Tag Archives: Joel Seiders

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

May 22, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

Ride of Silence display on the Capitol steps

We’ve been busy finalizing our June issue this week, but the daily news has kept trucking along. If you missed any of TheBurg’s coverage, we’ve wrapped it up neatly for you below:

Alexander Grass Campus will soon be listed for sale, as a transition team member for the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg said the organization is working quickly to correct course, as it faces more than $9 million in debts.

Big 26 Baseball Classic will bring Pennsylvania and Maryland’s best high school baseball players to City Island this summer.

Bob’s Art Blog showcases the “art” of early eats this month, highlighting local brunch spots.

Gorgas Park is now open to the public and boasts new playground equipment, a large pavilion with picnic tables, grills and fitness equipment.

Harrisburg’s bakeries seem to flourish while other businesses struggle. We wondered why.

Harrisburg engineer Joel Seiders said the city is beginning a three-year city-wide traffic study and will soon begin three road paving projects, among other infrastructure upgrades.

King Mansion has changed a lot over its 100-year lifetime. The historic property on Front Street has transformed from a family home into a breathtaking events venue.

Ned Smith Center has announced its lineup for summer concert series, which will run on select Saturdays from May 23 through Aug. 29.

Ride of Silence bike ride took place this week as a display at the Capitol honored cyclists tragically killed while riding.

Tri-County Housing hosted a ribbon cutting Monday to celebrate the completion of five affordable housing units in Uptown Harrisburg.

Watershed Pub became the first dining destination in Camp Hill since Prohibition to serve wine, spirits and beer in 2020. Since then, its drinks have only gotten better.

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Road Report: City engineer shares list of coming street paving, construction projects in Harrisburg

May 22, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg roadwork. File photo.

According to City Engineer Joel Seiders, it’s a busy time for Harrisburg infrastructure work. The city is starting summer paving, designing safety improvement projects and revisiting stalled multimodal projects proposed years ago.

In the midst of the work, Harrisburg is also evaluating infrastructure needs through a three-year city-wide traffic study, Seiders said. The first year, which is happening now, will examine infrastructure in Allison Hill, year two will study downtown, and year three will look at Midtown and Uptown. Seiders will be evaluating traffic flow and volume, safety and other needs.

“We will always target the areas that are the most unsafe,” Seiders said. “This is one of the topics that the administration and I are in complete agreement on—safety.”

But while they execute that comprehensive study, there’s already lots in the works. Seiders talked with TheBurg about all that’s planned.

Current/Beginning Projects

The city is getting close to starting three road paving projects.

N. 15^th Street, from Arsenal Boulevard to Herr Street, will be paved, likely starting by early June. Work includes constructing speed cushions—which differ from speed humps in that they allow emergency vehicles to straddle them—and constructing ADA curb ramps.

Seneca Street, N. Front to N. 7^th Street, will also be paved and curb ramps will be added. That project is in the early construction phase.

Lastly, a road paving and ADA upgrade project on N. 18^th Street, from Brookwood to Market Street, is currently out to bid.

Starting at the end of the month, Seiders said that the city will repair the bridge on Market Street that goes over Paxton Creek, near S. Cameron Street. Seiders explained that part of the bridge’s wall is deteriorating, which has negatively impacted the sidewalk. The repair will keep the bridge stable until the city can fully replace the bridge, slated for sometime after 2030.

Coming Soon

In the near future, the city will also work on re-striping streets in “high visibility areas,” Seiders said. He said that Harrisburg recently re-painted lines at N. 5^th and Market Streets, with positive results and feedback.

Harrisburg projects that by the end of the year, it will have replaced temporary speed humps on N. 3^rd, Division and Berryhill Streets with permanent speed cushions. The city has recently come under scrutiny from PennDOT for the current temporary speed humps, which it has said are not to code. Seiders said that contracts for the permanent structures will go out to bid as soon as possible to be in compliance by the end of the year.

“Those were locations identified by the administration as high incident areas,” Seiders said.

In the next year or two, Harrisburg will also use state grant money to retime traffic lights and pedestrian signals—25 downtown and 13 in Allison Hill.

Revisiting Stalled Projects

Several bigger road improvement projects that stalled for years are either in the design or fundraising phase and slated for construction in the coming years.

First up, a Herr Street pedestrian safety project, from 15^th Street to Arsenal Boulevard, is in final design, with construction slated to start next year. In conjunction with PennDOT, Harrisburg will improve sidewalks and curb ramps and add protected bike lanes.

Scheduled to begin construction late next year, the city will continue a project that was proposed in 2020. The East-West Multimodal Connection Project included added safety improvements and bike lanes on Walnut Street, from N. Front to N. 4^th Street, and on Chestnut Street, from 3^rd to 4^th Streets. The Chestnut Street portion has been completed.

The city recently was awarded $1 million in state Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TASA) funds for Walnut Street. The road will be repaved, bike lanes will be created, raised intersections will be built at N. 2nd and Walnut Streets, and, from 2^nd to 3^rd Street, the current three traffic lanes will be reduced to two to make room for a bike lane.

Another lingering project proposed years ago, the “Courthouse Connection Multimodal Project,” will finally move forward. The project includes taking the Boyd Street “Urban Meadow,” a pedestrian walkway that currently runs from N. 3^rd to Fulton Street, and extending it to N. 6^th Street, near where the federal courthouse is.

While Seiders said the project has been a “lower priority” for the administration, which is why it has yet to be completed, the city doesn’t want to “leave that money on the table.” Harrisburg received a $700,000 state grant in 2021, which has been extended to June 2027.

Years in the Making

Looking further down the road, Harrisburg has plans to re-work Division Street, from N. 2^nd to N. 7^th Street, by slowing traffic and improving pedestrian features. The city has not yet entered the design phase, but is still securing funding and applying for grants.

Recent grant applications would also support future city plans for construction on N. 6^th, Market and 17^thstreets, roads identified as in need of safety upgrades, but that don’t yet have solid plans, Seiders said.

Harrisburg is also involved in two PennDOT bridge replacement projects. Construction is slated to begin on the Market Street Bridge next year. That project includes rehabbing the old bridge and constructing a separate utility bridge on the south side of the bridge that would also accommodate pedestrian and bike traffic. At a public meeting last summer, city officials showed PennDOT’s plans to eliminate a traffic lane, but since then, Seiders said that PennDOT has gone back to the original plan of maintaining the current four lanes.

The deteriorating Maclay Street Bridge is also set for replacement by PennDOT. While construction was originally slated to begin in 2024, PennDOT’s website now estimates starting this year.

It’s a busy next couple of years for Harrisburg–work that Seiders sees as necessary to keep city residents and visitors safe.

Harrisburg’s priorities are still informed by Vision Zero, an initiative that aims to eliminate all pedestrian fatalities, he said.

