendless and were appointed to its original board of managers.

Eighteen women stand behind the history of Harrisburg’s Homeland Center.

In 1866, women from nine city churches, two from each congregation, met to discuss a problem in their community and how to solve it.

The meeting, at that time, was revolutionary for several reasons.

“It was probably unusual for multiple churches and denominations to come together like that, and it was women that led this effort,” said Wendy Shumaker, director of marketing for Homeland Center. “I think that it was probably unusual and necessary all at the same time.”

What they came up with was an institution that would last for decades.

After the Civil War, many women were left widowed and children orphaned. The 18 women decided to do something about it and, in 1867, established a chapter of the “Society for the Home for the Friendless.” In 1870, they built their own facility to house those in need, which is now Homeland Center.

Tasked with fundraising for the building, the group undertook what David Morrison, executive director of Historic Harrisburg Association, called a “significant business venture.”

“They were the visionaries,” Morrison said. “They saw a need, and they came up with a way to address that need.”

Although Homeland Center, now a continuing care retirement community located in Uptown Harrisburg, knew some of this history, staff recently started digging deeper into the story of its formation.

Each year, the center creates and sells a calendar to raise money, and Shumaker needed a theme for 2024. When she brought up the idea of spotlighting Homeland’s history, staff and board members showed enthusiastic support. And so, Shumaker, with help from Morrison, HHA’s board President Jeb Stuart, church leaders and local historians, dug in.

Included in the calendar is information on each of the nine founding churches, the 18 women and the origin of the center.

During the research process, the development team at the center uncovered handwritten notes and meeting minutes from the first time the women gathered. Local historians also found pictures and the full names of the women, who were often only identified by their husband’s names. Among them were Margaretta Brua Cameron, member of Zion Lutheran Church, and Eliza McCormick, member of Old School Presbyterian Church, now Pine Street Presbyterian. The women’s husbands, Simon Cameron and James McCormick, were both prominent Harrisburg figures, as were several of the other women’s husbands.

In order to make the Home for the Friendless a reality, the women needed the help of their husbands to get loans to support the project, as women at the time could not. The men would also make up the board of trustees. However, it was the women who managed day-to-day operations of the organization.

“Those women went beyond the limits of their time and showed that you can be successful,” Morrison said.

While Homeland Center has transitioned from helping widows and orphans to providing care for senior citizens, the mission has remained the same.

“The evolution of becoming what we are today was because of the center responding to the needs of the community,” Shumaker said. “We are still taking care of people and providing excellent care.”

The legacy of those 18 women remains at the center in a very visible way, as the organization maintains a board of managers, made up of 18 women who oversee care of Homeland Center’s facility. This board serves alongside the board of trustees, today consisting of men and women.

The impact of the founding churches is also an important aspect of the calendar, which highlights each of their histories.

Pine Street Presbyterian Church, located on N. 3rd Street, was one of the founding churches of Homeland. However, that piece of history was missing from the church’s archives.

Kenneth Hays, the historian of the congregation, was intrigued by the history, as he knew nothing about the church’s involvement. However, when he found out, it made sense, as the church has always been dedicated to local service work, he explained.

“I was very interested,” he said. “I will definitely put this in the archives now.”

Homeland hopes that from this project will come opportunities to provide history presentations at churches and possibly even a play centered around the story of the women. Shumaker has been inspired to see how many people have been a part of building upon Homeland Center’s and Harrisburg’s history.

“The fact that so many people have come together even for this small project is truly amazing,” Shumaker said.

The 2024 Homeland Lottery Calendars are currently available for purchase. Everyone who purchases a calendar is eligible to be entered into daily drawings for cash prizes of up to $100.

While the calendars will help support the center financially, those involved in the project are just as excited to see how the process has created new partnerships and how the history will continue to connect the community.

“It’s important not to let history slip through our fingers because that history can teach valuable lessons,” Morrison said.

Homeland Center is located at 1901 N. 5th St., Harrisburg. For more information or to purchase a calendar, visit www.homelandcenter.org.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Community Comment–Betty Hungerford: A Beloved and Revered Community Treasure

December 14, 2021 | by Janice Black

Betty Hungerford

Historically, women have been agents of change through the donation of their time and passion. Over the past several decades, women have moved into the forefront of social transformation by galvanizing their philanthropic power. With each step into a leadership role, women have inspired others to join them. For our region, the result is a powerful network of strong female leaders committed to making our community a better place to live.

When I think of the many women in south central Pennsylvania who have dedicated their lives to social change, I think of my friend and colleague Betty Hungerford.

Ask Betty to describe herself and she will say, “I am who I am,” which is the theme song from “La Cage Aux Folles,” one of Betty’s favorite Broadway musicals. Ask that same question to community and business leaders, as well as anyone who has ever turned to her in need, and they will tell you she is one of the greatest of the Greatest Generation.

Betty has been a professional in the field of development and public relations for more than 35 years. Since 2000, she has served as the director of development for Homeland Center, which celebrates its 155th anniversary next year. Homeland Center, a private, nonprofit retirement community in Harrisburg, is part of the city’s deep and rich history of loving and serving thy neighbor. To know Betty is to know Homeland for she is a steadfast champion of the organization.

For Betty, there is little separation between work and home life, for she loves each fiercely and finds true joy and purpose in her work.

“No one can do everything, but everyone can do something,” Betty likes to say.

Betty’s “something” has been to change the charitable giving landscape to advance the causes she is most passionate about. She has secured financial and community resources to support the work of Homeland Center and its robust benevolent fund to help those in need.

Betty is a decorated alumna of Lebanon Valley College, receiving an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 2009. She is the recipient of countless recognitions and honors, most notably the Karen Snider Women in Philanthropy Award in 2017. Like Betty, Karen was a tireless advocate for our community’s most vulnerable residents.

I believe Betty’s servant leadership is second to none, and I find seeing her in action inspirational. As a longtime member and past president of the Rotary Club of Harrisburg, Betty’s entrance at a luncheon meeting is an event. She is greeted at the door and accompanied to her seat by friends and colleagues who want just a minute of their revered “Queen B’s” time. The conversations are often around the work of shared projects, expressions of gratitude for an act of kindness Betty has bestowed.

Whatever the topic of conversation, individuals of all ages and professions are drawn to Betty because of what we might learn from her. We all want to know how to stay passionate about community causes when the issues can be daunting and overwhelming.

From my perspective, Betty has found the recipe for continually reinvigorating herself by surrounding herself with a network of family and friends who mirror her spirit. She has created her own personal community of caring, which is one of the wisest lessons I’ve learned through my friendship with Betty. Surround yourself with those who believe we can all do good work and, together, we will. When one of us falls, and we all do, the others pick us up to continue our path forward, and together we cross the finish line.

Anniversaries, like that of Homeland Center, are ultimately about the people who have kept the organization vibrant and strong. I cannot imagine Homeland Center without Betty or Betty without Homeland. Betty has been a magnet for donors, volunteers and community supporters to connect with the organization. Together, they have enriched countless lives.

To Homeland Center, congratulations on your upcoming 155th anniversary and, to Betty Hungerford, you are an inspiration to all of us. Thank you for your leadership.

Janice Black is the President & CEO of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (www.tfec.org), which connects donors with nonprofits helping to address the needs in Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Perry and Lebanon counties as well as Northern York.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Harrisburg Mural Festival rolls into September with its largest project yet

August 31, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

Artist Gloria Jean Martin stands in front of her mural, “The Pollinators,” in the Patrick Alley pocket park.

Harrisburg’s largest mural project yet—spanning the Mulberry Street Bridge—will launch this weekend by the nonprofit Sprocket Mural Works as part of the continuing 2021 Harrisburg Mural Festival.

Simultaneously, a Steelton mural project will begin this week, as two community murals wrap up—one in Penbrook and the other in a Midtown Harrisburg pocket park.

Mulberry Street Bridge

Mural work is set for Sept. 4 to 10, with murals spanning 230 feet across the eastbound side of the bridge—and measuring 7 feet high—in this apprenticeship-type project led by prominent New York City muralist and Harrisburg native Ian Potter.

“With the city’s and PennDOT’s permission, we have been planning and anticipating this project for years,” said Meg Caruso, Sprocket co-founder and president. “Not only is it our most ambitious project ever, but it’s groundbreaking in many ways—using a unique artistic method and process. And we are thrilled to welcome Ian Potter back to Harrisburg, in what feels like a full-circle collaboration, as he mentors several Harrisburg-based artists as apprentices.”

Potter will use an electro pounce machine, similar to an electric pen, to create the metal bridge’s mural artwork. No Harrisburg murals have ever been created using this method.

“Growing up in Harrisburg in the ‘90s, I didn’t see the presence of a mural community, so it’s really cool to come back home and have the opportunity to work with some of the younger generation—giving them some of the literal as well as figurative tools,” said Potter, whose employer, Colossal Media, is donating paint for the project, while Sprocket is providing apprentice kits. Professionally, Potter got his start creating sets and scenic design for the city’s Gamut Theatre.

Mulberry Street bridge murals are sponsored by M&T Bank, the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, and grant funding from The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC).

“The new mural for the Mulberry Street Bridge between downtown Harrisburg and South Allison Hill will be an amazing addition to our city and that important thoroughfare,” said Brittany Brock, M&T Bank vice president and business banking senior relationship manager in Harrisburg. “I drive across the bridge many times a week, and I can’t wait to see the vibrant colors and montage of people that will help to bring that walkway to life. M&T’s contribution for the Mulberry Street Bridge mural is another way we’re showing our support for efforts to improve the communities where we live and work.”

