Tag Archives: Impact Harrisburg

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

August 25, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Local officials and project partners ceremonially broke ground on Bethel Village, affordable housing for seniors, on Tuesday.

It has been a full week of news in Harrisburg. From ground breakings to school board meetings, we’ve covered it all. In case you missed anything, all of our reporting is listed and linked, below.

Bethel Village, an affordable housing development for seniors, broke ground on N. 6^th Street in Harrisburg, our online story reported. The 46,000-square-foot building will include 49 one- and two-bedroom affordable units.

Cedar Crest High School boasts a unique feature—a planetarium. In our magazine story, read about how the school uses the teaching tool as a visual aid for astronomy education.

Danielle Martin has always recognized the importance of education in her life and it’s something she’s sought to instill in her daughters. In our magazine story, read about how the single mother has recently received her doctorate, with her daughters also taking the next step in their educational journeys.

Gun violence victims are memorialized in a display outside of the Harrisburg Quaker Meeting House on N. 6th Street, our online story reported. The memorial features about 50 T-shirts with the names of Harrisburg area residents whose lives were lost to gun violence.

Harrisburg School District officials, at a board meeting, amended their 2023-24 budget and approved the hiring of several new principals, our online story reported. Receiver Dr. Lori Suski also announced that the district will discuss its decision to demolish the vacant William Penn High School and accept public comments, at their Sept. 12 board meeting.

Impact Harrisburg awarded the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce & CREDC with a grant to help increase contracting opportunities for diverse businesses, our online story reported. The grant will help the organization implement recommendations from a disparity study the city completed.

Kate Browne, an international artist, has been working in Steelton on the seventh installment of her “Cocoon” art series, our online story reported. The art installation will include residents’ memorabilia and audio from interviews with residents and local historians.

The Little Miss Black US of A pageant celebrates and empowers young Black girls around the country. This year, two Harrisburg girls are representing the commonwealth in the competition, our magazine story reported.

Our publisher, in a blog post, reflects on how much the Broad Street Market has meant to him since he first moved to Harrisburg. He also shares his optimism for the future of the market.

Sara Bozich has something for everyone to enjoy this weekend in Harrisburg. Find all of her suggestions, here.

The Susquehanna Art Museum’s art auction to raise funds for the Broad Street Market exceeded its goal, our online story reported. The auction included plein air paintings and drawings by 14 local artists.

Uptown Partners, the owner of the Residences at Governor’s Square, will seek to change the status of their bankruptcy filing, our reporting found. The change from Chapter 7 to Chapter 11 bankruptcy should give them additional time to attempt to sell the beleaguered affordable housing development in Harrisburg.

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Grant to support diverse city businesses awarded to Harrisburg chamber, following disparity study

August 24, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg skyline (file photo)

A locally awarded grant will seek to increase contracting opportunities for minority-owned businesses in Harrisburg.

Impact Harrisburg has given The Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC a $125,000 grant to implement recommendations from a disparity study the city completed.

In June 2022, Harrisburg launched a survey to help identify and develop a list of minority-, women-, disabled-, veteran- and LGBTQ-owned businesses in the city. The city, in partnership with nonprofit Impact Harrisburg, hired Econsult Solutions, Inc. to compare the availability of minority-owned businesses to how often they are used for contracting opportunities in the city.

The disparity study, completed in October 2022, also offered suggestions on how to better support diverse businesses. Recommendations included initiatives like creating a unified diverse supplier directory, hosting forums on the procurement process and holding networking events.

The grant that the chamber received is aimed at helping advance these efforts.

Grant funding will be used specifically by the chamber’s Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) to support local businesses as they launch, develop and expand. The organization will also work to partner with the communities addressed in the study and help provide business training.

“We are proud and excited to work with Impact Harrisburg on their mission to provide all businesses with opportunities to succeed in the city of Harrisburg,” said chamber President and CEO Ryan Unger, in a release. “Our core values of being inclusive and collaborative are evident in this partnership. Harrisburg is a great place to live and work and we want to help everyone have the chance to thrive here.”

According to the release, Impact Harrisburg chose to award the grant to CREDC based on the organization’s experience providing businesses with economic resources.

“Our partnership with CREDC is an outgrowth of the recognition and concern identified within the Harrisburg Strong Plan, and Impact Harrisburg’s direct experience, that the city has lagged behind in creating economic development opportunities and growth across the diverse demographic spectrum that comprises the City,” said Impact Harrisburg Chairman Gloria Martin Roberts.

For more information about the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC, visit their website. To learn more about Impact Harrisburg, visit their website.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

June 3, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg residents shared opinions on a State Street project at a public meeting on Thursday night.

Our June issue of the magazine came out this week with a focus on all things summer! Grab a copy at one of our many distribution locations and remember to catch up on our daily news coverage, below.

Anita Harris, a former Harrisburg journalist, shares stories from the city in the 1970s in her new book, “The View From Third Street: Ani and the Harrisburg Independent Press.” The book includes reporting on Hurricane Agnes and the Vietnam War, among other historical events, our online story reported.

The Capital Area Greenbelt has lots of stops and sights to offer, our magazine story reported. There are cultural landmarks, restaurants and coffee shops, historical landmarks and, of course, beautiful nature scenes.

Gamut Theatre’s free Shakespeare in the Park is back with shows in Harrisburg’s Reservoir Park, our magazine story reported. “The Winter’s Tale” runs from June 3 to 18.