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At Harrisburg council meeting, residents protest ICE; apartment projects approved

February 4, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Residents spoke during public comment at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

At a meeting on Tuesday night, Harrisburg City Council approved new apartment projects and heard concerns from residents about ICE.

The double-header meeting—a legislative session followed by a work session—began with over an hour of public comment during which residents said they wanted the city to develop a policy against working with federal ICE agents.

A group of a few dozen protestors also gathered outside city hall at the start of the council meeting with signs that read “ICE out of Harrisburg” among other messages.

“The community gathered outside this building is frustrated; some are scared; many are ready to defend their neighbors,” said resident Brian Kiesling, of the Harrisburg Palestine Coalition, during public comment.

Protestors outside city hall on Tuesday evening.

Kiesling and others said that they were upset by Police Commissioner Tom Carter’s remarks about ICE at a previous council meeting, when he said that residents confronted by ICE should comply with the officers.

“We all felt him dismiss the gravity of the situation,” Kiesling said. “We are talking about basic safety and the responsibility of the city to protect its residents, whoever they are, from any threat, even if that threat comes from the government.”

Police Deputy Chief Kenny Young previously told TheBurg that the bureau does not collaborate with ICE and is not alerted when they’re in town. The only points of contact, he noted, would be when police are called to the scene of an incident involving federal agents. The police are also required to report to ICE if they come across someone who has an immigration warrant against them.

Council member Jocelyn Rawls said that council is in the process of drafting legislation that would limit the police bureau’s ability to work with ICE.

“If this bill is passed, I want assurance that the mayor, our police chief and our district attorney will support the provisions proposed in this bill,” said another resident during public comment.

Also on Tuesday, council unanimously approved the second phase of a project to adaptively remake the former Polyclinic Hospital building, at 2601 N. 3^rd St., into apartments and commercial space.

Former Polyclinic Hospital, the site of Pennmark’s adaptive reuse building. Phase two targets the large building on the far right.

The entire project includes renovating all three buildings on the property and constructing over 250 market-rate apartments. Council in November approved the first phase, which outlines renovations to the former nurses’ quarters, the northernmost building.

The second phase targets the largest building on the property and includes creating 130 units with studio, one-, two- and, possibly, three-bedroom configurations. There will also be commercial space. Developer Pennmark Harrisburg Holdings, an affiliate of Montgomery County-based Pennmark Management Company, is in talks with a local grocer who is interested in occupying one of the spaces.

Rent will likely start around $900 for studio units and cost closer to $1,400 for one-beds and $1,600 for two-beds.

Council members said they were impressed with Pennmark’s extensive community outreach on the project. The developer has hosted several meetings with neighbors and has made tweaks to the project based on feedback. Some neighbors even attended council meetings to speak in support of the project.

“It’s refreshing,” council member Ralph Rodriguez said at council’s previous work session. “A lot of times, we ask for this feedback. We ask for, you know, ‘have you done the outreach?’ You’ve come with a whole table and shown how it goes on. It’s very appreciated.”

Another adaptive reuse project also received the green light from council to renovate a former funeral home at 1332 N. 2^nd St. into apartments. The project will add eight units to the existing five that already exist on upper-level floors.

Developer Breneman Properties plans to construct one-bedroom units with one studio and one two-bed. Prices will range from around $1,000 to $1,800, a representative for the developer said.

Construction is slated to begin in March and last about eight months.

Council voted 6-1 to approve the project, with President Danielle Hill voting against it, citing a lack of affordable units.

Additionally, council approved the submission of a grant application to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for $19,500 to fund design services for renovating Vernon Street Park, at 15th and Vernon streets.

During a work session following council’s legislative session on Tuesday, council also discussed a grant application submission to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for $3 million to fund design services for road safety projects. Work would include sections of Division, N. 6^th, Market and S. 17^th Street.

City Engineer Joel Seiders explained that the improvements to the corridors would look similar to safety upgrades made to N. 2^nd Street in recent years. Grant funding would support the planning stage, while construction, he said, is still several years away.

Seiders also highlighted a need for council to ratify a $387,380 grant application that the city submitted to the DOT for safety upgrades to Market and 17^th Street in Allison Hill. The project would focus on retiming traffic signals and improving pedestrian infrastructure.

Council is slated to vote on the grant applications at its next legislative session.

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At Harrisburg meeting, community weighs in on updated Market Street Bridge rehab proposal

July 15, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

People look at PennDOT plans during a public meeting in City Council chambers on Tuesday.

A plan to update the historic Market Street Bridge in Harrisburg has been changed since its proposal, and was presented to the public on Tuesday.

Harrisburg hosted a public meeting in city hall, with a handful of community members attending to share feedback on the updated proposal by PennDOT, which now includes eliminating one traffic lane on the bridge.

PennDOT announced in November 2021 that it would rehab the bridge, which spans the Susquehanna River, connecting Harrisburg to Wormleysburg, as well as City Island in between. As part of the project, PennDOT will rehab the historic bridge arches, replace the deck and sidewalks on the eastern bridge and construct a new deck and beams on the western bridge.

Originally, PennDOT’s plan would have maintained the current four traffic lanes. However, the most recent proposal would eliminate one lane of traffic on both the bridge from Harrisburg to City Island and the bridge from City Island to the west shore.

PennDOT also plans to build a separate utility bridge along the south side of the Market Street Bridge that would also have a 14-foot-wide pedestrian and bicycle path. This part of the plan was added in 2022, due to public feedback. In August 2023, PennDOT held a public meeting on the project, during which several members of the cycling community expressed support for the multimodal infrastructure.

At the meeting, Senators President Kevin Kulp expressed concern about the effect that the lane elimination would have on traffic flow to the island.

“As a business that depends on people being about to get to City Island somewhat efficiently, it’s already challenging in the current configuration so anything that makes it more challenging is going to hurt,” Kulp said.

According to Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Director Andrew Bomberger, the change in PennDOT’s plan came after the commission completed a 2023 study downtown that determined that three lanes would be safer by slowing traffic.

City Engineer Joel Seiders said that the updated configuration would also work well with a potential two-way conversion of the section of Market Street near the bridge, which is under consideration as well.

But Kulp is worried that baseball game attendees will have a tougher time getting to the island, as both bridges will only have one lane of incoming traffic.

“If people can’t get there, we can’t operate,” he said.

Seiders said that the city will take all of the public comment to PennDOT, which will ultimately decide on the final configuration. PennDOT is still in the design process, and Seiders estimated that they may have the design finalized by August.

No representative from PennDOT was present at the meeting.

Other attendees shared concerns about maintaining the historic integrity of the bridge and about the proposed path on the utility bridge.

Rachelle Lowe said that she wasn’t a fan of how the utility bridge would block the view of the historic bridge. She thought that it may be better for utilities to run under the river.

“I just don’t think it looks good. I don’t think it’s the right thing to do,” she said.