Steelton Mural

After several weather-related delays in August, Sprocket will create its first mural in Steelton, beginning Sept. 1, or as soon as the remnants of Hurricane Ida clear. Sponsored by and located at Mid Penn Bank, 51 S. Front St., a giant mural wall (124 feet in length, standing 10 feet high) will pay homage to themes chosen by surveyed residents—history, diversity and the people of Steelton.

“As the only bank in Steelton, we are dedicated to supporting the community in many different ways, and we see this mural as a way to honor Steelton’s history and inspire its bright future,” said Heather Hall, Mid Penn Bank executive vice president and market president.

Muralist Matt Halm of Allentown has experience creating community murals, and he invites the public to come help paint the mural—tentatively set for Labor Day weekend—with updates and times posted on Sprocket’s social media.

“It’s an extremely exciting coincidence that two of our largest-scale mural projects—the Mulberry Street Bridge and Mid Penn Bank in Steelton—will be created simultaneously,” Caruso said. “It’s rewarding to reach into neighboring Steelton to extend our mission of uplifting people through art.”

Just Wrapped Up

Pocket park: Artist Gloria Jean Martin has completed “The Pollinators,” a mural sponsored by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to bring attention to the importance of bees and other pollinators, whose population is declining amid climate change. Located along Midtown Harrisburg’s Patrick Alley, the mural features floral designs, bees and butterflies, to match the pocket park’s gardens of native pollinator-friendly plants donated by Manada Conservancy and planted by community volunteers.

“The department is happy to support Sprocket’s environmental education project. The project’s mural component is an innovative tool to increase awareness about climate change,” said Kathleen Banski, DEP environmental education program coordinator. “The artwork, and the immersive local experience of walking through pocket park, helps deliver a meaningful message about the vital roles native plants and honeybees play in our environment—which project leaders hope will ultimately resonate in people’s hearts, minds, and habits.”

Additional funding for “The Pollinators” comes from Homeland Center, LINKBANK and the Auchincloss Family Fund at TFEC.

“Part of Homeland’s mission is investing in the communities we serve. The pocket park is a wonderful example of exemplary community service to the Harrisburg community. We are proud and honored to be able to support this endeavor. Kudos to Sprocket Mural Works for the important work they are doing,” said Wendy Shumaker, director of marketing, Homeland Center and Homeland at Home.

“LINKBANK is thrilled to support the Midtown Historic District through our contribution to Sprocket Mural Works. Our mission to ‘Positively Impact Lives’ becomes fulfilled as we continue to support our communities through projects like this,” said Cheryl Howard, LINKBANK regional president, Capital Region.

“The Auchincloss Family Fund at The Foundation for Enhancing Communities celebrates the energy and vitality of the Midtown Historic District. Contributing to Sprocket Mural Works assures us that this energy will become visible,” said Susan Auchincloss.

Penbrook Borough Building: Completed in August, a montage of Penbrook children’s faces comprises a mural painted by Sarah Fogg of Harrisburg. Located on the borough’s administrative building, 150 S. 28th St., the mural was funded by a generous community donor and faces the borough’s Elm Street Station Park featuring a children’s playground.

Upcoming Projects

Welcome back, Brandon Spicer-Crawley: A 2019 Harrisburg Mural Festival artist, Brandon Spicer-Crawley of the Philadelphia area returns to extend his mural on the Millworks Lumber Storage Building off N. 4th Street. Sprocket is proud to provide a platform for this both talented and intellectually disabled artist. His mural is sponsored by Pennsy Supply, Inc.

“Pennsy Supply, Inc. has been in the heart of Central Pennsylvania for 100 years. We believe that art is fundamental to our humanity to inspire us, foster creativity, and bring us all together—regardless of our differences. We’re excited to be a part of supporting Brandon’s artistic journey and we’re proud to sponsor the beautification of the city that Pennsy Supply calls home,” said a Pennsy Supply spokesperson.

Furry friends: The importance and joy of pet adoption will be highlighted in a mural funded by corporate sponsor Chewy, located at Anastacia’s Restaurant, 1535 N. 6th St., Harrisburg. This mural is also being produced in collaboration with—and to raise awareness of—the Humane Society of Harrisburg.

Strawberry Square: Two new murals will brighten the Strawberry Square shopping district, thanks to nonprofit real estate development organization and longtime Sprocket supporter Harristown.

Celebrating Black Lives: A steering committee of community members is developing a “Celebrating Black Lives” mural theme, identifying a location, and evaluating artist portfolios, from those who identified themselves as local Black artists during Sprocket’s call for artists.

Background: The 2021 Harrisburg Mural Festival is Sprocket’s third biennial summer festival. The majority of Sprocket’s 47 murals were created during the 2017 and 2019 Harrisburg Mural Festivals by local, regional, national and international artists. This year, rather than planning a concentrated 10-day mural festival taking place simultaneously at multiple locations, Sprocket is organizing continuous, summer-long mural projects popping up throughout the city.

The mission of Sprocket Mural Works is to uplift Harrisburg through art. Sprocket Mural Works is a citywide mural project that works with neighborhoods, artists and organizations to create vibrant community murals across Harrisburg, with creative action serving as a catalyst for increased community pride and civic engagement in Harrisburg. The organization’s roots go back to 2014; Sprocket Mural Works became a nonprofit organization in 2019.

For more information: sprocketmuralworks.com; @sprocketmuralworks on Instagram and Facebook; @SprocketMurals on Twitter.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

New chapter for Nativity School, as ribbon is cut on Uptown Harrisburg facility

October 22, 2020 | by M. Diane McCormick

Lavelle Muhammad, Nativity School’s executive director, gets ready to cut the ribbon today flanked by, from left, state Rep. Patty Kim, Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, board member Sheri Phillips and state Sen. John DiSanto.

In sixth grade, Anthony Lester struggled with reading, but his English teacher at Nativity School helped him improve. Now that he’s in eighth grade, what’s his favorite subject?

It’s English.

“I like that the school pushes you harder to work better,” he said. “It’s like a family group. If you need help, you can talk to your teachers. If you have problems going on at home, you can talk to Mr. Muhammad or Coach DJ about it.”

He means Executive Director Lavelle Muhammad and Dean of Students Demond Bates at Nativity School of Harrisburg, the all-boys, faith-based, nondenominational middle school embarking on a new chapter. On a misty Thursday morning, school and government officials cut the ribbon on a new space – the first that the school can call its own.

The facility at 2101 N. 5^th Street, purchased from Zion Assembly Church, allows expansion of enrollment in sixth, seventh and eighth grades, plus the addition of fifth grade starting in 2021-22.

Nativity School educates and mentors inner-city and at-risk middle-school boys from low-income families. Academic help and life guidance continue while alumni attend high school and college. Attendance is free, and tuition is paid to local private high schools.

“We’ve got to make sure they graduate,” said Muhammad. “Most of them don’t come back to talk about academics. They come back to talk about life. At that age, there’s really not a lot of fathers. We have to kind of stand in place as the fathers.”

Nativity students at today’s ceremony included Jaden Garnes, Omar Ibrahim, Anthony Lester, Ty’Myr Wilkerson and Jhameer Tucker.

The new facility is a dream made real since the school’s founding in 2001, said Sheri Phillips, board member and, in Muhammad’s words, “the backbone of Nativity.” Students first attended school in space shared with the St. Francis of Assisi Church soup kitchen – sometimes stepping over homeless people sleeping on the floor.

Moving to the Camp Curtin YMCA provided access to classrooms, gym and cafeteria, but space limitations restricted expansion, Phillips said. Around 2018, Zion members expressed their support for the school by agreeing to sell their classroom space. After settlement in March 2020 and renovations begun in April by Weidner Construction Services, the school opened on time.

“This is just the beginning for us,” Phillips said.

The project was a community effort, said state Rep. Patty Kim, who admitted to “falling in love” with Nativity when her chief of staff’s son attended. Students “deserve the best” in a school space, and so do faculty, “who worked so hard day in and day out, loving the kids, caring for the kids, praying for the kids,” she said. “This can be a model for the rest of the school district. It can.”

Harrisburg needs Nativity School’s emphasis on conflict resolution “through intellect and education rather than through violence” and on community service, said Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

“The mission of Nativity School is one that benefits all of us,” Papenfuse said. “It’s one we can be incredibly proud of, and it’s one that is now secure by finally finding a long-term home.”

Before the ceremony, eighth-grader Omar Ibrahim cited community service – picking up trash around the YMCA on N. 6th Street, helping Homeland Center residents play bingo or decorate gingerbread houses – as one of his favorite things about Nativity School.

“I like how we’re not distracted,” he said. “I like how we get a better education. I like how we get to do a lot of stuff in the community to help people.”

Nativity School offers a lifeline to young men and provides a model for lawmakers trying to “change the bureaucratic problems” of state-level education, said state Sen. John DiSanto. “We need to reimagine education, we need to reengage, we need to reach the youth, and we need to continue to demonstrate the positiveness within the city and in the communities of poverty that are really challenged.”

Inside the school (currently on a hybrid weekly schedule of classroom and remote learning) are five classrooms, cafeteria, and a former sanctuary converted to gym and auditorium. For the first time, alumni returning for guidance or a place to do homework have a lounge, complete with foosball.

Current students have already embraced the school as their own.

“It makes me feel more of a great person,” said eighth-grader Jaden Garnes. “I know I’ll learn more stuff and get a better education.”

