Tag Archives: Melissa Snyder

Power of the Pride: As the pandemic winds down, Harrisburg’s riverboat sails on

June 30, 2021 | by Jeff Falk

Illustration by Ryan Spahr

The riverboat tried to do all the right things.

It deferred to the experts. It followed the science. It practiced patience. It was respectful of others.

While the recovery has been slow, it is now on the mend. The worst seems to be in the past, and the new normal is in sight.

Like other local businesses and nonprofits, the Pride of the Susquehanna continues to bounce back from the debilitating coronavirus pandemic. Certainly, the last 16 months have been a rough go for “the Pride,” but there appears to be smoother sailing ahead.

“COVID-19 did not sink the Pride of the Susquehanna,” said Melissa Snyder, director of development and events for the Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society, which operates the vessel. “Our paddles are continuing to turn during 2021. We’ve been able to keep the boat afloat.”

Still, there may be some choppy waters left to navigate.

From its port on City Island, the Pride’s season typically runs from May into October. But the lingering effects of the coronavirus have caused both a delayed and a slow start to the 2021 season.

Most of the delay was caused by increased difficulties and higher costs associated with materials and parts needed to perform the yearly maintenance, a necessary step before its annual inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard.

“Did we err a little bit on the side of caution? Yes,” said Snyder. “We were sort of in a state of limbo for awhile. We knew we were going back into the water—we just didn’t know when. It was a guessing game. We’re hoping by 2022 to be back on our regular schedule.”

Last year in March, the Pride was shut down by Gov. Tom Wolf’s mitigation efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. In June 2020, the boat resumed operations, but at reduced capacity of about 50%.

“In previous years, we’d have dinner cruises with 65 to 68 people aboard,” said Deb Donahue, board chair of the Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society. “With the restrictions imposed, we had about 22 to 24 people for similar events, based on our square-foot capacity. During all of last year, we had reduced capacity. It’s been a struggle, just like it’s been for every nonprofit.”

Have to Do That

The Pride of the Susquehanna has been operating for 33 years. In the late 1980s, local entrepreneur Mike Trephan built the 120-passenger, double-decked, red-and-white riverboat from scratch.

Since then, it has drawn passengers from the Harrisburg area, central Pennsylvania and from across the state. The Pride helps keep City Island the vibrant destination that it is.

“We’re bringing in people from across the area, and even from outside the state,” said Snyder, of Harrisburg. “Our visitors are everybody from infants all the way up to senior citizens. We’re on the tourism end of the spectrum, but on the opposite side of that is our education program called the Susquehanna River School. It’s this floating vehicle that gives people an opportunity to learn the history of the Susquehanna River.”

In season, the Pride typically offers four or five guided tours a day, seven days a week. The cruises last about 45 minutes, costing $12 for adults over the age of 13 and $7 for children between the ages of 3 and 12.

It also offers special events like dinner and entertainment cruises, group and family tours, and seasonal cruises.

“I think people are jonesing for things to do, so now is the time to get in front of them,” said Snyder. “Sometimes, you think people from around the area have forgotten about it. Kind of like, ‘Yeah, I have to do that.’ The Susquehanna River is a very mild river, so it provides a very slow, smooth, relaxing and enjoyable cruise.”

In 2016, it hosted its 1-millionth passenger.

“Tourists will come here just to ride The Pride of the Susquehanna,” said Donahue, who lives in Camp Hill. “So, in that way, it helps the area in terms of economic development. Even people who live here can learn about the history of the river boat, and the history of the Susquehanna River itself.”

It’s questionable whether the Pride of the Susquehanna’s future is any more secure now than it was in the past. But it certainly seems that weathering the COVID-19 storm can only make it stronger.

“For me, the Pride of the Susquehanna is exactly that,” said Snyder. “The pride comes from what people who live here know about the boat, this rare symbol of the Susquehanna River.”

For more information on the Pride of the Susquehanna and to book a cruise, visit www.harrisburgriverboat.com or call 717-234-6500.

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Harrisburg Mayor: PennDOT may be receptive to changes for proposed I-83 redesign

October 8, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Aerial view of I-83 in Harrisburg from 19th Street to the Susquehanna River. A PennDOT proposal would double the width of this segment of the highway.

The PA Department of Transportation might consider making changes to its design for the widening of I-83 that would reduce the project’s impact on the community, Harrisburg’s mayor said on Tuesday night.

At a City Council legislative session, Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that PennDOT officials seemed receptive to the preliminary findings of the city’s transportation consultants, Kittelson & Associates, during a Sept. 16 meeting.