Cyclist advocate Ross Willard liked that the plan included multimodal infrastructure, but proposed using the CAT bridge further down Front Street that is currently unused, rather than building a new utility bridge.

“The CAT bridge is already there,” he said. “I’d look at all of the bridges holistically.”

According to Seiders, PennDOT’s Market Street Bridge project will begin in 2027 and likely run until somewhere between 2032-34.

The bridge will remain open during construction, but with fewer traffic lanes during certain phases.

For more information on the Market Street Bridge rehabilitation plan, visit the project website.

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Harrisburg proposes design concepts for Division Street safety upgrades

May 13, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Division Street

A Harrisburg roadway is slated for pedestrian and traffic safety updates.

The city plans to make improvements to Division Street, between N. 2^nd and 7^th streets, a corridor that currently lacks pedestrian infrastructure and often experiences speeding motorists, the city engineer explained.

The project is still in the preliminary design phase, but will likely include traffic calming measures, as well as crosswalks and possible bike lanes.

City Engineer Joel Seiders said that improvements to Division Street have long been a priority for Mayor Wanda Williams. The wide roadway often encourages speeding since the stretch has few traffic lights interrupting the flow, Seiders said. There is also little pedestrian infrastructure, which is needed as the area is residential and includes Italian Lake Park.

Last week, the city held a public meeting to show residents four preliminary design concepts and solicit feedback. Seiders said that some residents showed interest in the concept of bike lanes, and some were concerned about the timeline of the project, which is slated to take four years.

The current proposed designs each feature a slightly different idea. Some include protected or shared road bike lanes, one includes a landscaped median, and all include on-street parking spaces. Seiders said that those added parking spots would help reduce the width of the traffic lanes.

One of the four of the city’s proposed design concepts for Division Street.

Curb bump outs, roundabouts and raised pedestrian crosswalks may be included in the final design as well. Additionally, there is a proposed option to realign N. 3^rd Street before Division Street so that it is better aligned the section of the road at the Division Street intersection, near Italian Lake.

The city is currently conducting a survey to find out which design elements the public would like to see.

“The public can say what they like, what they don’t like,” Seiders said.

Then the city will “mix and match” ideas to create a final design, which will be brought forward for public review in late summer.

Seiders said that the project design will take around two years, with another two years to complete construction, putting the project completion about four years out. That timeline is also dependent on securing funding, he said.

He explained the lengthy timeline is needed to ensure quality work that is also cost-effective.

In the meantime, he said that the city will see if there is anything temporary that can be done to make the road safer until permanent upgrades are made.

To take the city’s Division Street survey and to see the proposed designs, click here.

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Year in Review: The most popular stories of 2024, click by click

December 26, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda

When reporters sit down to write a story, they never know how it will be received.

Will it go viral—or will it fall flat?

TheBurg’s most popular online stories of 2024 are a case in point. I never would have guessed that most of these would rank among the top 10 most-read stories of the past year.

But who am I to second-guess our readers? We report stories, publish them, and the rest is up to you.

So, without further ado, here’s our annual list of our most-read online stories of 2024, as voted by your clicks. These stories garnered the most page views out of over 600 stories we published over the past year.

Owners Jason Crocenzi & Jennifer Draisey-Crocenzi

No. 10. Toy Story. As you may know, TheBurg operates on two tracks: daily, online news reporting and a monthly print magazine. The daily reporting tends to dominate this annual top 10 list, probably because those articles can only be read online. This past year was no exception. An August feature on the Treasure Trove Toy Store was the sole print magazine story to make the 2024 list. The story featured the greater mission of the owners, who not only sell toys and other goods, but make their store a hub for helping the homeless in Harrisburg.

Dan Snow

No. 9. Engineer Exit. City hall experienced a fair amount of churn in its top leadership in 2024. Harrisburg’s engineering department arguably had the most turmoil. After 1½ years without a full-time city engineer, Harrisburg hired Dan Snow in August 2023. However, he lasted only until the following March, as we detailed in our ninth most-read story of 2024. A few months later, Harrisburg hired a replacement, Joel Seiders, who, as of this writing, is still in the post.

No. 8. Thriving. In 2024, several affordable housing projects opened, with more planned, certainly a bright spot for Harrisburg over the course of the year. Our story about one of those projects, an apartment building specifically for homeless young adults, made our top 10 list. In November, Thrive Housing Services debuted a newly renovated, 16-unit building for 18- to 24-year-olds on the 200-block of S. 13^th Street in Allison Hill. With it, young people now will have a place to live as they develop life and job skills, headed for a more promising future.

Sonya McKnight

No. 7. News Judgment. At TheBurg, we don’t usually follow the crowd. If a story is being covered by every other news outlet in town, we often will take a pass, saving our scarce reporting resources for less-followed news. That said, we will jump into the scrum if a local story is especially newsworthy. In our view, the case of suspended Magisterial District Judge Sonya McKnight, charged for allegedly shooting her ex-boyfriend, is one of those exceptions. In 2024, we wrote several stories on McKnight, including one from August that made our most-read list. Expect more coverage in 2025, as the case proceeds towards a possible springtime trial.

No. 6. Vending Essentials. Like many cities, Harrisburg has long had a homelessness crisis, a subject we wrote about many times in 2024. Just one of those stories made our top 10 list—and it was only indirectly related. In July, UPMC and Penn State College of Medicine launched a “Health to Go” vending machine outside of the UPMC Harrisburg emergency room, giving 24/7 access to free health items such as naloxone, fentanyl test strips, wound care kits, personal care items and pregnancy tests, among other items. The story was widely read and shared, a testament to the need in our community.

No. 5. Recycle Vibe. In late June, we published a short online article about a new recycling initiative from three local groups: Ngozi’s Let’s Get Dirty!, the Bridge and Harrisburg Area Camp Curtin YMCA. They partnered with Harrisburg-based Precision Recyclers to create two sites for the free disposal of end-of-life electronics. At TheBurg, we often write these types of community stories: concise, informative, impactful—I’d say we specialize in them. But did I expect this one to be among the most popular of the year? No, I did not.

No. 4. Sliced Wrong. So, this has never happened before. Back in May, we published a story about how two well-known local restaurateurs were combining forces to open a new pizza shop called Slice of Midtown, thus creating tons of buzz for the business. And then we waited and waited and waited some more for the place to open. Each year, we write stories about planned businesses, and, over our history, only a few have ultimately failed to open. None of those, though, has been among our most popular stories of the year—until right now.

No. 3. Dive In. In November, we broke the story about a new restaurant and bar headed to Midtown Harrisburg—the High Dive. This is the latest concept from veteran restaurateur Josh Kesler, who promises an artsy take on the traditional dive bar, a comfortable venue where you can get both a cheap beer and a craft cocktail. Incidentally, Kesler is a veteran occupant of our annual list. Last year, his purchase of Cork & Fork in Harrisburg was the seventh most-popular story of 2023. As long as Kesler keeps opening restaurants, we’ll continue covering them.