The school offers students “a place that we can call home,” said Bates, the dean of students and basketball coach. Nativity School staff balance education with life guidance, letting students know “that you can make a mistake and recover,” he added. Expanding to fifth grade presents the chance to touch students even earlier, when they can build stronger defenses against peer pressure.

In a moment of serendipity, a passing motorist stopped to ask about the hubbub and the blazer-clad students. Awed by what he learned, he told Muhammad that Nativity School was exactly what he wanted for his kids and would enroll them next year.

Muhammad admits to not realizing how much work was needed to convert the space to classrooms, but now, like that passerby, he’s in awe.

“This is incredible,” he said. “I’m looking at my office like, ‘This is amazing. I can’t believe this.’”

Nativity School of Harrisburg is located at 2101 N. 5^th St., Harrisburg. For more information and to support the school, visit their website.

Support quality community journalism. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Numerous Harrisburg projects receive funds as Dauphin County awards gaming grants

February 20, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Renovation of the Swallow Mansion nears completion on the 1000-block of N. 6th Street in Harrisburg. The project has received a Dauphin County gaming grant.

More than 80 projects in Dauphin County will receive gaming grants this year, as the Dauphin County commissioners have approved $6.3 million in awards.

Harrisburg-based companies and organizations will receive a number of grants, the awards originating each year from the county’s share of gaming revenue generated from Hollywood Casino at Penn National.

In Harrisburg, many of the projects are geared towards either removing blight or offsetting redevelopment or construction costs. These include:

Jackson Rooming House and Swallow Mansion: $75,000 to Vice Capital for renovating the buildings on the 1000-block of N. 6th Street into market-rate apartments and retail space
Open Stage: $50,000 for phase three of the renovation of its downtown theater
ModernRugs.com: $60,000 for demolition of two blighted buildings on the 1400-block of N. 3rd Street
Whitaker Center: $100,000 for updates and improvements to its STEM learning gallery
The Nativity School: $50,000 for new school facility renovation
Homeland Center: $24,000 for security infrastructure improvements
Stephen’s Episcopal School: $20,000 for school safety and security improvements
Gamut Theatre Group: $30,000 for debt reduction on its downtown building project

Harrisburg city will receive two grants:

$250,000 for purchase and installation of new bay floors at the city’s two operational fire stations
$$75,000 for design of the city’s proposed extension of the Urban Meadow in Midtown

“The majority of these projects create jobs and further investment and make our county more attractive to companies looking to either expand or relocate to our area,’’ said Commissioner Mike Pries, in a statement.

Each year, Dauphin County makes these awards based upon a portion of casino gaming revenue and upon the recommendation of the county’s five-member Gaming Advisory Board. Last year, the county awarded $6.4 million in grants to about 60 projects.

The following is a complete list of the projects that will receive gaming funds this year, according to Dauphin County:

Host & Contiguous

East Hanover Township (Debt service for Public Works bldg., annual road maintenance, fire company breathing apparatus) – $745,000
South Hanover Township ($175,000 municipal complex debt reduction; $25,000 PA State Police Museum construction debt, and $5,000 Antique Auto Museum expansion planning) – $205,000
Derry Township ($60,000 Fire Station construction debt reduction; $148,000 Police and Public Works radios; $24,000 The Vista School safety and security surveillance system; and $50,000 C&S Kray Real Estate Sand Hill Rd. relocation) – $282,000
Middle Paxton Township ($124,000 Potato Valley Road Bridge debt; $56,000 Municipal building storage and elevator; and $61,000 Dauphin Borough sewer revenue bond debt) – $241,000
Rush Township ($40,000 Route 325 mile marker signs; $11,500 Generator for Emergency Management Center; $44,000 Jefferson Township paving project) – $95,500
West Hanover Township (Lease purchase of new fire engine) – $200,000

Other Awards

Dauphin County Parks & Recreation Department (Fort Hunter Station adaptive reuse) – $160,000
Penbrook Borough (Sewer Interceptor replacement) – $75,000
Swatara Township (Paxton Street sidewalk construction project) – $170,000
Susquehanna Township ($175,000 Portable radios replacement; $14,000 Susquehanna Township High School baseball safety expansion; and $10,000 Susquehanna Township High School Alumni Association Building Champions Field House project) – $199,000
Jackson Township/Fisherville Vol. Fire Co. (Fire Station addition construction debt) – $19,000
Lower Swatara Township ($133,000 Annual DCIB loan payment and police radio upgrades; and $62,400 Lower Swatara Volunteer Fire Co. Tanker 59 debt reduction) – $195,400
Millersburg Borough (Municipal Building ADA upgrade project) – $59,000
Millersburg Area School District (Security and accessibility upgrades at schools) – $48,000
Steelton Borough/Steelton Vol. Fire Dept. ($90,000 Phase II Skate Park conditioned on obtaining full funding for Skate Park; $12,265 Fire Department equipment) – $102,265
Capital Area Transit (Transportation services for veterans) – $96,500
The Salvation Army (New generator at main facility) – $25,000
Dauphin County Library System (Patron computer upgrades) – $40,000
Keystone Service Systems, Inc. (Capital Area Head Start outdoor education space) – $43,000
Londonderry Township (Debt service for bridge replacements) – $94,886
Harrisburg Rugby Football Club (Design and construction of rugby fields with lights) – $35,000
Royalton Borough (Roadway rehabilitation project) – $180,000
D&H Distributing (Construction of new training center) – $90,000
Berrysburg Municipal Authority (Sewage Treatment Plant System project) – $34,000
Elizabethville Borough/Area Authority (Replacement of Smith Avenue Wastewater Pump Station) – $70,000
Elizabethville Borough/Reliance Hose Co. No. 1 (Apparatus debt reduction) – $30,000
Churchville Cemetery Association (Cemetery mower equipment conditioned upon not applying for one year) – $10,000
Lower Paxton Township ($47,000 Resurfacing of Friendship Center gym floor conditioned upon Township resurfacing leisure pool; $20,000 Koons Memorial Park Swim Club pool area improvements; $350,000 Linglestown Fire Co. No. 1 Air Unit replacement conditioned upon donating old unit to northern Dauphin Co. fire company and not applying for two years) – $417,000
Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority (Solar Farm project debt service) – $137,000
Court Administration for Magisterial District Judges (Debt reduction on construction of new MDJ facilities) – $150,000
Dauphin County Redevelopment Authority (Marketing and advertising costs for acquisition and redevelopment of Commonwealth property) – $116,000
Lykens Borough/Authority ($90,000 Lykens Borough Phase II replacement of water distribution system; $15,000 Liberty Hose Co. No. 2 mobile radio upgrades) – $105,000
Halifax Borough ($15,000 ADA compliance improvements at historical society building; $63,000 Halifax Area Water and Sewer Authority waterline improvements; $25,000 Halifax Swim Club new sliding board) – $103,000
Hummelstown Borough (Purchase of replacement police radios) – $75,000
Harrisburg City ($75,000 Bureau of Engineering urban meadow extension design; $250,000 Bureau of Fire purchase and installation of new bay floors at Stations 1 and 2) – $325,000
Campus Cinema LP d/b/a Midtown Cinema (Renovations to theater lobby and facade) – $50,000
Gamut Theatre (Debt reduction on building renovation) – $35,000
Tri-County HDC (Phase II of 6-unit townhouse project) – $125,000
Open Stage of Harrisburg (Phase III renovation project) – $50,000
ModernRugs.com (Demolition of blighted buildings) – $60,000
Vice Capital (Jackson Square historical site revitalization project) – $75,000
PA Esports Coalition (Traveling esports learning space conditioned upon purchasing a van in 3 years) – $25,000
Reed Township (Contribution to debt payment on aerial fire apparatus) – $47,000
Shalom House (Construction of ADA compliant emergency shelter units conditioned upon securing all financing) – $25,000
Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts (Updates and improvements to STEM learning gallery) – $100,000
Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (Retro-fit aircraft rescue firefighting equipment for Harrisburg International Airport Fire Department) – $19,500
Panther Ram Foundation (Central Dauphin School District Nutri-packs program) – $50,000
Harrisburg University (HUE Invitational security services and technology) – $75,000
The Nativity School (New school facility renovation) – $50,000
The Homeland Center (Security infrastructure improvements) – $24,000
Stephen’s Episcopal School (School safety and security improvements) – $20,000
Phase 4 Learning Center, Inc. (After-school STEAM program) – $30,000
Center for Independent Living of Central PA (Purchase of two accessible vehicles) – $42,000
Penn State University (Harrisburg Innovation Park planning project conditioned upon obtaining full project funding within 3 years) – $35,000
Ghost Brewing Company d/b/a Rubber Soul (Phase I construction of brewery) – $75,000
Ecumenical Community of Harrisburg (Building 2 roof replacement project) – $25,000
Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania (Construction of tiny homes community for veterans) – $25,000
Iron Workers Joint Apprenticeship Training Center (Training Center roof and equipment upgrades) – $42,700
Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 520 (Roof replacement project) – $44,700
Heat & Frost Insulators Local 23 (Parking lot upgrades and new lighting) – $43,200
Oasis Community/Living Water Church (Phase II playground project) – $10,000
Elevator Constructors Local 59 (New boiler and HVAC system) – $28,000
Wiconisco Fire Engine Co. (Debt reduction on new fire rescue) – $40,000
Upper Paxton Township/Millersburg Area Senior Center (Senior Center updates and renovations) – $1,700
Halifax Township/Camp Hebron (Cabin replacement project) – $8,800
Capital Area Soccer Association (Ranger Field upgrades and beautification) – $15,000
Catholic Charities (Safety and security upgrades) – $3,500
Central Penn Crusaders Youth Football (Youth football all-star tournaments) – $2,500
Downtown Daily Bread (Installation of air-conditioning in Day Shelter) – $10,000
Farm of Hope (Development, construction and transportation at farm serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities) – $15,000
Midtown Action Council (Historic Marker revitalization expansion project) – $5,000
The National Civil War Museum (Reduction of long-term debt) – $16,000
Sankofa 21 Institute (Student technology initiative) – $6,000
Tri-County OIC (Mobility access for workplace readiness) – $13,000
Vision Resources of Central PA (Purchase of commercial grade facility freight lift conditioned upon obtaining full funding within three years) – $10,000
American Literacy Corporation (Dauphin County Reads Program) – $15,000
Grandparents Involved From The Start (Purchase of tablets for grandparents) – $5,000
Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority to administer the following project: The Foundation for Enhancing Communities/IIPT Harrisburg Peace Promenade (Commonwealth Monument Project) – $100,000

June News Digest

June 28, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

June 2019 News Digest

Receiver Named for Harrisburg Schools

A Dauphin County judge last month appointed Dr. Janet Samuels as receiver for the Harrisburg school district, giving her broad authority to run the district for the next three years.