Harrisburg presented a new proposal for a State Street project at a public meeting on Thursday, our online story reported. At the meeting, residents viewed the draft plans and voiced their opinions with city officials and engineers.

Highmark Wholecare, Harrisburg Housing Authority and Latino Connection kicked off their Healthy Steps Walking Program with the goal of encouraging people to create healthy habits this summer, our online story reported. The program emphasizes walking, healthy eating and addressing health concerns quickly.

Impact Harrisburg has assisted the city with street repaving, sewer upgrades and grants for businesses during the pandemic, among other initiatives. However, the organization is now at a crossroads. They must either find more funding or suspend services. Read more in our magazine story.

June events are in full swing this month. Find plenty of fun summer activities in our Community Corner and our Happenings sections.

June is our editor’s favorite month for all the warm outdoor activities that it brings. Luckily, this month’s issue of the magazine has numerous stories about ways to spend the summer month, he says in his editor’s note.

The Paxton firehouse in Shipoke may be repurposed as a facility for Harrisburg’s unhoused, our online story reported. Dauphin County and the city are weighing the vacant building as an option for a day center.

Sankofa African American Theatre Company’s “Crowns” spotlights the stories of Black women, our magazine story reported. The show runs through June 26 at Open Stage in Harrisburg.

Sara Bozich has the perfect list of activities for a warm weekend in the Harrisburg area. Find it, here.

Tri-County Housing Development Corporation announced that it will move its office to N. Front Street in Harrisburg, our reporting found. It will also partner with the Pennsylvania Housing Financing Agency (PHFA) to provide homeownership courses to clients.

WB Music Therapy in Harrisburg helps meet clients’ needs through one-on-one sessions, catered to their musical preferences. In our magazine story, read more about the organization and how it impacts patients.

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Major Impact: A unique organization finds itself at a crossroads.

May 31, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck

Back in 2013, Harrisburg had a first hint that its future might be better than its recent past.

Late that summer, the state-appointed receiver released a financial recovery plan designed to return some measure of fiscal sanity to the insolvent city.

Sanity came at a high price.

To pay back creditors, Harrisburg had to monetize two of its most valuable assets, the city incinerator and its parking system, to raise almost $400 million. That was the headline news.

Several other important elements were buried deeper in the “Harrisburg Strong” plan. One called for the creation of a new nonprofit, Impact Harrisburg, which would try to right another wrong created by decades of derelict leadership.

In Harrisburg, it wasn’t just borrowed money that financed such extravagances as museum artifacts, a sports stadium and a waste-to-energy experiment. For years, Harrisburg’s core infrastructure was ignored so that funds could be spent on one man’s fantasy of turning the city into a tourist mecca.

As the mayor dreamed and schemed, Harrisburg’s roads and sewers fell apart.

I remember the first time I drove into Harrisburg, off of I-83. The trip up 2nd Street was like the world’s least fun bumper car ride—vehicles meandering all over the wide road, nearly crashing into each other as the lane lines had long disappeared. I thought to myself, “Can’t this city afford some paint?” Turns out, the answer was “no.”

Impact Harrisburg was meant to be a start in repairing the broken capital city, in the most literal sense.

I bring this up now because Impact Harrisburg is at a crossroads. In 2014, the financial recovery plan seeded the nonprofit with $12.3 million, half marked for infrastructure and the other half for economic development—pots of money designed to help the city play catch-up after years of neglect.

Eight years later, those funds have been nearly exhausted.

Recently, I sat down with several Impact Harrisburg officials to reflect back on what’s been done and where the organization goes from here.

Board chair Gloria Martin-Roberts and vice-chair Doug Hill, as well as Executive Director Sheila Dow-Ford, were pleased with the work done so far. They rattled off a long list of achievements—from street repaving to sewer upgrades to grants that helped keep businesses afloat during the pandemic.

I knew about those projects. We’ve reported extensively on them, and I can see some of the roadwork just by looking out my office window.

But others were more under the radar. For instance, about $4.1 million went to fund projects for community groups like the Salvation Army, the Camp Curtin and East Shore YMCAs and Tri-County HDC for housing development. Other monies paid for playground rehabs, software for city workers and, most recently, a disparity study to determine how the city can offer more opportunity for diverse businesses.

For Harrisburg, these funds were critical, as the city has been cut off from the credit markets for over a decade, unable to borrow money. This would stagnate or sink most cities, but Harrisburg has experienced tremendous redevelopment over the past half-dozen years, including major work to main thoroughfares like 2nd, 3rd, 7th and 17th streets.

Much of this was seeded by Impact Harrisburg, which provided direct grants and, perhaps as importantly, attracted matching funds from other sources.

“We are absolutely on fire over meeting our mission and improving the health status of the city,” Martin-Roberts told me. “And, what I mean by health status, I’m talking about infrastructure and economic development because it all impacts on the health status of our city.”

So, where does Impact Harrisburg head from here? That’s the question at hand, as its initial funding has nearly run dry.

In a nutshell, they’d like to stay in business, focused on economic development. Indeed, the city may need assistance in this area, as its economic development director currently serves just one day a week.

“We want to stay active,” Martin-Roberts said. “We want to stay involved.”