No. 2. Thanks Des! At TheBurg, we still believe in nuts-and-bolts reporting, so we cover most Harrisburg City Council meetings. Rarely does a meeting story count among our most popular, but a July story proved to be an exception. Most of the online article involved the rather mundane issue of council denying a building demolition—boring, huh? But the story’s popularity may lie more with our second topic. Scrolling down, readers found out that council had approved a ceremonial street-name change to honor long-time super-volunteer Destry “Des” Mangus. That, plus the picture we published of Des with council members, may have elevated the story into the runner-up spot for 2024.

Nelson Mena, the managing partner of Karma

No. 1. Great Karma. Our No. 1 story of 2024 came as no surprise to us. Simply put, it had it all. In May, we broke the story that the old Stallions nightclub would be bought, renovated and rebranded as “Karma.” This online story, then, had all the elements of a very popular story for TheBurg. It was a new business (check), a restaurant/bar (check) a building project (check) and headed by well-known local people (check). The fact that we had the story first, before other local media, further secured its status as our most popular story of 2024. So, let that formula be a lesson to anyone hoping to top our charts in 2025.

For a different take on 2024, I will have my annual list of top local news stories in the January magazine, which drops on Dec. 30. Does my list differ from that of our readers, who voted with their clicks? Return on Monday to find out!

Lawrance Binda is publisher/editor of TheBurg.

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October News Digest

September 27, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Forster Street Project Begins

Construction to calm traffic along a major Harrisburg roadway began last month.

The city started its Capitol Gateway project along Forster Street from N. Front to N. 2nd streets, which includes installing traffic-calming features and signal updates.

The $1.7 million project first surfaced in 2020, when City Council approved the submission of a grant application for federal transportation funds. The city received the grant later that year through the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS).

According to officials, around the time when the project first was discussed, the area was the most crash-prone in the city. Traffic calming features will include adding curb bump-outs and enlarging the median to give pedestrians space to stand if they are unable to cross the street in time. There will also be traffic signal updates at Forster and N. 2nd streets.

The right turning, or “slip lane,” from Forster to N. Front Street will be eliminated.

JVI Group, the project contractor, will work through the end of October to make sidewalk and curb improvements then break for the winter. They will return in the spring to finish work, including street milling and paving.

“We are excited to finally begin work on the Capitol Gateway project,” said city Engineer Joel Seiders. “Between traffic coming into the city from the West Shore, leaving the city from the Capitol Complex, or using beautiful Riverfront Park, this section of Harrisburg is one of the most heavily traveled every day. Once this project is complete, it will be safer than ever before to walk, bike and drive in this area.”

Forster Street will remain open to through-traffic during construction but will be reduced by one lane in each direction. Pedestrian traffic will be detoured.

Apartment Project Gets Approval

A dormant downtown Harrisburg apartment project is springing back to life, as the developer has had the project re-approved.

Last month, the city Planning Commission, for a second time, approved a land development plan for the Veterans Building, located at 112 Market St.

Harristown Development Corp. is proposing converting the 125-year-old, eight-story, vacant office building into a 48-unit residential building.

In 2021, the commission approved the conversion of the 51,000-square-foot building to 35 one- and two-bedroom apartments, plus first-floor retail space. However, following the approval, construction costs rose quickly, so the project never began, according to Brad Jones, president and CEO of Harristown.

“One of the reasons we haven’t gotten this project finished yet, when we first started, pricing kind of went haywire—interest rates and construction prices kind of went haywire,” Jones said, at the meeting.

Harristown has now redesigned the $8 million project with 48 one- and two-bedroom apartments, ranging from about 600 to 1,000 square feet. The new plan excluded first-floor retail space, proposing to absorb that space into the residential component.

Last month, the commission unanimously reapproved the plan, but on the condition that Harristown retain some retail space on the first floor.

“I can easily see an opportunity for a coffee shop or a small something that activates that corner,” said commissioner Vern McKissick.

Harristown, Jones said, is amenable to retaining some first-floor retail. The company doesn’t yet have a timeline for the project, which also must be re-approved by City Council.

Schools Superintendent Hired

The Harrisburg School District has selected a new top official.

Dr. Benjamin Henry will soon step up as the new superintendent of schools, following a summer-long search, the district has announced.

Henry fills the post left vacant by previous superintendent Eric Turman, who resigned and took a job as the superintendent of the Central Dauphin School District. Following Turman’s resignation, receiver Dr. Lori Suski appointed Dr. Marcia Stokes, the district’s chief financial officer, as acting superintendent.

Henry’s four-year term begins on Nov. 1, with Stokes continuing in the role in the meantime. The district has set Henry’s salary at $199,500.

Henry brings over two decades of experience in public education, according to the district. He served as the regional assistant superintendent of Polk County Schools in Florida for the past four years, overseeing 29 schools. Before that, he held jobs as a special education teacher, a middle school math teacher and a principal. Henry was also appointed by the governor to serve on the state’s Education Ethics Committee.

Park Pavilion Proposed

Harrisburg may get a new entertainment pavilion in one of its main parks.

The city has submitted a grant application to the state for funds to construct a pavilion in Riverfront Park for use during city festivals and events.

City Council unanimously approved the ratification of a grant application submission to the Pa. Department of Community and Economic Development for $117,228 for the structure.

The proposed multipurpose pavilion would be built in the park near the Civic Club of Harrisburg’s building near North Street. According to city Grants Director Rebecca Vollmer, the concrete bandshell would be similar to the pavilion in Italian Lake Park.

The stage would be used for city events such as Kipona, Artsfest and July Fourth and could be rented out to the Civic Club and other organizations to bring revenue to the city, Vollmer said.

Vollmer said that the city currently pays around $17,000 to $21,000 for stages for festival entertainment each year.

If the grant is awarded, the city would be required to match 15% of the total project cost, about $18,000. Vollmer expects that the city, within a year, would make back that money by not having to rent a stage.

Area Home Sales, Prices Rise

Harrisburg-area home sales and prices both increased in August, per the latest report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, 651 homes sold versus 604 in August 2023, as the median sales price climbed to $297,000 from $284,298, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, sales totaled 309 homes in August, an increase of 10 houses, as the median sales price grew to $270,000 from $255,000 in the year-ago period, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County had 300 home sales, up from 279 the prior August, as the median sales price rose to $327,250 from $308,000, GHAR said.

In Perry County, 47 homes sold compared to 25 last August, as the median sales price shot up to $300,000 from $242,000, according to GHAR.

The pace of sales slowed a bit, as the “average days on market” totaled 23 days, versus 19 days a year ago, GHAR said.

So Noted

Andrew Bomberger last month was named the new executive director of the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (TCRPC), which provides land use and transportation planning for Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties. Bomberger has served with TCRPC for 10 years and succeeds Steve Deck, who retired in August.