Judge William Tully issued an order that Samuels serve as receiver, a three-year appointment requested by the state Department of Education. Samuels has served as the district’s state-appointed chief recovery officer since last year.

In his “Memorandum Opinion,” Judge Tully outlined how the district has failed to meet the academic objectives outlined in the 2013 recovery plan and the 2016 amended plan, thus necessitating the receivership. The district fell far short on a number of measures, including graduation rates and standardized test scores, the opinion states.

The opinion further faulted the school board for “failing to comply with the directives issued by the CRO.”

With her appointment, Samuels now is widely empowered to run the district, assuming the roles of both the CRO and the school board. The one power she explicitly lacks is the ability to levy and raise taxes, which remains with the elected school board.

The order came on the same day that the Harrisburg school district dropped its opposition to receivership. In a court hearing, district Solicitor James Ellison told Tully that the district would not fight receivership, even though he had issued a point-by-point refutation of the state’s case only days before.

Furthermore, Ellison said that the district administration would fully cooperate with the receiver, who is assuming much of the authority of Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney and the elected school board.

I-83 Study Approved

A split Harrisburg City Council last month approved hiring an outside consultant to study the proposed expansion of I-83, with an eye towards possibly slimming down the project.

Council voted 5-2 to spend $72,500 to hire Harrisburg-based Kittelson & Associates to conduct a traffic and community impact study of the current state proposal to double the number of lanes running through the city.

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

Before the vote, Councilman Westburn Majors said that the city had received a letter from PennDOT stating that it would take into consideration Kittelson’s findings.

“It looks like they’re open to further analysis,” Majors said following the meeting. “They trust Kittelson to be a straight shooter with them.”

At a prior work session, several council members requested such a letter prior to the vote today.

The letter wasn’t enough to sway council President Wanda Williams, who maintained her opposition from a prior meeting. Before voting no, she reiterated that she believed that the expenditure was a waste—that it ultimately wouldn’t change PennDOT’s plans and that the money would be better used elsewhere.

“I don’t think that the city of Harrisburg should be committing $72,000 when I have potholes all up and down my streets and my pools haven’t opened yet,” she said.

The city plans to pay for the study from its large fund balance, Mayor Eric Papenfuse said previously.

Harrisburg, Steelton Enter Trash Agreement

Harrisburg will begin providing sanitation services to Steelton this month, as the city has agreed to begin trash collection in the neighboring borough.

Harrisburg City Council unanimously voted to enter into an intergovernmental agreement so that the city will begin picking up Steelton’s residential trash and recyclables starting the week of July 1.

Steelton’s council approved the same agreement last month.

“This is a really exciting and positive development for the city of Harrisburg and the borough of Steelton,” said Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

Borough Manager Doug Brown said that Steelton wanted to make the change because of residents’ dissatisfaction with the service provided by long-time hauler Republic Services, as well as a proposed price increase by the company.

“It was significantly more money,” Brown said. “That, plus the problematic service we were getting.”

Therefore, Steelton had the idea of approaching Harrisburg to see if the city had the interest and ability to take on its trash removal.

Harrisburg Public Works Director Aaron Johnson described the arrangement as “all positive.” Steelton trash is picked up on Wednesdays, the one day when Harrisburg has enough spare capacity to handle the borough’s 2,500 residential customers, Johnson said.

The agreement calls only for residential, not commercial, trash pickup, which is handled privately in Steelton.

Papenfuse said that Harrisburg does not expect to have to add any personnel or equipment to handle Steelton’s trash because Wednesday has been a slow day for the city’s sanitation workforce.

Under the agreement, Steelton households will pay Harrisburg $25 a month for pickup, or $300 per year. Residents now pay Republic $24.45 a month, but that price would have increased by $13 to $15 a month under the company’s renewal proposal, Brown said.

Papenfuse also emphasized the turnabout from several years ago, when, under the “Harrisburg Strong” financial recovery plan, the city almost privatized its trash pickup to Republic Services. City Council pushed back on the deal brokered by then-Mayor Linda Thompson, and sanitation remained a city-provided service.

Notably, the sanitation charge for Steelton residents will be less than that for Harrisburg residents, who receive a monthly sanitation bill of $32.34. The difference, Papenfuse told council, is due to the vastly different amounts that the two municipalities pay for refuse disposal at the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA) facility in south Harrisburg.

Steelton pays a “tipping fee” of $85 per ton, while Harrisburg, due to the terms of its agreement with LCSWMA that helped resolve its financial crisis, pays $195 per ton.

The agreement reached between Harrisburg and Steelton is only a temporary measure that runs through Dec. 31. Both municipalities will need to hammer out a longer-term deal in the fall.

Council members said they were pleased with the agreement, both because it represented an efficient use of the city’s resources and because it offered a rare example of cooperation and shared services between local governments.

“It seems like a no brainer,” said Councilwoman Danielle Bowers. “I hope this is the first of many cooperation agreements between us and neighboring municipalities.”

Monument Podium Unveiled

A nonprofit group last month unveiled the first part of a monument slated to be erected near the state Capitol’s Irvis office building in June 2020.

The monument, titled “A Gathering at the Crossroads,” depicts four 19th-century figures from Harrisburg history gathered around a speaker’s podium—the part of the monument that has been completed.

Organizer Lenwood Sloan said that the monument is meant to serve a dual purpose: honor both the city’s long-lost “Old 8th Ward” behind the state Capitol and honor the 15th and 19th amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which guaranteed voting rights for African Americans and for women, respectively.

Sloan and others are now raising money to complete the monument, which will feature life-sized figures of civil rights activist William Howard Day, Harrisburg native, journalist and lawyer Thomas Morris Chester, musician and restaurateur Jacob T. Compton and abolitionist and suffragist Francis Ellen Walker Harper.

The podium is on display in Strawberry Square until Labor Day weekend.

Home Prices Continue Rise

Housing prices continued their long rise in the Harrisburg area in May, as sales slipped a bit from last year.

For the month, the median sales price in the three-county area jumped by 12.4 percent to $195,000, while the number of homes sold dipped by 3 percent to 644 units compared to May 2018, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

Dauphin County experienced strong price growth, with the median sales price jumping to $180,000 from $151,000 in the year-ago period, while units sold dropped slightly to 305 from 316, said GHAR.

In Cumberland County, the median price increased to $215,000 from $200,000, and the number of housing units sold dropped slightly to 303 from 313, stated GHAR. Perry County saw a drop in the median sales price, to $151,900 from $170,000 in May 2018, while sales increased by one to 36 units.

So Noted

Harrisburg City Council last month approved the appointment of David Baker as the city’s new director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities by a 5-2 vote. It also voted against the appointment of Franchon Beeks as the city’s new director of Housing and Development by a 4-3 vote.

Harrisburg University received the final city approval last month to build a 17-story, mixed-used building downtown at S. 3rd and Chestnut streets. Harrisburg City Council voted unanimously for the project, which includes an academic tower, a hotel and a restaurant. HU expects to break ground on the project in August, according to university President Eric Darr.

Momin Bhatti was named last month as the communications manager for Harrisburg. Bhatti was promoted after serving as director of WHBG 20, the city’s cable news station.

In Memoriam

Morton Spector, a long-time community leader in Harrisburg, died in late May at Homeland Center. Originally from Williamsport, Spector was a long an executive with D&H Distributing Co. before co-founding Design House Kitchens & Appliances. Spector was active in many area organizations, including Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg, Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg Council of the National Jewish Fund, Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation, the Jewish Community Center and the Homeland Center, among others. He received numerous awards and accolades throughout his life. Memorial contributions may be made to any of the following: The Alyce and Morton Spector Scholarship Fund, c/o Don Raiger, Director of Advancement Services, Lebanon Valley College, 101 N. College Ave., Annville, Pa., 17003; The Jewish Home, c/o Marianne Hobart, Comptroller, The Campus of the Jewish Home of Greater Harrisburg, 4000 Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg, Pa., 17112; and The Silver Academy c/o Samara Sofian, Director of Development, The Silver Academy, 3301 N. Front Street Harrisburg, Pa., 17110.