To make this happen, Impact Harrisburg will need to find new funds. Hill mentioned several possible sources, including both private donors and city-controlled monies, such as Community Development Block Grant funds and a slice of Harrisburg’s $48 million American Rescue Plan Act funding.

“We are going back to the city and going out to the philanthropic community and saying, ‘Here’s a remarkably unique need and a remarkably unique position that we can fill,’” Hill said.

If its coffers were replenished, Impact Harrisburg could continue its economic development mission. This might include continuing its small-business grant program, its help for minority and disadvantaged businesses and its focus on training, education and identifying additional financial support for young and emerging entrepreneurs.

“The city is not equipped to do that,” Martin-Roberts said. “I’m not casting aspersions against them. They don’t have the people to do it. We can get it done, and we know we can get it done. It just makes for a healthier community.”

Impact Harrisburg was a novel idea born from a profound crisis.

Over the years, this unique nonprofit has proven its value in identifying critical needs and making a visible difference, whether in normal times or in COVID times. I also like that it employs the talents of some remarkable and dedicated people outside of government who want to continue their service to our community.

As I write this, the city is announcing its plan for American Rescue Plan monies. Ultimately, that’s up to the administration and City Council, with public meetings slated for this month. But a strong case can be made for re-equipping Impact Harrisburg, which has a track record of strategically injecting funds where they’re greatly needed.

Lawrance Binda is co-publisher/editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

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Hop, Skip and Runoff: Harrisburg park is renovated to include stormwater management features, new playground

August 19, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg’s 4th and Dauphin Park

A group of preschoolers ran to the slide, swings, and seesaw of Harrisburg’s newest park, mid-morning on Thursday.

In the foreground, the city cut the ribbon on the updated 4^th and Dauphin Park, which includes shiny new play equipment, a basketball court and rain gardens.

“Today is really a celebration of a multi-year process which has resulted here in this beautiful, fully renovated, gorgeous playground and park in Uptown Harrisburg,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said.

The park is the last of five new parks to be renovated in Harrisburg as part of a partnership between the city and Capital Region Water (CRW). In total, about $3 million worth of restoration work was done at Cloverly Heights, Penn & Sayford, Royal Terrace, and Norwood & Holly parks.

The initiative was specifically focused on installing stormwater management features to parks to reduce the flow of rain runoff into the sewer system.

In the 4^th and Dauphin Park, the project included a new pervious basketball court, added vegetation, rain gardens and underground storm sewer pipes.

“It includes stormwater management elements that mitigate localized flooding and reduce sewer overflows,” said Charlotte Katzenmoyer, CRW’s chief executive officer. “When there is a water quality concern from water quantity issues, you need to get creative.’

The $750,000 project received funding from both CRW, which contributed $267,000, and Impact Harrisburg, which gave over $63,000. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the state Department of Community and Economic Development contributed, as well.

“A vibrant community requires a vibrant playground,” said Sheila Dow-Ford, executive director of Impact Harrisburg. “We live in a city that is a playground paradise.”

Basketball court at the 4th and Dauphin Park

Katzenmoyer said that the ideas for the playground came from a series of community surveys and engagement. They hope residents will continue to invest in the space, by participating in their Adopt-A-Rain Garden program. Volunteers can help maintain the gardens by keeping them litter free. They will also be recognized with a sign at their rain garden, and CRW staff will provide training. Organizations, businesses and individuals can apply.

The local Neighborhood Center of the United Methodist Church has adopted the park. On Thursday, kids from the center played on the new playground.

“I think it’ll be an excellent resource for the kids,” said Joelle Ewell, program development coordinator and a preschool teacher at the center. “Anything that adds to their activities in the community is badly needed.”

Although this was the final park in the string of five that faced renovation, CRW and city officials said they are far from done with improvements in Harrisburg.

“This project is just one example of many projects to come in the next 30 years in Harrisburg,” Katzenmoyer said.

To learn more about Capital Region Water, visit their website. To see a list of Harrisburg’s parks, visit the city’s website.

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August News Digest

July 30, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Council Approves Projects, Artifact Sale

At a final legislative meeting before taking a summer break, Harrisburg City Council last month approved two development projects.

A village of tiny homes for veterans on S. Front Street can move forward, along with a mixed-use office and apartment building on N. Cameron Street.

The tiny home village received a vote of 6-1, with council member Shamaine Daniels voting against it.

The project was proposed last year by the nonprofit Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania, which plans to build 15 tiny houses and a community center at 1103 S. Front St. to provide temporary housing and support services for homeless veterans.

At the council meeting, some residents expressed concern with the site of the project, saying that it was prone to flooding.

However, representatives with the nonprofit said that, while the area is in the floodplain, they plan to build the houses a few feet off of the ground, alleviating flooding concerns.

In a 5-2 council vote, another development proposal—converting a long-abandoned building into office and apartment space on Cameron Street—got the go-ahead. Council President Wanda Williams and council member Danielle Bowers voted in opposition.

Bowers explained that she would not vote for the project because developer Harrisburg Commercial Interiors would not commit to participating in the city’s affordable housing program.

In other council action last month, Harrisburg will move towards ending what has been a long process in dealing with artifacts purchased by former Mayor Steve Reed. In 2015, numerous collectibles and artifacts were seized from Reed’s home and storage units, many bought with public money.

Council approved a resolution to work with Cordier Auctions & Appraisals, as well as Reed’s estate, to auction off the remaining items and split the funds between the city, estate and auction company.