Broad Street Market has received a $350,000 grant from the Pa. Department of Community and Economic Development to make upgrades to the stone building and offset operational costs. Projects include repairing the roof, which frequently leaks, and possible HVAC upgrades to the building, according to market officials.

Jazzy’s Good Eats opened last month at 912 N. 3rd St. in Harrisburg, relocating from space in Kline Village. From the snug storefront, owner Jasmine “Jazzy” White serves fried fish, fried chicken, turkey wings, mac and cheese and greens, among other southern-style staples, for takeout-only.

Matt Maisel, Harrisburg’s communications director, resigned last month to take a position with Penn State Health. In recent months, the city has lost several other top officials, including former Business Administrator Dan Hartman, former Finance Director Marita Kelley and former Building and Housing Director Dennise Hill.

Men in the Kitchen, a York-based restaurant, plans to expand into Harrisburg, opening in the former Firehouse restaurant at 606 N. 2nd St. Co-owners Justin Coleman and Kyle Moore expect to open in November, serving Cajun cuisine, seafood and other signature dishes from inside the circa-1871 Hope Fire Station building.

Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects last month was selected to serve as the architect/engineering firm for the rebuilding of the Broad Street Market’s brick building. City Council unanimously confirmed the selection of the York-based company in a contract valued at $1.3 million. The historic building burned and closed in a July 2023 fire, and the reconstruction is expected to take at least two years.

Changing Hands

Allison St., 1506: Treasurehunt Home Investments LLC & New Harvest Solutions LLC to N. Portoreal & T. Amparo, $148,000

Apricot St., 1711: J. Shook & C. Walter to ADR Equities LLC, $57,000

Bailey St., 1224: S. Chase to A. Scott, $53,000

Bailey St., 1242: Real Estate Investment Associates of PA LLC to 1242 Bailey LLC, $59,000

Berryhill St., 1329: N. Sandoval & Amado Investment LLC to Mau Properties LLC, $105,000

Berryhill St., 2242: A. Giambanco & A. Lebron to C. Johnson, $115,000

Boas St., 1616: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development to E. Ramirez, $85,000

Brookwood St., 1938: S. Cobb & R. Gantt to 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC, $57,000

Chestnut St., 1928: TPH Asset Management LLC to Mau Properties LLC, $80,000

Chestnut St., 2200: G. Forsyth to D. Fuller & K. Pinet, $259,000

Chestnut St., 2406: K. Quimby to Z. & R. Madar, $310,000

Christian St., 1230: C. Disla to R. Adon, $110,000

Crescent St., 425: Real Estate Investment Associates of PA LLC to TMH Family Trust, $59,000

Croyden Rd., 2926: A. Guerrero to B. Gidey, $150,000

Derry St., 2014: Two Three Two Investments LLC to S. Laroc, $134,000

Division St., 503: M. Grossman to H. Moyer, $159,900

Division St., 515: BCR 2 Properties LLC to V. Peralta, $165,000

Green St., 1412: Capozzi & Ehring Realty LLC to 1412 Green LLC, $225,000

Green St., 1732: A. Christian to J. Holderman, $225,000

Green St., 1943: D. & K. Wadlington to M. Smith, $272,500

Hoffman St., 3232: M&T Bank to P. Morocho, $84,000

Holly St., 1846: Adonis Real Estate LLC to A. Fernandez, $152,000

Hudson St., 1140: A. Ciucci to D. Hockenberry, $192,000

Hummel St., 342 and 1508 Hunter St.: E&K Homes LLC to M. Gabrielle, $178,332

Hunter St., 1607: S. Scott to O. Perez, $140,000

Kensington St., 2263: KDR Investments LLP to 248 S. Quince St. LLC, $92,000

Kensington St., 2430: REO 2021 NR4 LLC to 248 S Quince St LLC, $95,725

Kittatinny St., 1215: S&P Property Holdings LLC to 1215 Kitt Harrisburg LLC, $650,000