Changing Hands

Antoine St., 528: A. Williams to K. Loobey & M. Canoy, $86,000

Berryhill St., 2208: Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Trustee Specialized Loan Servicing LLC to W & J Associates LLC, $32,500

Bigelow Dr., 33: V. Rodall & K. Smith to M. Murphy & G. Neff, $40,100

Boas St., 228: R. Shokes Jr. to E. Miller, $218,000

Boas St., 429: R. King to B. & A. Malia, $185,000

Boas St., 1939: LSF9 Master Participation Trust to I. Hewston, $78,900

Chestnut St., 1928: N. Doan to TPH Asset Management LLC, $39,000

Chestnut St., 1936: N. Doan to State West LLC, $45,000

Chestnut St., 2025: Cama Sidra FBO Edward Mitrovich IRA to L. Profitt, $67,900

Croyden Rd., 2778: D. Blumenthal to G. & M. Romero, $64,000

Derry St., 1439: D & F Holdings LP to K & F Property Investments LLC, $30,000

Derry St., 1934 & 1936: T. & S. Miller to Newport Petroleum Inc., $425,000

Derry St., 2027: P. Taughinbaugh to E. Echevarria, $68,500

Derry St., 2424: J. & S. Boyle to H. Marca & F. Alvarez, $67,000

Derry St., 2528: D. Metellus & R. Costume to D. Logan, $86,000

Dunkle St., 554 & 556: Crist Holdings to D. Brooks, $48,000

Elder St., 780: Bartush Signs to D& F Hummel LP, $185,500

Girard St., 759: J. Robles & R. Cruz to J. Alexopoulos, $97,600

Green St., 1405: D. McLaughlin to A. Stouffer, $146,000

Green St., 1625: K. Biggi & M. Wall to BCRA Realty LLC, $120,000

Green St., 3113: B. Baker to M. Jarvis, $180,000

Green St., 3218: Paramount Home Solutions LLC to S. Roblyer, $150,000

Hillside Rd., 111: J. Hetzel to D. Dissingeer & J. Brown Jr., $86,100

Kensington St., 2315: PA Deals LLC to D. & K. Borelli, $69,900

Market St., 1510 & 1513: Unitarian Church of Harrisburg to Shalom Properties, $275,000

Market St., 2000: J. Goodfellow James LLC to D. Garcia, $124,000

Nagle St., 123: L. & C. Jerome to F. Rubinic, $163,900

North St., 255: Red Top Properties LLC to Trip Aces 255 LLC, $420,000

N. 2nd St., 215, 217 & 219: W. & G. Nichols to Drinq LLC, $1,033,050

N. 2nd St., 1435: A. Ciervo to AON LLC, $400,000

N. 2nd St., 1715: PA Deals LLC to 1715 N. 2nd Street LLC, $100,000

N. 3rd St., 1110: Bartlett, Traynor & London to 1110 HBG LLC, $5,000,000

N. 3rd St., 1713: C. Smith & K. Overly to J. Nuila, $155,000

N. 3rd St., 1834: A. Peart to T. Miller & L. Wood, $95,000

N. 3rd St., 1919 & 1929: R. & G. Bulatovic to North Third LLC, $260,000

N. 3rd St., 3132: D. Blumenthal to M. Dunbar, $67,000

N. 3rd St., 3134: G. & J. Trump to M. Cruz, $75,000

N. 4th St., 1717: G. & J. Hellmann to A. Craver, $165,000

N. 6th St., 1000: N&R Group LLC to Vice Capital LLC, $62,000

N. 6th St., 2126: J. & J. Kang to Nana S Food Service LLC, $101,556

N. 6th St., 2200: J. Frais to D & F Realty Holdings LP, $150,000

N. 7th St., 2964: J. Getman to D & F Holdings LP, $87,500

N. 15th St., 1304: M. & M. Walker to B. Shephard & N. Cook, $47,000

N. 15th St., 1307: I. Lahlou to B. Shephard & N. Cook, $45,000

N. 16th St., 1318: Federal National Mortgage Association to J. Alvarado, $35,000

N. 17th St., 27: Myers Homes LLC to R. Dunkle, R. Staff & D. Ward, $35,000

N. 17th St., 1120: T. Mundy to J. Baltimore, $30,500

N. 17th St., 1218: T. Backer to Z. Amador, $79,900

N. Front St., 1125: RMK Management Group LLC to D. Pedroza, $384,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 508: D. Markowitz to A. Breneman, $165,000

N. Front St., 2837, Unit 402: F. Clark to L. Fenton, $120,000

Penn St., 1315: J. & M. McAnulty to K. Cowden, $85,000

Penn St., 1608: D. Hooker & B. Lister to W. Gelgot & E. Schuchardt, $172,000

Penn St., 2220: B. Butler to Limitless Possibilities Inc., $30,000

Race St., 602: D. & S. White to C. Logue, $160,000

Reel St., 2722: Bigfoot Properties LLC to A. Britton, $37,000

Regina St., 1712: Dan A. Loos Trust & Carol Loos Trust to Ice Properties LLC, $41,500

Rolleston St., 1138: H. Cabrera to A. Hassan, $83,250

Rudy Rd., 2302: G. Brown to J. Chen, $167,000

South St., 225: T. & E. Eachus to C. & C. Clemans, $110,000

S. 12th St., 1407 & 1409: D. Seymore to Islamic Center Masjid Al Sabereen, $44,500

S. 12th St., 1523: N. Garwood to R. Rabuck & A. Mema, $48,000

S. 13th St., 340: Round Rock Investments LLC to McClellan Development Group LLC, $110,000

S. 13th St., 1488: S. Rose to J. Torres, $60,000

S. 20th St., 207: T. Poole to M. Drennon, $109,900

S. 21st St., 709: Seneca Leandro View LLC to J. Martin, $77,000

S. 21st St., 968: E. & E. Rose to Edwin L. Heim Co., $365,000

S. 25th St., 645: U S Bank NA Trustee to S W M Properties LLC, $58,500

S. 26th St., 615: 2013 Central PA Real Estate Fund LLC to K. & M. Blomerus, $112,900

S. River St., 304: Pear Tree Liv Revocable Trust & D. Ogden to M. Della & I. Smith, $52,500

Schuylkill St., 331: L. Diaz to Scarn LLC, $85,000

State St., 130: L. Milspaw Jr. & M. Beshore to 130 State St. LLC, $185,000

Susquehanna St., 1626: R. & S. Stark to H. Belmont III, $133,950

Susquehanna St., 2006: C. Frater to PD Estate Properties LLC, $30,000

Swatara St., 1516: J. Finney to G. Brown, $54,900

Verbeke St., 315: S. McDermott to S. Goel, $150,000

Washington St., 109: NP 1 Ventures LLC to M. Della & I. Smith, $90,000

Whitehall St., 1815: D. Trexler to 37 Estate LLC, $65,000

Zarker St., 1415: Centric Bank to TPH Asset Management LLC, $30,000

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

October News Digest

October 31, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg to Leave Act 47

A bill passed by the state legislature last month allows Harrisburg to preserve its current tax rates and exit Act 47, a state oversight program for financially distressed municipalities.

The House and Senate both voted overwhelmingly to pass House Bill 2557, which allows Harrisburg to maintain its current local services tax (LST) and earned income tax (EIT) for five years after it exits state oversight. The bill also prohibits the city from enacting a commuter tax and convenes a five-member Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA) to monitor Harrisburg’s finances.

After the vote took place, Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse thanked the lawmakers who supported its passage, including its sponsor, Rep. Greg Rothman, R-Cumberland County, and Harrisburg’s lawmakers in the House and Senate, Rep. Patty Kim and Sen. John DiSanto.

“While I wish we had been able to achieve a permanent solution for the city and the region, Harrisburg’s immediate fiscal crisis has lifted,” Papenfuse said. “I look forward to working with the new members of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority—as it’s time to roll up our sleeves and continue to work for the long-term success of Harrisburg and the capital region.”

The bill is the culmination of a 10-month lobbying effort by Harrisburg officials, who have long said the city needs stronger taxing powers to support the capital city. It will allow Harrisburg to preserve about $12 million in annual revenue that would have been lost in a traditional Act 47 exit.

Act 47 allows Harrisburg to levy a 2 percent EIT on all residents and a $156 LST, even though state law caps EIT rates at 1 percent and LST at $56 per year. Without HB 2557, Harrisburg would have been forced to cut its EIT in half and slash its LST by two-thirds when it exits state oversight.

Local officials say those rates are untenable in Harrisburg, which supports large swaths of tax-exempt properties and a daily population of some 50,000 commuters. Mayor Eric Papenfuse had told lawmakers that the city’s emergency services and infrastructure would be in jeopardy if the city had to cut its taxes.

With HB 2557 in place, Harrisburg will also be spared high property tax increases that were prescribed in a proposed three-year Act 47 exit plan.

The city did make one significant sacrifice in the final bill, which was amended in October to put a five-year time limit on the enhanced taxing power.

The original legislation only required Harrisburg to retire its tax rates once its surpluses partially funded a post-retirement benefit fund for its employees. Projections estimated that could take up to 20 years.

Rep. Kim called it “the best we can do” in a Republican-controlled legislature. She hopes that the five-year timeframe will still give Harrisburg enough time to increase its tax base.

Bowers Named to City Council

Danielle Bowers, a lifelong Harrisburg resident and state government staffer, is the newest member of Harrisburg City Council.

Last month, Bowers beat out 14 other candidates, including one past council president, to take the seat formerly held by council member Cornelius Johnson.