“It was a robust discussion of Kittelson’s findings,” Papenfuse told council members.

In June, the city hired the company for $72,500 to conduct a traffic and community impact study of the commonwealth’s proposal to double the number of lanes running through the city.

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

Kittelson is expected to release its final report in December, but shared its preliminary findings during the September meeting with PennDOT, Papenfuse said.

Kittelson believes that the footprint of the project can be reduced to lessen the impact on numerous homes and businesses in south Harrisburg threatened by the expansion, and PennDOT seemed receptive to the firm’s ideas, the mayor said.

Following Tuesday night’s council meeting, city Engineer Wayne Martin explained that Kittelson is recommending reducing the size of the project from 12 to 10 lanes by eliminating two collector/distributor lanes, which are lanes that parallel and connect to the main travel lanes.

Other recommendations include redesigning the proposed 19^th Street and Paxton Streets ramps to further reduce the impact on the neighborhood.

“PennDOT is committed to doing what it can to minimize the footprint,” Papenfuse said. “It seems encouraging at this point. It’s been a good dialogue and a good discussion.”

In other meeting news, City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution to pay former Jump Street Executive Director Melissa Snyder $10,000 to serve as a consultant for one year as the city takes on organizing the annual Artsfest celebration. Council also passed a resolution applying for a grant for an extension of the “Urban Meadow” in Midtown.

Also at the meeting, Papenfuse introduced Amma Johnson as the new director of the city’s Department of Community and Economic Development and Jamal Jones as the new director of business development and LERTA administrator.

September News Digest

September 30, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Stop Signs, Charging Stations for 3rd Street

Harrisburg will retain two of four stop signs on N. 3rd Street that were threatened with removal until City Council can make a final decision on their fate.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said last month that his administration has decided to retain the stop signs at Emerald and Kelker streets, but remove them at Harris and Boyd streets.

These are temporary measures until the 3rd Street corridor project is complete, Papenfuse said. At that time, council will have the option of making a final decision on the signs by changing the city’s traffic control map.

“The traffic control map will come to City Council for approval once the project is done,” Papenfuse said.

In early August, residents along the corridor were surprised to learn that the city planned to remove stop signs on N. 3rd Street at those four intersections. Soon after, numerous residents appeared at a council meeting to protest the removal.

At the Harris and Boyd street intersections, the stop signs will be replaced with yield signs. A pedestrian crosswalk also will be added at Harris Street.

“I agree with Boyd,” said Councilman Westburn Majors. “I’m concerned about Harris Street because there’s the senior living building there.”

Papenfuse added that the 3rd Street project unexpectedly will extend into next year for the downtown area south of Forster Street for two principal reasons.

First, Harrisburg University has requested a work stoppage at S. 3rd and Chestnut streets until it removes its heavy equipment from the immediate area as part of the construction of its 17-story academic tower and hotel.

Secondly, the city has received a $40,000 state Department of Environmental Protection grant to install eight electric vehicle charging stations in front of the State Museum. The installation of the electrical infrastructure will delay completion of the project in that area, Papenfuse said.

Moreover, the city plans to complete the sidewalk-widening project around the state Capitol. About eight years ago, the sidewalk around the Capitol on Walnut Street and most of N. 3rd Street was widened. However, the project wasn’t completed, leaving the original, narrow concrete strip in place from North to State streets. That sidewalk now will be widened, as well, finishing the walkway.

Harrisburg Adopts Artsfest

When Jump Street announced it was shutting down, many Harrisburg residents wondered who would run the city’s beloved Artsfest celebration.

Now we know, as the city has opted to take the event in-house.

For 2020, Megan Roby, the city’s director of special events, will take the lead in organizing Artsfest, the long-running, three-day, arts-focused celebration along the city waterfront, said Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

“The city is taking on Artsfest for next year because no one else has stepped up,” he said.

Artsfest takes place in Riverfront Park each Memorial Day weekend, attracting more than 200 art exhibitors and vendors, as well as thousands of visitors. Several years ago, the nonprofit arts group, Jump Street, took over the event from long-time organizer, the Greater Harrisburg Arts Council. However, Jump Street now is dissolving.

Papenfuse said that adopting Artsfest, in its 53rd year, wasn’t his preferred option, but that he feared that the event wouldn’t happen otherwise.

“We can’t let Artsfest disappear,” he said. “It’s too valuable to the city.”

For one year, the city hopes to hire Melissa Snyder, the long-time executive director of Jump Street, as a consultant. To that end, City Council introduced a resolution last month that, if approved, would pay Snyder $10,000 to help transition the event from Jump Street to the city.