On the topic of Harrisburg history, council also approved the adoption of updated “Historic District Design and Preservation Guidelines,” which lay out the rules for property changes and repairs for houses in the city’s historic districts.

Council is on summer hiatus until Aug. 24.

Senior Housing Proposed

A new affordable housing initiative for seniors has been proposed in Harrisburg.

The almost $15 million “Bethel Village” would constitute the largest phase of the “Jackson Square” project at N. 6th and Herr streets, according to Ryan Sanders, co-owner of Harrisburg-based RB Development.

Along with RB Development, Paladin Development, a branch of the Harrisburg Housing Authority, Gardner Capital Development and Bethel AME Church are partners in the project.

The proposed four-story, nearly 45,000-square-foot building would be available for low-income seniors 62 years of age and older. It would provide one- and two-bedroom rental units ranging in price from $300 to $1,000 per month.

Generally, residents would pay about 30% of their income on rent, explained Ava Goldman of Gardner Capital, which specializes in providing affordable senior living. They plan to have designated units for visually and hearing impaired residents, as well.

Previously, Sanders had proposed a market-rate, mixed-use residential and commercial complex for the site.

The proposed site of the project sits on the land where the historic Bethel AME Church once stood before burning down in 1995. The lot currently contains paved parking and grassy areas.

Bethel Village developers are under contract with both Bethel AME, which owns about one-third of the proposed ¾-acre building site, and owners of the connected lots.

New Owners, Plans for Midtown Bars

Two Midtown bars once targeted for closure by Harrisburg’s mayor have been sold, with plans to create a restaurant, retail space and apartments.

Last month, restaurateur Josh Kesler bought 1400 N. 3rd St., which most recently housed the Third Street Café, and, before that, the 1400 Club and Club Wanda’s.

Kesler, who owns the Millworks in Midtown and the Watershed Pub in Camp Hill, said that he would like to open a two-floor restaurant/bar, but doesn’t yet have a firm plan for the two-story, 2,500-square-foot space.

“I want to do something cool and creative, something that adds uniqueness to the neighborhood,” said Kesler, who paid $153,000 for the building.

He expects to complete the renovation and open in 2022.

The Third Street Café has been closed since April under terms of a conditional licensing agreement between the owners and the PA Liquor Control Board. The owners since have placed the license into safekeeping, according to their attorney, Chris Wilson.

The co-owners of the Third Street Café, Anthony Paliometros and the heirs of the late Frank Karnouskos, also owned the building next door, 1402 N. 3rd St., once the home of the Taproom bar.

Sean Linder and his Bethlehem-based investment group, SJL Rentals LLC, bought that building for $231,000.

Linder said that he plans to undertake a restoration of the three-story, 4,000-square-foot building, creating five market-rate apartments with commercial space on the first floor. He also plans a small addition in the rear, which would add another 350 square feet of space.

“Midtown is obviously an up-and-coming area,” Linder said, when asked why he was interested in the building. “There’s a lot of great development going on in the city.”

Linder credited Justin Heinly of Midtown Property Management for bringing the property to his attention and mentioned that anyone interested in the first-floor retail space should contact Heinly.

He said he expects to complete the building renovation by spring 2022.

Notably, in 2015, Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse tried to revoke the business licenses of both bars, claiming that they were “nuisance bars.”

Dave Larche, then the owner of the Taproom, agreed to close his bar and later sold his building to his next-door neighbors, Paliometros and Karnouskos. For their part, Paliometros and Karnouskos repeatedly appealed the city’s business license revocation, eventually winning their case in court.

Alice Anne Schwab, the executive director of the Susquehanna Art Museum, located directly across the street from the bars, said that she looks forward to the renovations of the two buildings.

“We’re super-excited about something positive happening there,” she said. “The proposals I have heard about are really very much in keeping with businesses that are above board and operate with the public interest in mind.”

Kesler said that, in part, he was motivated to make the purchase in order to add to the growing vibrancy of the Midtown commercial district on 3rd Street, where numerous small businesses have opened recently.

Linder added that he also wanted to ensure that the block retained its architectural character.

“For years, they just let their beautiful buildings deteriorate,” he said. “There’s so much historical integrity there that needs to be preserved.”

Business Grant Program

Through a local grant program, some Harrisburg businesses have a chance at receiving financial support.

Impact Harrisburg last month rolled out its “Making an Impact” funding to benefit projects that impact the city economically.

“We can affirm that access to our funding has been a benefit to the economic structure and overall wellbeing of our community,” said Gloria Martin-Roberts, board chair of Impact Harrisburg.

The program will distribute $300,000 to eligible businesses and nonprofits. Eligible projects include those that wouldn’t have adequate funding otherwise and will be started immediately. Businesses must also contribute a match to the project, financial or otherwise, and have annual net revenues of $500,000 or less.

The Impact Harrisburg board plans to focus on assisting minority-owned businesses, Martin-Roberts said.

Applicants may request up to $25,000 for activities such as minor construction, building façade improvements, equipment purchases, furniture and fixture purchases, installation costs and job training, explained Sheila Dow-Ford, executive director of Impact Harrisburg.

In May 2020, Impact Harrisburg, along with the city, distributed around $1.5 million in “Neighborhood Business Stabilization” grant money to 314 small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. That program allowed businesses to utilize funds for general administrative expenses like rent, mortgage and payroll. This new round of funding cannot be used for those purposes, Dow-Ford said.