Bowers works as an executive director for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Tourism and Recreational Development Committee. She previously held researcher roles with the Democratic Policy Office and Legislative Black Caucus and holds a master’s degree in public administration from Pennsylvania State University.

Her appointment to council creates a vacancy on the Zoning Hearing Board, where she has served for the past three years.

Fifteen candidates appeared before council last month to share their qualifications and ask for a chance to serve on the city’s legislative branch. But only four were invited to participate in the interview phase, where sitting council members asked candidates about their skills and goals for public service.

During her interview, Bowers touted her legislative experience and her knowledge of the city’s finances. She said she would like to pass legislation to bolster public safety and hopes to see the city’s Police Bureau return to its full complement.

Candidates Josiah Yonker, an IT professional, Gloria Martin-Roberts, a former council president and mayoral candidate, and Airis Smallwood, a healthcare administrator and musician, also received nominations and sat for interviews.

City Releases Housing Study

The results of Harrisburg’s first citywide housing study are in, and they predict a shortfall of more than 200 rental units at all price points over the next three years.

Representatives from the consulting firm that prepared the study presented their main findings to City Council last month. The authors said demand for rental housing in Harrisburg will outpace supply through 2020, even as development projects put new units on the market.

As a result, Harrisburg will face a shortage of about 244 rental units across the city—a figure that accounts for the city’s existing housing stock, new units coming onto the market and old units becoming uninhabitable.

The study also considers population projections, which anticipate that Harrisburg will gain 300 households in the next three years, mostly in the Allison Hill and Uptown neighborhoods.

The study didn’t offer any policy recommendations, but city hall officials intend to use its findings to develop long-term development strategies and housing policy proposals.

3rd Street Study Released

Harrisburg’s 3rd Street corridor is headed in a positive direction, though it remains a work in progress in terms of redevelopment, economic activity and walkability.

That’s the general conclusion of a study by the Washington, D.C.-based Urban Land Institute (ULI), a nonprofit research and educational organization that recently examined the corridor from Reily Street in Midtown to Chestnut Street downtown.

“The 3rd Street corridor possesses a great deal of momentum and potential for continued development,” stated the report, titled “TLC for Harrisburg’s Third Street Corridor.” “Strategically bridging the gap between the downtown and Midtown neighborhoods can put Harrisburg on the map as a vibrant capital city with a strong urban core.”

ULI visited Harrisburg for two days in April, walking the two-mile stretch then interviewing stakeholders who live, work and own businesses there. Their analysis and report were sponsored by Harristown Development, which owns Strawberry Square.

The 14-page report lauds the recent redevelopment and adaptive reuse that has occurred along the stretch. However, it states that much work still needs to be done so that the corridor can achieve a fuller potential. It cites three specific challenges:

“Dead Zones”: Many buildings have been restored, but many have not. There is still too much blight and too many empty storefronts.
Forster Street: Forster Street is too wide, busy and inhospitable, cutting off downtown from Midtown and deterring pedestrian activity.
Aesthetics: Aesthetics are inconsistent. Some areas appear pleasant, while others do not, both in terms of streetscape and the condition of structures.

The study then offers a variety of recommendations, such as incentivizing homeownership, encouraging pop-ups in empty storefronts, increasing police visibility, enforcing maintenance codes, improving the streetscape and better connecting downtown and Midtown.

Two suggestions stood out as especially ambitious.

The first recommended improving the intersection of N. 3rd and Forster streets by employing traffic-calming measures, making it more pedestrian-friendly and possibly reducing the number of lanes. The second proposed forming a “Third Street Coalition,” which would help promote, brand and advocate for the corridor.

Environmental Council Reconstituted

After more than two years of dormancy, Harrisburg’s Environmental Advocacy Council is back in action.

City Council repopulated the all-volunteer body recently when it voted unanimously to approve five appointees nominated by council members and the city administration. One appointee, Rafiyqa Muhammad, is a holdover from the former EAC that dissolved in 2016.

She’s joined by new members Tanya Dierolf, Christine Proctor, Molly Cheatum and Melanie Cook.

The five-member body will advise the mayor and other city officials on matters related to the environment and sustainability. As an advisory group, it does not have the power to manage or disburse money, but it will make recommendations on how to spend the money collected by Harrisburg’s “host fee.”

Harrisburg collects more than $250,000 a year in fees for hosting a regional incinerator, which is owned by the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA). State law allows cities with regional waste sites to assess a $1 per ton fee on the waste processed there. That money must be used to make environmental improvements in the city.

Christopher Nafe, the city’s new sustainability coordinator, will manage the EAC and attend all of its meetings, Mayor Eric Papenfuse said.

Papenfuse hopes that having a designated city hall staff member will help the EAC avoid the dysfunction that felled it in 2016, when most of its five members resigned.

Nafe hopes that the new EAC will advise the city on existing and new initiatives. Those include working with the Tree Advisory Council, which monitors the city’s tree population, and developing educational programs at the city’s new composting facility in Susquehanna Township.

New CRO for Harrisburg Schools

A retired Philadelphia-area superintendent will serve as the new state oversight officer for the Harrisburg School District.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education appointed Dr. Janet Samuels as the district’s new chief recovery officer in October.

She will oversee the implementation of a new, long-term recovery plan aimed at raising the district’s academic performance and financial health.

PDE put the school district under a financial recovery designation in 2012. State law requires every district in recovery to have a state-appointed recovery officer.

Samuels replaces Audrey Utley, who retired in June after serving as Harrisburg’s CRO for three years.

Her salary is capped at $144,000 annually and will be paid by PDE.

Last June, Samuels retired as the superintendent of Norristown Area School District, where she oversaw a $150 million annual budget and nine schools enrolling 7,400 students. She previously served as a regional superintendent for the Philadelphia Area School District. Her career in public education spans 35 years and includes experience as a principal and classroom teacher.

So Noted

Donald E. Schell has been named the new chair of the Homeland Center’s board of trustees. Schell, who has served on the board since 2001, takes over from Morton Spector, who will continue to serve on the board as immediate past chair.

Jeanne Troy is the new development director for Tri County Community Action, it was announced last month. In the newly created position, Troy is responsible for advancing the mission of TCCA by developing donor strategies and increasing fundraising opportunities.

Justin Roth has been named marketing manager for Capital City Mall, leading the marketing efforts for the Camp Hill shopping center. He previously served as the marketing and communications manager for the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC.

Minuteman Press is relocating to larger space next door to its current location on the first block of S. 3rd Street in Harrisburg. Franchise owner Charlotte Todd recently purchased the Original Copy Shop, which had operated for 32 years, and converted it to a Minuteman shop.

Robert W. Morris & Co. last month celebrated the grand opening of its new office at 510 N. Front St., Wormleysburg. This is the second location for the CPA firm, which also has offices in New Bloomfield, Pa.

Three Little Birds Boutique opened a second location last month at the new Hershey Towne Square. The shop, which specializes in women’s clothing, shoes and accessories, joins businesses like Iron Hill Brewpub, Starbucks and several other restaurants and shops at the mixed-use retail and office project in downtown Hershey.
Changing Hands

Bigelow Dr., 22: E. Johnson to T. Henry, $55,000

Briggs St., 214: X. Chen to Around the Corner LLC, $135,000

Capital St., 909: M. Dietz to J. Canamucio & J. Block, $130,000

Chestnut St., 1836: G. Norman to A. Nebbou, $30,000

Crescent St., 219: Anpat LLC to J. Le, $47,000

Croyden Rd., 2926: S. McDougal to A. Guerrero, $74,900

Cumberland St., 260: J. Bane to M. Mueller, $122,250

Delaware St., 266: WCI Partners to D. Taylor, $124,900

Fillmore St., 622: J. Hoch to KAB Rental Properties LLC, $40,000

Fulton St., 1729: J. Tanjung & W. Leyu to M. Gleason, $112,500

Grand St., 924: L. Searles to N. McClure, $79,900

Green St., 1818: J. Lightner to Fratelli Property Investments LLC, $110,000

Greenwood St., 2151: Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of PA Inc. to Edwin L. Heim Co., $320,000

Holly St., 1811: Wells Fargo Bank NA to R. Murphy, $32,500

Holly St., 2009: PA Deals LLC to E. Shelly, $65,900

Hunter St., 1535: P. & F. Kehler to S. Costa, $35,000

Kelker St., 231: Cartus Financial Corp. to E. Bliman & H. Hamilton, $180,000

Kelker St., 332 & 1821 N. 3^rd St.: Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority to Pennsylvania National Fire Museum, $125,000