Lexington St., 2560: HBG Rents LLC to A. Hariri & Y. Alrosan, $145,000

Liberty St., 1412: J. Espaillat to Mau Properties LLC, $90,000

Maclay St., 243: BLTN Properties LLC to Numbee Realty LLC, $197,500

Manada St., 2029: M. Loja to G. Tavera, $130,000

Market St., 1736: D. Seldon to A. Peralta, $70,726

Market St., 1826: J. & R. Mallory to A. Linan, $80,000

Market St., 2024: S. Gonzalez to M. Curry Nixon, $187,000

Melrose St., 706: J. Grant to EA Capital LLC, $115,000

Mulberry St., 1907: G. & G. Kennedy to V. Rijo, $65,000

Muench St., 633: G. & O. Daley to 248 S. Quince St. LLC, $108,000

North St., 1907: M. & B. King to BS JR Realty LLC, $115,000

N. 2nd St., 925: B. Pupo to A. Dufton & P. Margrave, $270,000

N. 2nd St., 3118: D. Inghilterra to B. & J. Orsinger, $436,000

N. 3rd St., 222, 230; 229 Court St.; and 228, 230 Cranberry St.: Musalair Trust to Cranberry WP LLC, $1,800,000

N. 3rd St., 2126: D&L Development Group Inc. to PACC HBG 2 LLC, $177,000

N. 3rd St., 2244: G. Gonzales to R. & T. Bbalo, $169,000

N. 4th St., 2433: Good Connect LLC to R. Sanchez, $82,500

N. 5th St., 2501: J. Castro to Y. & D. Disla, $170,000

N. 5th St., 2733: C. Carey to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $86,000

N. 5th St., 3138: L. Confer to W. Renn, $189,900

N. 6th St., 2227: Peace Casa LLC to S. Laroc, $110,000

N. 6th St., 2601: J. Kates to DTJ Associates LLC, $50,000

N. 6th St., 3144: C. Koser to A. Pellegrini, $118,000

N. 6th St., 3157: R. Wickham to N. & J. Cline, $150,000

N. 6th St., 3601 (rear): C. & F. Acri to CF Acri & Son Inc., $630,000

N. 15th St., 227: First Choice Home Buyers LLC to Narrow Gate Investments LLC, $99,000

N. 15th St., 1337: C. & B. Grier to 1337 North 15th LLC, $50,000

N. 15th St., 1511: Ink Properties LLC to J. Folks, $90,000

N. Front St., 315: J. Boswell & J. Piccola to Front Street Lofts LLC, $633,000

Peffer St., 435: J. & D. Cummings to E. & I. Applyrs, $170,000

Penn St., 1200: K. Barder to J. & J. Blair, $205,000

Penn St., 1830: J. Lucas to L. Wood & T. Miller, $189,900

Race St., 550: A. Thompson & R. Farquhar to R. Thompson, $173,000

Race St., 612: D. Amaguayo to M. Burtner, $250,000

Randolph St., 1616: KDR Investments LLP to L. Chavez & M. Gonzalez, $70,000

Reel St., 2400: Franklin Real Estate USA Inc. to G. Munoz, $170,000

Regina St., 1825: F. & E. Metellus to J. Francois, $103,000

Ross St., 626: Casareal Developments LLC to E. Ramirez, $65,000

Rudy Rd., 2446: Capital Realty Guild LLC to EA Capital LLC, $100,000

Penn St., 2138: Oasis Property Investment LLC to N. Scott, $200,000

Seneca St., 253: L. Diehl to G&W Rentals LLC, $105,000

Seneca St., 638: A. Hurt to Noraziza LLC, $83,000

S. 12th St., 1519: 1&H LLC to N. de Cruz, $145,000

S. 15th St., 433 & 437: J. & C. Snook to Aharon Steinberg LLC, $114,000

S. 15th St., 435: J. & C. Snook to 435 S 15th LLC, $57,000

S. 15th St., 540: E&R Realty Legacy LLC to M. & S. Mejia, $122,000

S. 16th St., 439: J. Snook & C. Walter to 51 Hidden Glen LLC, $57,000

S. 19th St., 1338: B. Skaggs to B. Camacho, $159,900

S. 29th St., 512: 512 S 29th St LLC to 512 Singh LLC, $600,000

State St., 231, Unit 804: C. Houck to H. Martinson, $195,000

Swatara St., 1917: Two Three Two Investments LLC to A Ventura Construction LLC, $82,500

Swatara St., 2408: J. Suszko to JTA Consulting Group LLC, $140,000

Verbeke St., 1613: A. Powell to R. Sanchez, $82,500

Vernon St., 1421: C. Valencik to Mau Properties LLC, $129,000

Walnut St., 1724: A. Bouhach to F. Valenzuela, $103,000

Wiconisco St., 409: Central PA Buyers LLC to R. Rivera, $161,000

Zarker St., 1415: TPH Asset Management LLC to J. Vanderhorst, $81,000

Harrisburg property sales, greater than $50,000, August 2024. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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July News Digest

June 27, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg Names New Officials

Harrisburg has two new top officials, replacing recently departed city employees.

Gloria Martin-Roberts, a former City Council president, last month became the interim director of the Building and Housing Development and Economic Development Department, following the departure of former Director Dennise Hill.

Additionally, Harrisburg recently hired Joel Seiders as the city engineer, filling a position that was left vacant when former engineer Dan Snow departed in March.

Martin-Roberts will retain the interim position until Harrisburg hires a new director, she said. In her role, she will help administer federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for affordable housing projects, as well as federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

She previously served as a Harrisburg council member for eight years and as council president for two years. She has also held positions as the director of prevention in the state’s Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, the director of preventative health programs in the state’s Department of Health, the chief operating officer at Hamilton Health Center and as a workforce development and drug and alcohol consultant.

“Building and housing and economic development are things I’ve been consistently involved in,” Martin-Roberts told TheBurg. “These were major priorities for me.”

Seiders, a Perry County native, began as city engineer on May 20. He previously worked as a PA bridge manager for Camp Hill-based Volkert, Inc., as a civil engineer consultant for the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and as a civil engineer consultant for PennDOT, among other positions.

Seiders said that he took the position to help make a difference in the city and to bring together his various engineering experience and skills into one role. His priority is to continue ongoing road projects and promote additional safety improvements, he said.

Hill, the former housing department head, became the most recent Harrisburg official to resign in recent months, following the departure of Snow and of city Business Administrator Dan Hartman.

School District Seeks Superintendent

The Harrisburg School District last month named a temporary superintendent while it searches for a new top official.

Receiver Dr. Lori Suski appointed Dr. Marcia Stokes, the district’s chief financial officer, as acting superintendent, following former superintendent Eric Turman’s resignation.

Turman announced in May that he would step down and take a position as superintendent of Central Dauphin School District.

Stokes will fill in as acting superintendent starting July 1, until the district finds someone to fill the role.

The district shared that it will accept applications through July 8, expecting to appoint a new superintendent in August.

According to a statement, the district is looking for a candidate who has an aptitude for working in a culturally diverse environment and has skills in school finance and budgeting.

“Harrisburg School District appreciates Eric Turman’s leadership during his tenure with the district,” Suski said, in a statement. “We look forward to beginning our search for a well-rounded candidate who will work collaboratively with the receiver, elected school board and community and keep our students’ academic success at the forefront of their work.”

New Bicycles, Stations in Harrisburg

Harrisburg has some shiny new bikes, providing an inexpensive, accessible and healthy way to get around the city.

SusqueCycle, Harrisburg’s bike share program, announced that it has upgraded its bike inventory, replacing 60 bicycles with brand new ones and donating its old bikes to local nonprofit, Recycle Bicycle.

SusqueCycle, which is operated by Tandem Mobility and administered by Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, is in its second season, with 10 stations in Harrisburg and one in Hummelstown.

“The idea is to give people in and around Harrisburg an inexpensive and healthy way to get around,” said Steve Deck, executive director of the commission.

The organization recently upgraded bicycles to newer models with more comfortable seating and sleeker designs for a better, easier ride, Deck said.

SusqueCycle is also adding new stations, including one at the TransitPark lot at 10th and Market streets, with another one set to be installed near the state Capitol at Commonwealth and North streets.

Additionally, the new bikes include a GPS system that tracks riders’ routes to gain data for future planning and to see where bike lanes and bike facilities are most needed.

Recycle Bicycle will donate the old bikes that are in good condition to residents in need and use parts of the more worn bikes to build new ones.

“Harrisburg is a great biking city,” Recycle Bicycle founder Ross Willard said. “And a lot of people can’t afford a car, so we help them get an affordable, sustainable basic transportation method.”

Home Sales, Prices Higher

Harrisburg-area home sales and prices both popped higher in May, according to the latest report on the market for previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, 616 houses sold compared to 533 in May 2023, as the median sales price increased to $284,950 from $264,000, said the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 300 houses sold in May versus 258 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price jumped to $265,000 from $234,200, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County had 275 home sales, up from 240 a year ago, as the median price rose to $314,900 from $299,950, according to GHAR.

In Perry County, 33 houses sold, an increase of two homes compared to the prior May, as the median price increased to $285,000 from $217,841, GHAR said.

The pace of home sales was steady in May, as “average days on market” held at 25 days year-over-year, GHAR stated.

So Noted

Harrisburg has hired city-based Alexander Building Construction Co. to serve as construction manager for the rebuilding of the Broad Street Market’s brick building, which was partially destroyed in a fire last July. City Council narrowly reversed a prior vote in a move to support Alexander for the position.

Harristown Enterprises last month completed a streetscaping project for the SoMa (South of Market) district, the location of new retail shops and summer block parties. These improvements include permanent brick pavers, bike racks, planters, bollards, logos and, as a centerpiece, a massive, lighted “Welcome to SoMa” sign.