Dow-Ford described the “Making an Impact” program as “small, but mighty,” with the possibility to uplift often overlooked organizations in the city.

“This is a good news story in Harrisburg,” she said.

Home Sales, Prices Rise

Harrisburg-area home sales continued to show strength in June, in terms of both transactions and prices.

The Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR) reported that 819 housing units sold in June, compared to 530 in June 2020, while the median price rose to $228,000 from $199,900 a year ago.

Last year, the number of home sales was depressed due to the pandemic. A better comparison may be June 2019, when 850 houses sold for a median price of $190,788.

In Dauphin County, 376 homes sold in June for a median price of $209,000, versus $179,950 the previous year. In Cumberland County, 394 houses sold for a median price of $258,500, compared to $224,900 in the year-ago period, according to GHAR.

Prices also were up in Perry County, where 35 houses sold for a median price of $200,000 versus $175,900 last year.

Houses were also selling quickly. According to GHAR, the “average day on market” dropped to 16 days in the three-county area, compared to 45 days last year and 41 days the year before.

So Noted

Camp Curtin Memorial-Mitchell UMC Church has been purchased by a Harrisburg couple, Chris and Erica Bryce, for $50,000. Two years ago, the Susquehanna Methodist Conference put six churches on the market as it consolidated congregations. Chris Bryce said that he had no firm plans yet for the building, but that conversion to apartments was probable.

Dustin LeBlanc was named last month as the managing director of the West Shore Theatre in New Cumberland. In this position, LeBlanc will be responsible for most operations of the 81-year-old theater, which is set to reopen next year following a renovation.

Eric Turman last month was sworn in as the new superintendent of the Harrisburg School District. Turman, the former principal of Reading High School in Reading, replaces Chris Celmer, who served as acting superintendent until a permanent replacement was hired.

Fresh Pressed HBG held its grand opening last month at 221 N. 2nd St. in downtown Harrisburg. It’s the second location for the York-based business, which offers juices, smoothies and cleanses.

Harrisburg University last month announced “Tech ‘n Town Week,” which will feature concerts, a crypto-currency conference and the return of the e-sports tournament, the HUE Invitational, among other events. The festival takes place Sept. 19 to 25, with full information at www.harrisburgu.edu/tech-n-town-week.

H*MAC’s former owners last month were awarded $4.7 million in actual and punitive damages in a defamation lawsuit. A Dauphin County judged ruled that John Traynor and the former partnership of Bartlett, Traynor & London, which owned the Midtown Harrisburg arts and entertainment venue, were defamed by online comments that later turned out to be false.

Kipona will return next month with a live, three-day festival in Riverfront Park and on City Island, according to Harrisburg officials. The Labor Day weekend event will feature art, music, food vendors, fireworks, a beer garden and Native American cultural performances, among other activities. Due to the pandemic, much of last year’s festival was held virtually.

Trader Joe’s is slated to open its first store in central PA next year, as it repurposes about 12,500 square feet of space in the former Camp Hill Bon-Ton in Lower Allen Township. Trader Joe’s has about 500 stores in 42 states and is known for offering high-quality food products at affordable prices.

Verber Dental Group last month announced Search Dental, a $2.5 million dental facility, which will open in Silver Spring Township in April 2022. The 7,500-square-foot, 12-operatory facility is the first phase in a 3.5-acre dental campus located adjacent to Cumberland Valley High School, according to Verber.

Zachary’s BBQ & Soul opened last month as the newest restaurant concept at H*MAC in Midtown Harrisburg. Philadelphia-area chef Keith Taylor offers his take on soul food staples such as Carolina pulled pork, pulled chicken, boneless short rib, pork spare ribs and Caribbean jerk barbecue chicken, as well as some bar food favorites.

Changing Hands

Barkley Lane, 2527: D. Sharp to H. Alberto, $69,900

Bellevue Rd., 1915: J. Charles & D. Vanlee to C. Bouslama, $61,000

Benton St., 700: J. Sourbeer to SPG Capital LLC, $62,000

Berryhill St., 1506: RWH Properties LLC to RRMM Real Estate LLC, $42,000

Berryhill St., 1645: M. & M. Quinones to P. & C. Baquero, $46,100

Berryhill St., 2016 & 2020: Staley Berryhill Street Properties LLC to W. Stanley, $850,000

Berryhill St., 2146: J. Elias Holdings LLC to R. & C. Murphy, $65,000

Berryhill St., 2258: T. Baka & R. Teklit to E. Tesfamicael & L. Ghebremichael, $50,000