Kensington St., 2302: X. Weng & C. Yang to Fowler Investments LLC, $39,500

Kensington St., 2348: M. Hardison to N. Terry, $66,000

Kent Lane, 198: Neidlinger Enterprises to F. Manzanillo & S. Rodriguez, $75,000

Lenox St., 1910: RTD Properties and Management to R. Do, $40,000

Lewis St., 321: D. Licciardello to R. Neely, $114,900

Luce St., 2354 & 2356: L. Salcedo to C. Santiago, $102,000

Market St., 1829: D. & S. Parikh to G. Allen, $69,000

Market St., 2211: G. Dunn to S., J. & M. Buckham, $84,400

Muench St., 402: M. Huynh to SA Home Solutions LLC, $30,000

Mulberry St., 1842: A. Woolridge to A. Faican & E. Sumbra, $49,900

North St., 1609: W. Davis to R. Cantave, $120,000

N. 2^nd St., 901 & 903: W. & J. Hobbie to B. Golper & WG PA Holdings LLC, $365,000

N. 2^nd St., 907: D. Pong to R. Anspach Jr., 173,900

N. 3^rd St., 1636: MJ Trust Properties LLC & C. Jurasits to Fratelli Property Investment LLC, $110,000

N. 4^th St., 2443: T. & K. Malesic to W. Lawrence, $80,000

N. 5^th St., 2605: Harrisburg Homes Investment LLC to NGDGR Company Inc., $48,000

N. 6^th St., 2605: A. & P. Ashenberg to R2 Property Group LLC, $43,000

N. 7^th St., 2400: J. Holmes & BAS Tax Services Corp. to DAP 7 Curtin LP, $270,000

N. 7^th St., 2640: Q. Higgs to Riley Residential Real Estate LLC, $35,000

N. 15^th St., 1121: Golden Lover Realty LLC to B. Shephard & N. Cook, $39,000

N. 15^th St., 1415: J. & O. Hearn to E. Mantilla, $43,500

Peffer St., 613: K. Timmons to J. Santiago, $46,000

Penn St., 1336: H. & L. Roberts to J. O’Neill, $36,100

Penn St., 2105: G. Hanslovan to T. Hage, $45,000

Penn St., 2139: PA Capital Area Investments LLC to DHS Team LLC, $30,000

Reily St., 333: Dobson Family Partnership to ADS Investments LLC, $89,900

Seneca St., 241: J. Williamson to CR Property Group, $32,500

S. 13^th St., 1403: M. Stewart to B. Price Jr., $38,000

S. 14^th St., 916: 916 S. 14^th Street Partnership to Harrisburg Housing Authority, $1,150,000

S. 14^th St., 1435 & 1400 Randolph St.: A. Ingram Jr. & W. Blankenship to City of Harrisburg, $43,000

S. 20^th St., 1100: Paxton Street Home Benevolent Society Inc. to Paxton Place I LP, $250,000

S. 21^st St., 922: A. Mariluz Jr. to D. Ramos, $68,000

State St., 231, Unit 304: P. Brommer to BCRA Realty LLC, $102,000

Susquehanna St., 1805: HBG Rents LLC to V. & C. Vergara, $61,000

Sycamore St., 1711: Leonard J. Dobson Family LP to H. Yunis, $70,000

Valley Rd., 2305: J. Dunn & A. Meyers to J. Alpert, $179,900

Verbeke St., 233: D. Varno & C. Johnson to E. Herrmann & L. Hall, $126,900

Walnut St., 1232: Valley Real Estate Holdings LLC to C. & C. Hinckley, $33,000

Wayne St., 1517: J. Alvarado to A. Sweet Sr., $120,000

June News Digest

June 29, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

HUD Grants Proposed

The annual process of disbursing federal housing funds began last month, as Harrisburg City Council introduced an ordinance that would provide money to nearly a dozen nonprofit groups.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that the city used the same process in selecting award recipients as last year, using a point-based merit system to judge applications.

“It’s a number of small grants,” Papenfuse said. “It’s not as much as anyone wanted.”

In all, the city will distribute $2.04 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, a program of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. This amount includes almost $1.9 million from the 2018 allocation, plus a small supplemental amount tied to unallocated funds from a prior year.

Like last year, the greatest single amount of money, $593,423, will go to repay federal loans the city backed during the Reed administration for several development projects, including the disastrous Capitol View Commerce Center project, which went bankrupt before being completed years later by a new owner.

“If we didn’t have an exorbitant debt service, we’d have a lot more money for housing,” Papenfuse said.

Most of the nonprofits proposed to receive funds have gotten some money from previous CDBG allocations. The proposed recipients include:

TriCounty HDC: $250,000
Habitat for Humanity: $100,000
A Miracle 4 Sure: $50,000
TLC Work Based Training: $45,000
Christian Recovery Aftercare Ministries (C.R.A.M.): $40,000
Latino Hispanic Community Center: $25,000
Heinz-Menaker Senior Center: $25,000
Fair Housing Council: $25,000
PPL/IN HOUSE: $20,000
Shades of Greatness: $15,000
Neighborhood Dispute Settlement: $5,000

Like last year, Tina Nixon, an executive with UPMC Pinnacle, scored the applications, Papenfuse said. While most nonprofits that applied received some funding, several did not make the cut, he said.

In addition, the city is proposing to allocate $321,642 for its housing rehabilitation programs and another $408,765 to CDBG administration.

QOZ Tracts Approved

The federal government last month approved all of the census tracts nominated for a new program aimed at spurring development in low-income communities.

Six of those tracts are in Harrisburg.

“Approval of our nominated tracts is an important step in the process of bringing critical investment and development to these areas,” Gov. Tom Wolf said. “Designation as an opportunity zone is one piece of the puzzle that can help many of our distressed communities across the commonwealth.”

In April, Wolf nominated 300 low-income census tracts across the state as Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZ), a status created under the 2017 federal tax reform bill. All were accepted.

Six of Harrisburg’s 14 census tracts were included in Wolf’s submission. The potential investment zones encompass the city’s downtown area south of Forster Street, South Harrisburg, South and Central Allison Hill and the neighborhoods along the city’s Cameron Street industrial corridor.

The QOZ program aims to stimulate investment in low-income communities by providing tax breaks to private investors. It’s expected to defer or reduce capital gains taxes to anyone who invests in funds supporting businesses, real estate and other ventures in the zones.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is still in the process of developing the program, and the IRS is expected to provide further information regarding opportunities for investment in zones in the coming months, according to Wolf’s office.

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse has said that the recommended zones aligned with the city’s current development efforts, including the MulDer Square revitalization project and the Paxton Creek reclamation in the industrial corridor.

To qualify for QOZ status, a census tract had to have at least a 20-percent poverty rate or a median family income less than 80 percent of the statewide or regional median income.

State Urges Changes to School District

Soon after wrapping up a protracted battle over its superintendent, the Harrisburg school district may find itself in another personnel battle.

The state Department of Education is asking the district to search for new leadership for its business office, which oversees budgets and financial management.

In a letter to the district last month, department Secretary Pedro Rivera said that the district’s chief financial officer and business manager do not meet the criteria set forth in its five-year recovery plan, which calls for full-time, permanent, highly qualified employees to fill both positions.

The school board has final say on all district personnel actions. But board members, who diverged for the past six months over whether to replace or retain Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney, once again disagree on the need to seek new hires.

Board President Judd Pittman interprets the letter as a directive from the state, giving the district no choice but to replace interim, part-time CFO James Snell and acting Business Manager Bilal Hasan. But board Vice President Danielle Robinson thinks the district should keep the current team.

“It’s not a directive, it’s a suggestion,” Robinson said. “The team we have in place is giving us what we need.”

The business manager and CFO are responsible for developing and managing the district’s $156 million budget. This year, the district faces a shortfall of almost $9 million. The business office has proposed bridging it with a $5 million transfer from its fund balance, $4 million in staff cuts, and a 3.6 percent tax hike.

New Monument to Honor Prominent African Americans

Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park is dotted with historical monuments, but none of them honor African Americans.

A group of citizens hopes to change that.

Members of the Peace Promenade Project are asking city hall to green-light Harrisburg’s first monument to African Americans, which they hope to erect near the corner of Forster and Front Streets by June 2019.

Their proposal calls for a life-size tableau of four Pennsylvania abolitionists and voting-rights advocates: Thomas Chester, a Harrisburg-born journalist and attorney; William Howard Day, the first black school board director in Pennsylvania; Jacob Compton, a pastor who drove Abraham Lincoln’s carriage during his visit to Harrisburg; and Frances Harper, a poet and women’s rights activist.

All except Harper lived in Harrisburg and are buried in Lincoln Cemetery in Penbrook.

“This is an American monument that represents the continuing struggle for the full fulfillment of the 15^th amendment,” said Lenwood Sloan, leader of the Peace Promenade Project, which aims to rededicate Harrisburg’s public monuments through a yearlong event series.

Kelly Summerford, another project leader, said that the monument would also offer local students an opportunity to learn about abolition and voting rights.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said he met with the project leaders and enthusiastically supports the project. He also offered to help the group pursue a gaming grant from Dauphin County.

The Peace Promenade group, which counts more than 200 members and 40 supporting organizations, plans to fund the monument through public support, corporate donations and individual giving. They did not announce an anticipated budget.

According to Summerford, the group plans to follow a process used by the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts to commission an artist and develop a design.

They hope to install the monument by “Juneteenth” 2019—the anniversary of June 19, 1865, the official announcement of the end of slavery in the former Confederacy.

At press time, council had not yet affirmed the final allocations.

Harristown Eyes Another Project

Chalk up another apartment conversion for Harristown Enterprises.

The Harrisburg-based company already has converted several rundown office buildings downtown to higher-end apartment buildings. Last month, it announced another—this one at 116 Pine St.

“We feel very good about the rental market,” said Harristown CEO Brad Jones. “We’re trying to create more of a neighborhood downtown.”

The bank-owned, 54,600-square-foot building is on the market for $1.3 million. If Harristown completes the purchase, it plans to convert the circa-1946 building to 44 apartment units, its largest residential project to date.

The five-story building currently houses several different entities, which would be relocated. The longstanding first-floor tenant, Alicia’s Deli, is likely to remain in the building, Jones said.

The building is directly next door to another office building at 124 Pine St. that Harristown currently has under contract from seller Keystone Human Services. City Council approved that project, which includes 25 apartment units and 19 parking spaces, in April.