Imaginary Friends has debuted as the newest attraction in Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg. Two shows will run throughout the summer, thanks to owner and production designer Bill Kassay and a troupe of puppeteers and performers.

Julia Mallory last month cut the ribbon on her new studio, Ten Oh! Six, located at 1006 N. 3rd St. in Harrisburg. Her new studio will showcase some of her art and the apparel and paper goods that she creates and sells, as well as serve as a creative meeting place for the community, she said.

Karen Roland last month was named senior vice president of marketing for Members 1^st Federal Credit Union. Most recently, Roland served as an associate executive vice president with State Employees Credit Union (SECU) in North Carolina and, before that, held executive roles with both Members 1^st and PSECU.

Lidl last month debuted its newest area store, located at 5125 Jonestown Rd. in Lower Paxton Township. Lidl, which began as a small grocery store in Germany in the 1970s, now has around 12,000 stores in over 30 countries, including locations in York, Lancaster and Reading.

TheBurg won 26 total awards, including the Sweepstakes award, in the 2024 Keystone Media Awards, an annual contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation. TheBurg won awards in many categories, including for reporting, column writing, illustration, page design and photography. Assistant Editor Maddie Gittens won the special Distinguished Writing Award, a single, statewide award that honors high achievement in the craft of news writing.

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (TCRPC) last month moved its offices to the third floor of Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg. For the past 40 years, TCRPC was located in the Veterans Memorial Building on the first block of Market Street. The move was required due to the sale of that building and plans for its conversion into apartments.

Veterans Outreach of Central Pennsylvania has cut the ribbon on its tiny home village, which will house homeless veterans in a riverfront location in south Harrisburg. Veteran’s Grove includes 15 tiny homes and a community center and will function as a transitional living community for men and women who are homeless and in need of assistance.

Winding Hill Park North in Upper Allen Township last month unveiled a Celebration of Nature—a new sensory garden that contains a variety of plants, each targeting a specific sense. The site features different kinds of flowers, plants and shrubs, as well as berry plants and fruit trees, among other elements.

Changing Hands

Bailey St., 1237: C. Peralta to A. Griggs, $95,000

Barkley Lane, 2519: T. Truong & K. Ngo to Richmond & Richmond LLC, $126,000

Bellevue Rd., 1902: D&L Development Group Inc. to PACC HBG 2 LLC, $120,000

Bellevue Rd., 2007: SPG Capital LLC to R. Suriel, $170,000

Benton St., 516: P. Goodman to N. Eras and M. & E. Ordonez, $175,000

Boas St., 257: R. Lowery to M. & J. Rivino, $200,000

Briggs St., 1912: C. Shomper to B. & V. Doan, $102,000

Brookwood St., 2462: R. Kumar to J. Dodson, $124,000

Chestnut St., 2045: Q. & C. Hazelton to R. Bravo, $169,900

Emerald St., 520: First Choice Home Buyers LLC to Mau Properties LLC, $100,000

Evergreen St., 11: Meridian Realty Holdings LLC to Golden Triangle Investment LLC, $80,000

Evergreen St., 32: D&L Development Group Inc. to PACC HBG 2 LLC, $120,000

Forster St., 412: D&D LLC to A&N LLC, $260,000

Green St., 1930: I. Bailey to T. Lewis, $280,000

Green St., 2138: Round Rock Investments LLC, SHG Investment Fund & Chad Gallagher LLC to G. Weaver, $230,000

Herr St., 1625: A. Tumer to C. Smith, $158,000

Hummel St., 240: Tri County HDC Ltd. to L. Roth, $124,900

Hummel St., 242: Tri County HDC Ltd. to T. Adekola, $124,900

Hummel St., 244: Tri County HDC Ltd. to S. Nahomy, $124,900

Hummel St., 341: G. & B. Hoerner to M. Bonetti, $77,320

Kelker St., 638: Buonarroti Trust to B. Jarkow & R. Reuveni, $90,885

Lenox St., 1901: B. Bentz to Cheema Ranvir LLC, $325,000

Logan St., 1933: V. Pillich & G. Cruz to RKE Investments LLC, $55,000

Logan St., 2431: J. & J. Austin to G&W Rentals LLC, $65,000

Maclay St., 249: R. & D. Requa to Dreams2Reality Services LLC, $215,000

Market St., 305: L. & D. D’Antuono to 305 Market Pizza LLC, $280,000

Muench St., 202: PD Estate Properties LLC to D. Leaman, $133,000

Mulberry St., 1924: J. Dukes & R. Sumpter to M. Abapoli, $139,900

Nagle St., 106: J. O’Handly to T. Edwards, $80,000

North St., 1934: O. Blanco to Cofield Group LLC, $110,400

North St., 1942A: B. Wargo to J. Pavana, $63,000

N. 2nd St., 1631: J. & K. Morgret to Green Street Properties Ltd., $170,000

N. 2nd St., 1801: S. Basore to A. Danks, $250,000

N. 2nd St., 2321: Central PA Buyers LLC to Elite Remodeling Realty LLC, $117,000

N. 3rd St., 3028: C. Jones to L. Reapsome & A. Labs, $205,000

N. 4th St., 1418: A. Manana & S. Morel to A&W Homes LLC, $117,000

N. 4th St., 2144: Saheeb & Inez Affordable Homes LLC to Mau Properties LLC, $71,000

N. 4th St., 2215: K. Torres to Prime Realty Solutions 4U LLC, $76,000

N. 5th St., 1600: First Choice Home Buyers LLC to C&C Homes LLC, $110,000

N. 5th St., 2524: B. Debeljak to A. Louis, $175,000

N. 5th St., 2705: M. Suriel to F. Zaman, $210,000

N. 5th St., 3118: Willowscott Investments LLC to J. Millard, $145,000

N. 6th St., 3103: K. Malinoski to A. Couch, $164,000

N. 6th St., 3129: E. Ewing to MS AM Properties Inc., $135,000

N. 6th St., 3140: M. Kennedy to TKO Rental LLC, $95,000

N. 7th St., 1010: Pennsylvania State University to Harrisburg School District, $3,100,000

N. 12th St., 47: E&K Homes LLC to Wright Restoration Properties LLC, $91,000

N. 13th St., 126: S. Samuel & K. Lucas to C. Teel, $125,000

N. 15th St., 517: J. Sherman to Golden Triangle Investment LLC, $65,000

N. 15th St., 1521: R. & L. Ravenel to D. Baylor, $50,000

N. 16th St., 1004: C. & S. Orellana to K. de Estevez, $169,000

N. 17th St., 53: L. Malik to J&V Investment LLC, $150,000

N. 18th St., 47: T. Paul to Cooper Hawk LLC, $76,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 401: A. Witte to C. Wood, $230,000