Boas St., 405: J. Varner & C. Fowler to H. Lewis, $185,000

Boas St., 424: C. Furlong to J. Smith, $170,000

Boas St., 1907: Ultra Renovations and Investments Inc. to T. Roebuck, $115,000

Brookwood St., 2314: E. Hager to M. Kraft, $89,000

Calder St., 118: Lynch Financial LLC to A. & W. Harvey, $190,000

Calder St., 500: R. Metzger to E. Shellenberger, $180,000

Chestnut St., 2031: K. Hassinger to N. & C. Hamani, $68,829

Conoy St., 114: W. McMartin to B. Stehle & A. Johnson, $147,500

Croydon Rd., 2854: R. Williams to G. & M. Romero, $88,000

Delaware St., 262: A. Hanlon to C. Zeger, $138,000

Delaware St., 268: F. Hamid to C. & E. Batista, $137,500

Derry St., 1441: SNL Realty Holdings LLC & Touch of Color to K. Tejada, $80,000

Derry St., 2403: Tassia Corp. to A. Lopez, $115,000

Derry St., 2529: T. Thornton to SPG Capital LLC, $65,000

Division St., 505: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $45,000

Edgewood Rd., 2307: J. Perkins to M. Bailor & S. Yann, $226,000

Emerald Ct., 2451: J. & S. Theodorou to M. Spence, $111,000

Forster St., 226: League of Women Voters Pennsylvania to J. Dubina, $88,750

Fulton St., 1409: R. Buyers to R. Davis Jr., $130,000

Green St., 710: N. Pinkston & C. Maximowicz to J. Elliott, $202,000

Green St., 916: J. Ehring to Capozzi & Ehring Realty LLC, $160,000

Green St., 1401: Hunter Properties to R. Rammouni, $80,000

Green St., 1405: A. Stouffer to C. & C. Thomas, $195,000

Green St., 1412: J. Ehring to Capozzi & Ehring Realty LLC, $150,000

Green St., 2810: Church of God of Prophecy & Christian Insight Ministry to Christian Insight Ministry, $145,000

Green St., 3208: G. Arrieta & K. King to J. Aponte & D. Torres, $235,000

Green St., 3232: B. Spangler & S. Keene to J. Jones, $155,000

Greenwood St., 2111: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $48,000

Hale Ave., 411: D. Wilson to I. Yolov, $50,000

Harris Terr., 2465: J. Davis to E. Garcia & Y. Marcucci, $35,000

Herr St., 307: B. Andreozzi to J. Varner & C. Fowler, $192,500

Herr St., 313: J. Kleinfelter to J. & M. O’Callaghan, $178,600

Holly St., 2002: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $48,000

Hummel St., 340: M. Nichols to K. Torres, $55,000

James St., 1329: V. Paredes to I. Mallouli, $85,000

Liberty St., 1610: Ivy Leaf Properties LLC & Lehman Property Management to H. Lopez, $60,000

Manada St., 2031: R. Torres to D. Perez, $120,000

Market St., 1811: HE Pressley Properties LLC to Jimruz LLC, $72,000

North St., 1711: SPG Capital LLC to P. Marte, $80,000

North St., 1842: Sunshine ABQ Real Estate Investment LLC to O. Perez, $105,000

N. 2nd St., 809: Vantage Rentals LP to A. & S. Grimes, $179,000

N. 2nd St., 1009: J. Kok to J. Flothmeier to J. Ambridge, $215,000

N. 2nd St., 1102: L. & A. Morato Lara to S. & J. Toole, $195,000

N. 2nd St., 2323: A. & A. Mathew to A. Deitrich & J. Cortez, $190,000

N. 2nd St., 2404: K. Liu to JLE Ventures 2404 LLC, $90,000

N. 3rd St., 1218, 1220 & 1222: Furlow Partners Inc. to COBA Apartments LLC, $2,800,000

N. 3rd St., 1619: T. Fridirici to J. Pronio, $187,500

N. 3rd St., 3010: Equitable Builds LLC to S. Ruiz & A. Ramirez, $212,000

N. 4th St., 1920: Tang & Perkins Property Management LLC to A. Nix, $109,000

N. 4th St., 2112: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $60,000

N. 4th St., 2215: L. & C. Sukhwinder to K. Torres, $54,000

N. 4th St., 2333: Dauphin County Property Investors LLC to I. Molina, $51,500

N. 4th St., 2448: S. Lewis to J. Graf, $100,000

N. 4th St., 2709: T. Landis to H. Fountain, $137,000

N. 5th St., 1504, 1504½, 1506, 1506½, 1508, 1508½, 1510, 1510½, 1512, 1514, 1516, 1516½, 1518; 439, 441 & 443 Boyd St.; 427, 429, 429B, 429½, 431 & 433 Kelker Alley; 1517 Fulton St.; 420, 426 & 428 Reily St. & 1515 Walker Alley: Redevelopment Authority to 400 Reily Street LLC, $81,000

N. 5th St., 1634: P. Hardy to N. Kamel, $150,000

N. 6th St., 1328: W. Zhang to M. Osborne, $170,000

N. 6th St., 2211: Curtin Heights ME Church to 608 N. Third LLC, $50,000

N. 6th St., 2612: MNK Properties LLC to C. Guerrier, $50,000

N. 6th St., 2665: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital, $48,000

N. 6th St., 2667: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $55,000

N. 6th St., 3014: C. Dixon to A. & W. Keisling, $83,500

N. 14th St., 210: PBTB Group LLC to Dreams2Reality Services LLC, $67,500

N. 16th St., 606: 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC to J. Moore, $120,700

N. 16th St., 820: Truemac Homes Trust to E. Hubbard, $123,000

N. 18th St., 802: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to B. Nevid, $119,000

N. 19th St., 706: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to L. Murrell, $40,000

N. 19th St., 1001: M. Myers to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $45,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 305: M. DiMatteo to Zinc One Texas LLC, $195,000

N. Front St., 3201: F. & W. Krevsky to Y. Duan, $310,000

Park St., 1840: T. & S. Rollason to J. Pichardo, $35,000

Penn St., 1311: A. Genre to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $75,000