“Our intent is to build them together and have economies of scale,” Jones said, adding that Harristown expects to invest some $12 million in the projects.

Harristown has long been known as a commercial developer. However, it began to move into the multi-family residential market several years ago, focusing on rehabilitating old, often dilapidated and vacant office buildings, converting them to apartments.

New Owner for Old Waterworks

A Harrisburg-based design and engineering company has purchased the historic Old Waterworks building on the Susquehanna River, with plans to turn it into its new headquarters.

Andculture will relocate from its downtown offices following the full renovation of the 22,000-square-foot building, said co-owner David Hickethier.

The Waterworks is one of only two structures remaining within the confines of Riverfront Park. Portions of the Front Street building date to 1841.

The building served as a pumping station for Harrisburg until 1972, when that use ended following severe flooding caused by Tropical Storm Agnes. The city later converted it into an office building.

In 2002, Mann Realty, a real estate firm, bought the building. Andculture acquired the property from Mann Realty, which is in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, for $1.25 million, according to the Dauphin County property database.

“It’s a very unique building,” Hickethier said. “There are only two on that side of Front Street, right on the river.”

Hickethier expects Andculture, a company he co-owns with partners Josh Benton and Evan Keller, to occupy the majority of the building for its main offices and for its business accelerator, Catamaran.

The company may lease out some of the remaining space, especially to complementary businesses, and would like to reserve a portion for public use, possibly for meetings and receptions, Hickethier said.

Since the major city renovation 30 years ago, the building has suffered a few floods and has not undergone a major update. So, Hickethier and his partners plan to mount a complete restoration. The work includes removing drop ceilings, restoring floors, opening up spaces and making substantial repairs.

New Sanitation App

Sanitation and recycling services in Harrisburg are about to get a little more user-friendly.

The city last month announced a new app called Recycle Coach, which allows residents to get the latest information on sanitation services, schedules, what and where to recycle, collection requirements and more.

“[The app provides] details people need to understand, like the way food could potentially contaminate recyclables,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “The app addresses all this, and it’s really interesting, easy to use and fun.”

Already used in other states and countries, Recycle Coach is now available for Harrisburg residents. The app is personalized via language, building type (apartment or home) and address. Using that information, six tabs on the home screen offer users various types of functionality, information and additional options.

John Rarig, Harrisburg’s recycling coordinator, said that the Recycle Coach app will help the city get sanitation information out to the public quicker.

“This app will allow us to update information as things change [such as] weather problems and things that we can notify the populous about,” he said. “[Recycle Coach] is very easy to work with, and we think this is a great thing for Harrisburg.”

Harrisburg residents can access Recycle Coach not only from their smartphones, but also via computers and voice assistants such as Alexa.

So Noted

Harrisburg Beer Week last month presented a check for $40,000 to Harrisburg River Rescue and Emergency Services, the beneficiary of the 10-day-long celebration of local craft beer. For the past several years, the River Rescue has used the funds to continue the renovation of its headquarters.

Homeland Center last month dedicated its 6th Street entrance in memory of the late John Crain Kunkel, a U.S. congressman, and his wife Katherine, who served on the board of managers and established what is believed to be the first-ever beauty shop in a long-term care facility, according to the Harrisburg-based care facility. More recently, the Kunkel family made possible Homeland’s 71-bed skilled care nursing pavilion, and their foundation sponsored Homeland’s 150th Gala, said Homeland.

Percel Eiland resigned last month as a member of the Harrisburg school board, having only served about six months. The board will now take steps to find a candidate to fill the remainder of Eiland’s term, which runs until the end of next year.

In Memoriam

Nick Laus, renowned Harrisburg restaurateur, died last month at age 59. Laus founded many restaurants in the area, including Café Fresco, Cork & Fork, Home 231 and Burger Yum, as well as the nightclub, Level 2.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2441: G. & T. Spiese to H. Le, $64,000

Bartine St., 1323: E. & G. Solomon to J. Herr, $82,000

Bellevue Rd., 1963: M. Mack to R. Lewis, $54,900

Berryhill St., 2034: D. Smith to S. Griffin, $33,000

Berryhill St., 2400: L. Rich to E. Alcantra, $40,001

Boas St., 304: Calder Street Development LLC to RC Herr, $35,000

Calder St., 264: J. Hummel to L. Boenzli, $127,000

Capitol St., 1218: M. Wickwire to K. Knapp, $118,000

Chestnut St., 2032: W. Noss & R. Maynard to M. Jackson & J. Fulton, $124,900

Delaware St., 259: K. Dyrli to R. Goodfriend, $142,500

Delaware St., 261: C. Hartman to T. Harris & B. Barto, $117,500

Green St., 918: S. Brennan & L. Sterkenberg to S. Lacey, $144,900

Green St., 1328: D. Misner to A. Koser, $116,540

Green St., 1412: J. Kibler to J. Ehring, $70,000

Green St., 1612: H. Task to B. Brubaker, $149,900

Green St., 1946: C. Smith & T. Chickey to P. Sosik, $174,900

Green St., 2321: Willowscott Investment LLC to J. Hofman, $80,000

Green St., 2412: R. Lawson to B. Vargas, $219,500

Hillside Rd., 214: R. & T. Winder to R. Bateman & C. McDonough, $164,900

Hoffman St., 3010: Duetsche Bank National Trust Co. Trustee to Innovative Devices Inc., $41,300

Hoffman St., 3229: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to B. Foor, $59,000

Industrial Rd., 3900: Supervalue Penn LLC to CF Grocery Distribution & Propco LLC, $85,535,256

Jefferson St., 2645: M. Watson to D. Solomon, $60,400

Kensington St., 2004: JCB Associates & State House Group to A. Ryabukha, $39,000

Kensington St., 2324: A. & M. Oliphant to C. Austin, $59,900

Market St., 1713: LAGR Properties LLC to J. & L. Hendricks, $65,000

Mercer St., 2470: A. Hankerson to A. & M. Allen, $49,137

Muench St., 429: Dobson Family Partnership to Y. & K. Han, $50,000

N. 2^nd St., 1521: W. Glover to E&S Properties, $107,000

N. 2^nd St., 1803: S. & S. Cooper to Z. Gause, $122,500

N. 2^nd St., 1916: C. Bashore to G. Crone, $155,000

N. 2^nd St., 2602: K. & K. Fischer to K. Kennedy, $105,000

N. 2^nd St., 2953: D. Alvey to PI Capital LLC, $144,401

N. 2^nd St., 3209: S. Kumarasingam to Benchmarq Holdings LLC, $65,361

N. 3^rd St., 1004, 1006, 1008 & 1010 Susquehanna St.: T. & E. Buda to Maki Developments LLC, $695,000

N. 3^rd St., 1010: T. Buda to Maki Developments LLC, $225,000

N. 3^rd St., 1725: K. & L. Helm to I. Kazar, $81,000

N. 3^rd St., 3004: N. Ernst to K. & A. Brady, $77,000

N. 4^th St., 2143: 690 Market Street LLC to R. Joline, $33,000

N. 4^th St., 2641: Y. Borras to J. Santiago, $59,000

N. 4^th St., 2731: R. Rickabaugh to M. Martinez & M. Price, $111,700

N. 6^th St., 1346: J. MacDonald to A. Blank & A. Edwards, $114,900

N. 6^th St., 2212: L. Ware Jr. to J. Strain, $60,000

N. 7^th St., 1501: AT&T Communications to 1501 Harrisburg Partners LLC, $425,000

N. 15^th St., 1431: M. Clark & J. Payton to X. Nguyen, $55,000

N. Front St., 614: Mann Realty Associates Inc. to Granma LLC, $1,250,000

Norwood St., 914: A. Wilhelm to I. Rodriguez, $35,000

Penn St., 1614: M. Smith to J. Napora & S. Bassler, $144,900

Penn St., 1809: K. Hyp to J. Francescangeli & D. Rocklein, $165,000

Penn St., 1931: WCI Partners LP to R. & B. Precourt, $134,900

Penn St., 2327: A. & D. Wilhelm to I. Rodriguez, $35,000

Pennwood Rd., 3139: T. Bendrick to L. Ciambotti, $40,000

Sassafras St., 269: Major League Properties LLC to J. Wenger & J. Noel, $130,000

Shamokin St., 110: M. & K. Patterson to E. & L. Match, $165,000

Showers St., 589: T. Fullam & J. Nugent to M. Albizu, $116,000

S. 13^th St., 1510: New Heights South LLC to W. Powell Sr., $49,000

S. 14^th St., 1437: W. & G. Powell to City of Harrisburg, $50,000

S. 24^th St., 535: S. Leibich to PA Double Dels LLC, $178,500

S. Cameron St., 50, 90 & 112: PA Self Storage One LLC to Amerco Real Estate Co., $1,450,000

S. Cameron St., 1058: M. Tice & APR Supply Co. to JWM Associates LP, $343,700

State St., 120: C. & K. Kokoski to O’Hagan Philadelphia LLC, $190,000

State St., 231, Unit 206: LUX 1 LP to F. Clark, $65,000

State St., 1414: G. Dutan to A. & M. Collins, $113,000

Susquehanna St., 3117: J. Fustine to K. O’Neill & M. Delucia, $197,500

Swatara St., 1517: Tri County HDC Ltd. to V. Miller, $99,000

Wendy St., 1126: 147 N. Cameron Partners LP to Keystone K9 LLC, $415,000

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like