N. Front St., 2743: Alternative Rehabilitation Communities Inc. to First Choice Home Buyers LLC, $250,000

N. Summit St., 116: T. Johnson to M. Sacasari, $80,000

Park St., 1822: 1822 Park LLC to J. Bailey & M. Wright, $58,300

Penn St., 2132: M. & W. Eisenstein to E. & A. Ho, $84,000

Pennwood Rd., 3208: L. Harris to S. Morris, $180,000

Reel St., 2468: D. Boyle to F. Solorin, $60,000

Revere St., 1618: A. & R. Burgos to E. Mejia, $140,000

Rolleston St., 1243: V. & J. Athens to Equitable Builds LLC, $90,000

S. 12th St., 1516: D. Dhahir to P. Diaz & J. Sanchez, $155,000

S. 13th St., 36: 513 South Shippen Street to NM Penn Group LLC, $270,000

S. 16th St., 564: M. Dones to S. Arzuaga & D. Ware, $90,000

S. 16th St., 922: R. Haines & D. Siegel to Landaff Enterprises LLC, $150,000

S. 17th St., 600: South Seventeenth LLC to 791 Flory Mill Road LLC, $3,556,000

S. 18th St., 8: Kabir Holdings Inc. to T. & H. Hoto, $165,000

S. 24th St., 628: A. & M. Medina to Central PA Buyers LLC, $117,000

S. Cameron St., 425: Queen Street LLP & H. Sugarman to D. Tran, $150,000

State St., 1915: Sego Realty LLC to C. Anderson, $275,000

State St., 1924: CLR Holdings LLC to H&K Rental Properties LLC, $645,000

Susquehanna St., 1737: L. Reapsome to H. Pham, $182,900

Vernon St., 1433: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC, $51,000

Vernon St., 1435: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC, $51,000

Vernon St., 1513: J. & C. Peters to C. Monje & E. Shirk, $130,000

Walnut St., 1804: Tender Loving Care Health Care Services LLC to Briony Spaces LLC, $151,000

Wiconisco St., 505: Divine Nest LLC to A. & S. Glick, $410,000

Woodbine St., 237: Penn Properties LLC to J. & J. Amway, $250,000

Woodbine St., 344: PA Deals LLC to C. Risser, $130,000

Zarker St., 1913: Bedrock Capital Management Inc. to C. Foltz, $52,000

Harrisburg property sales, May 2024, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

June 7, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

A past Proudly PA! Festival. Photo courtesy of Dauphin County.

It’s looking like sunny days and blue skies all weekend long in Harrisburg. If you’re looking for ways to enjoy the nice weather, look no further than our June issue of the magazine, which is packed with stories highlighting summer fun in our area. You may also find a little inspiration from our local news from this week, below.

The arts community in Harrisburg deserves more support and appreciation, argues our publisher, in his column. Without an organization dedicated to arts advocacy, the creative community faces a vacuum in leadership, advocacy, direction and funding, he says.

Bob’s Art Blog highlights three local artists who find inspiration in everything from color to nature to advocacy. Blogger Bob also previews some of their upcoming exhibits.

Community Corner highlights June’s special events in and around the Harrisburg area. For even more live music, theater and educational experiences taking place this month, check out our Happenings column.

Gamut Theatre’s “Comedy of Errors” brings local audiences a “ridiculously over-the-top” comedy, says our reviewer. The play is Gamut’s featured show for its summer “Shakespeare under the Stars” series, which brings free entertainment to Reservoir Park in Harrisburg.

Harrisburg announced this week that it would offer a co-application opportunity for nonprofits and other organizations looking to apply for Dauphin County’s annual gaming grant money, our online story reported.

Harrisburg appointed Gloria Martin-Roberts as the interim director of the city’s Building and Housing Department, filling a vacancy recently left by former director Dennise Hill, our online story reported. Also, Joel Seiders was hired as the new city engineer, a position that has been vacant since March.

Jackson Lick pool in Harrisburg is slated to open for the summer on June 12. Our online story reported. The pool recently received some much-needed painting, patching and repairs.

June concerts will bring a wide range of genres and sounds to the area. Find our columnist’s recommendations, here.

Juneteenth HBG will showcase Black history and culture through a week-long celebration, our online story reported. The festivities will include a concert, arts expo, Juneteenth Jubilee, and many other events.

Proudly PA! Festival will return to Dauphin County this weekend with entertainment, food and drinks, our online story reported. Additionally, the county has weekly summer movie nights planned.

Sara Bozich has a list of all the best events happening this weekend in Harrisburg. Find them, here.

Sycamore Homes, an affordable housing development in South Harrisburg, is slated to open in September, our online story reported. This week, the developers, Latino Connection Foundation and Fernandez Realty Affordable Homes, hosted a walk-through event to tour the building.

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Harrisburg hires interim housing director, engineer, filling vacancies

June 5, 2024 | by Maddie Gittens

Gloria Martin-Roberts. Photo courtesy of the City of Harrisburg.

Harrisburg has two new top officials, replacing recently departed city employees.

City Communications Director Matt Maisel told TheBurg that Building and Housing Development and Economic Development Department Director Dennise Hill has left her position and that Gloria Martin-Roberts, a former city council president, has become the interim director.

Additionally, Harrisburg recently hired Joel Seiders as the City Engineer, filling a position that was left vacant when former engineer Dan Snow departed the city in March.

Martin-Roberts started as the interim director of the city’s housing and economic development department on Monday and will retain the seat until Harrisburg hires a new director, she said. In her role, she will help administer federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for affordable housing projects, as well as federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

Hill, whose last day in her role was last week, served as the director since early 2022 and as the interim director before that.

Martin-Roberts previously served as a Harrisburg City Council member for eight years and as council president for two years. She has also held positions as the director of prevention in the state’s Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, the director of preventative health programs in the state’s Department of Health, the chief operating officer at Hamilton Health Center and as a workforce development and drug and alcohol consultant.

“Building and housing and economic development are things I’ve been consistently involved in,” Martin-Roberts told TheBurg. “These were major priorities for me.”

Seiders, a Perry County native, began as city engineer on May 20. According to Seider’s LinkedIn profile, he has worked as a PA bridge manager for Camp Hill-based Volkert, Inc., as a civil engineer consultant for the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and as a Civil Engineer Consultant for PennDOT, among other positions.

When reached by phone, Seiders said that he took the position, hoping to be able to make a difference in the city and to bring together his various engineering experiences and skills into one role. His priority is to continue ongoing road projects, as well as promote additional safety improvements, he said.

Hill, the former housing department head for the city, became the most recent Harrisburg official to resign in recent months, following the departure of Snow and the announcement from city Business Administrator Dan Hartman that his last day would be on June 7.

According to Maisel, the business administrator job has not yet been posted online, but Mayor Wanda WIlliams is in discussion with interested candidates.

Story was updated to include comments from Joel Seiders.

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