Penn St., 1526: Heinly Homes LLC to H. Stevens, $190,500

Penn St., 1702: A. & D. Schade to T. Underkoffler, $175,000

Penn St., 1726: A. Hovne to C. Benedict & J. Sarji, $190,000

Penn St., 1820: Alex Manning Enterprises LLC & D. Kapil to Lancaster County Restoration LLC, $135,000

Penn St., 2334: N. Symons to T. Jackson & R. Pennypacker, $135,000

Pennwood Rd., 3204: C. Heckert to A. Daniels, $95,000

Prince St., 713: J. Mosco to Z. & A. Einhorn, $106,100

Reel St., 2618: E. Chattah to L. Ware, $88,450

Reel St., 2725: J. Louden to D. & C. Huffer, $56,000

Seneca St., 640: Kirsch & Burns LLC to B. Brown, $130,000

S. 13th St., 431: R&K Realty Group LP to Dima Properties LLC, $65,000

S. 13th St., 1413: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to 1413 S 13th St Harrisburg LLC, $116,000

S. 13th St., 1440: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $45,000

S. 13th St., 1463: J. White to D. Adams, B. Groft, E. Roy & A. Sullivan, $62,500

S. 15th St., 316: Great Row LLC to Cooperwink LLC, $42,900

S. 16th St., 16: M. Carter to NA Capital Group LLC, $35,000

S. 16th St., 524: W. Brown to J. Camacho, $46,500

S. 16th St., 1014: M. Batista to D. Cario & Y. Mercedes, $123,500

S. 19th St., 1324: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $48,000

S. 24th St., 700: C. Barna to J. Valverde, $82,000

S. 25th St., 734: G. Mathias to SPG Capital LLC, $63,000

S. 26th St., 622: M. Cain to K. Seitz, $140,000

S. 26th St., 628: R. & R. Seneca to A. Rai, $163,000

S. 27th St., 655: B. Dehning to T. Young, $99,000

Spencer St., 1855: M. Castro, B. Villalobos & R. Alexandra to M. Hoogerbrugge, $75,900

State St., 231, Unit 204: J. Montenegro to S. & Y. Yates, $130,000

Susquehanna St., 1703: R. Taylor to L. Mayton, $130,000

Susquehanna St., 1915: D. James to E. Seaman & J. Baran, $145,000

Susquehanna St., 2116: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPF Capital LLC, $48,000

Susquehanna St., 2118: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $48,000

Sycamore St., 1506: J. Elias Holdings LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $50,000

Verbeke St., 254: D. Bixler to R. Unger, $205,000

Verbeke St., 1327 & 1329: DC Projects LLC to Phantom Property Investments LLC, $75,000

Vernon St., 1306: Sweet Properties of Philadelphia LLC to JCAS1 LLC, $240,000

Vernon St., 1407: G. Thomas & K. Hernandez to JIMRUZ LLC, $30,000

Vineyard Rd., 212: E. Kawa to R. & J. Aronson, $222,000

Walnut St., 1610: C. Hall to J. Cherry Jr., $30,000

Zarker St., 1942: Next Generation Trust Services FBO Leon Wriole IRA to G. & L. Boone, $38,500

Harrisburg property sales for June 2021, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

July 16, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Impact Harrisburg officials announced a grant program for small businesses.

It’s been a washout of a week, weather-wise, but, as always, there has been plenty of local news. Catch up on all of it, listed and linked, below.

Art can be found just about anywhere we look, even in the produce aisle, says our arts blogger Bob in his column. Veering from his typical art show and gallery reviews, Bob reflects on the beauty of nature’s bounty.

Capital Region Water commented on the need for innovation in city infrastructure to handle extreme weather. An authority official explains what CRW has already done to address this issue and what their plans are for the future.

Cook to impress with this summery tomato bread appetizer recipe. Give your guests a taste of this Spanish take on a traditional Italian dish.

Dogs, like humans, have social needs, especially coming out of the pandemic. Our magazine story provides advice from the experts on how to socialize your dog and get that tail waggin’.

Gamut Theatre will have you laughing with its new production, “Thumbelina.” The Popcorn Hat Players, the children’s outreach arm of Gamut Theatre, incorporate plenty of audience participation with enormous enthusiasm and silliness aplenty. Read our review of the show, here.

Home sales showed continued strength in the Harrisburg area in June, our online story reported. The Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR) reported that 819 housing units sold last month, compared to 530 in June 2020.

Impact Harrisburg introduced a new grant program to support small businesses in the city, our reporting found. The program will distribute $300,000 to eligible businesses and nonprofits, with a focus on often overlooked organizations.

Kipona festival will return to Riverfront Park and City Island in Harrisburg, our online story reported. The three-day event will feature food trucks, fireworks, an artist market and Native American and Indian cultural performances.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore reopened recently after a lengthy, pandemic-related closure. Our feature story shares how the bookstore adapted and continues to navigate through this time.

Two Midtown bars have been sold to restaurateur Josh Kesler, our online story reported. He bought 1400 N. 3^rd St., which most recently housed the Third Street Café. The building next door, which once housed another bar, sold separately and is slated to be remodeled into apartments.

Sara Bozich has fun ideas for your weekend including live music, yoga, trivia and outdoor movies. Take a look at her Weekend Roundup, here.

Sprocket Mural Works recently worked with local artists to paint a number of planters in Allison Hill. In our magazine story, hear from artists on the impact the beautification project had on them and their community.

Summer reading programs are in full swing in Harrisburg, our magazine story reported. Local organizations like Tri-County OIC’s BookyMobile are working with underserved children who are struggling to regain lost academics, due to the pandemic.

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Impact Harrisburg rolls out new grant program to small businesses in the city

July 14, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Sheila Dow-Ford and Gloria Martin-Roberts with Impact Harrisburg announce a new round of small business funding.

Through a local grant program, some Harrisburg businesses have a chance at receiving financial support.

Impact Harrisburg is rolling out its “Making an Impact” funding to benefit projects that impact the city economically.

“We can affirm that access to our funding has been a benefit to the economic structure and overall wellbeing of our community,” said Gloria Martin-Roberts, board chair of Impact Harrisburg, at a press conference in the Harrisburg Uptown Building (HUB) on Wednesday.

The Impact Harrisburg board plans to focus on assisting minority-owned businesses, Martin-Roberts said.

Dow-Ford described the “Making an Impact” program as “small, but mighty,” with the possibility to uplift often overlooked organizations in the city.

“This is a good news story in Harrisburg,” she said.

The program application opened on Wednesday and will be available until 5 p.m. on Aug. 2.

Juanita Edrington-Grant of HUB said that they will be applying for the funding and explained the positive experience that they’ve had with Impact Harrisburg previously. TLC Construction & Renovations received a grant from a prior round of funding that allowed them to finish constructing the HUB building.

“I am very grateful for organizations like Impact Harrisburg,” Edrington-Grant said. “It pushed us over our [capital] campaign.”

Impact Harrisburg was created in 2015 as part of the Harrisburg Strong Plan to promote economic development and infrastructure improvement within the city. Dow-Ford said that the organization is nearing the end of its original funding pool of $12.3 million, so its future is uncertain.

For more information, visit Impact Harrisburg’s website.

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More apartments headed to downtown Harrisburg, as council OKs building conversion

May 11, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

An office building at 112 Market St. will be converted into apartments with first-floor retail space.

Downtown Harrisburg soon will have another new apartment building, as City Council approved an office-to-residential conversion on Tuesday.

During a virtual legislative session, council members unanimously passed the land development plan for the century-old, eight-story building at 112 Market St.

Harristown Enterprises will lead the $7 million project, which will include about 35 one- and two-bedroom apartments, with first-floor retail space, according to CEO Brad Jones. The 51,000-square-foot structure has served as an office building since its construction in 1918.

Most of the current companies occupying the building have expiring leases and will be relocated, though tenant Tri-County Planning Commission may stay, Jones said.

In recent years, Harristown and several other local developers have renovated and converted numerous aging, often rundown office buildings to apartments, adding hundreds of new residential units to the downtown.

On Tuesday, council also passed a resolution to enter into an agreement with Impact Harrisburg to conduct a disparity study to determine where diverse business vendors are underrepresented in the city’s public procurement and contracting processes.

Impact Harrisburg plans to hire a company to conduct the study to determine where the city can provide additional resources for minority, women, LGBTQ, disabled and veteran-owned businesses.

“We believe it will help the city establish goals around MBE, WBE, DBE and the range of other categories that show the kind of equity and diversity that we would like to see as a city,” said Sheila Dow Ford, director of Impact Harrisburg, at last week’s council work session.

Both the city and Impact Harrisburg will contribute up to $125,000 for the study.

City Council on Tuesday also approved a settlement agreement with bond insurer Ambac Assurance to help pay down debt related to general obligation bond defaults incurred during the city’s financial crisis in 2012 and 2013. Through the agreement, the city hopes to accelerate debt payments and reduce its overall debt load.

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TheBurg Podcast: Innovation Inspiration, June 2020

June 11, 2020 | by Karen Hendricks

In the face of the pandemic, innovation and creativity abound.

TheBurg’s June podcast expands upon several examples of innovative change, forged by the crisis, found within the pages of our June magazine:

First, innovative strategies are helping to feed the hungry—and capitalizing on the timing of the summer produce season—at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. Joe Arthur, executive director, provides details. (Based on the magazine story, “Hunger Pains.”)

Secondly, we hear from Sheila Dow-Ford, executive director of Impact Harrisburg. Their innovative grant program swung into action in record time, to help city businesses lessen the pandemic’s impact—with a significant portion going to minority-owned businesses. (Based upon the magazine’s “News Digest.”)

Editor of TheBurg Lawrance Binda reflects on the links between tension and change, city and state, in his reoccurring TMHT feature (“the most Harrisburg thing”).

Finally, we switch gears, to innovation with a “fun factor.” Straight from the front cover of TheBurg’s June issue, we bring you an exclusive interview with Harrisburg’s newest celeb, “Sharkman” himself. (Here’s our digital June issue.)

Meet some of the Harrisburg area’s most fascinating people, and hear their own authentic stories, expanded from every month’s magazine, on TheBurg Podcast—because there’s always “more to the story.”

Hosted by Karen Hendricks. TheBurg is a monthly community magazine based in Harrisburg, Pa.; Lawrance Binda, co-publisher/editor.

Interested in sponsoring TheBurg Podcast? Contact Lauren at lmills@theburgnews.com.

Karen Hendricks is a lifelong journalist; visit her website here.

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