Papenfuse estimates the total cost of Artsfest to be about $100,000. In the end, he expects the city to break even from sponsorships and other event revenue.

The city already organizes the two other big summer events in Riverfront Park—the July 4 Food Truck Festival & Fireworks and the three-day Kipona festival over Labor Day. It also puts on such events as the Fire & Ice Festival in March, the holiday parade in November and the downtown New Year’s Eve celebration.

Ribbon Cut on River Walk

Harrisburg’s deteriorating river walk has been repaved, as the city last month unveiled a ribbon of new concrete running about two miles.

The $1.6 million project laid new concrete along much of the 10,275-linear-foot walk from Shipoke to Maclay Street, though, in a few places, old walk was repaired, not replaced, due to funding restrictions.

The project only replaced the river walk itself, not the stairs leading to the Susquehanna River. Fixing the steps, city Engineer Wayne Martin said, is a massively expensive project, though the city might be able to patch some areas.

The work was funded by a $1.5 million federal Transportation Alternative Program grant, with the city kicking in about $160,000.

At the ribbon-cutting, city officials were joined by a group of bicyclists who took a ceremonial first ride on the newly laid white concrete.

Bike Harrisburg’s Dick Norford explained that the river walk and steps were part of Harrisburg’s City Beautiful movement of the early 20th century, which gave the city numerous parks, as well as paved roads and a functioning sewer system.

In fact, the walk itself came into existence to shield a sewer interceptor, which runs beneath it.

“This is such a vital link because the Greenbelt is not just a beautiful recreational trail,” Norford said. “When a city is more inviting to walking and biking, it’s a better place to work, a better place to live and a better place to play.”

The project actually began several years ago, when the walk along the Shipoke waterfront—badly damaged from the 2011 flood—was replaced. Work kicked in again last fall, took a break for the winter, and started up again in spring.

Superintendent Condemns Voucher Proposal

A top official of the Harrisburg school district has come out strongly against a proposal that would allow city students to use public money to attend private schools.

Last month, the district’s acting superintendent, Dr. John George, called a proposed bill by House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) “ill-timed” and said it would “harm the majority of children in the Harrisburg school district.”

Turzai currently is seeking co-sponsors for a proposed bill that would establish a “pilot voucher program” specifically targeted at the Harrisburg school district. It would award “scholarships” of $4,100, which city children could use to attend private or other public schools.

The proposal also calls on the state to contribute another $3,000 in a “tuition grant,” bringing the total to $7,100 per student.

“Speaker Turzai’s proposal is ill-timed and undermines the Financial Recovery Act of 2012, the very legislation for which he advocated,” George said, in a statement. “By removing additional monies from the school district that is already financially distressed, the proposal seriously disrupts the recovery process and wrecks additional havoc, virtually guaranteeing that the district will forever remain in financial distress.”

George further stated that Turzai’s proposal “requires parents to pay a portion of the tuition,” which “may help a few, but it comes at the expense of harming the vast majority.”

“It also only further widens the economic disparity between those who can afford to pay tuition and the poorest of the poor,” he stated.

Turzai began circulating his proposal among lawmakers soon after the school year began in the 6,700-student district. He said that such action was needed given the poor performance among students on state test scores and the fourth-lowest high school graduation rate in the state.

“By allowing Harrisburg families to choose the right education environment for each student, we can finally resolve the decades-long failure to provide an adequate education to Harrisburg children,” Turzai wrote in his memorandum to House members seeking co-sponsors.

Sewer Project Resumes

Capital Region Water is giving its Front Street interceptor project another go, closing a part of Riverfront Park in Uptown Harrisburg until early November.

CRW last month closed the park between Shamokin and Emerald streets until Nov. 9 to install 1,765 feet of new pipe liner, called “cured in place” pipe, which helps prevent failure, sinkholes and leakage.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience during construction as we address our critical and aging infrastructure,” said CEO Charlotte Katzenmoyer in a statement.

The park needs to be shut down in the area due to construction and because aboveground pipes have been installed in the park to bypass water flows during the installation, CRW said.

Last year, CRW closed down the park for several months as it attempted the same project. However, the city utility authority was unable to complete it due to worse-than-expected deterioration of the 105-year-old Front Street interceptor, as well as unexpected utility conflicts, CRW has said.

The 30-inch diameter interceptor carries about 2.3 million gallons of wastewater every day from Harrisburg and Susquehanna Township to the Front Street pump station.

The project will not lead to full road closures on Front Street, but park pedestrians will be detoured across the street until completion.

Commonwealth to Build on D&H Site

When D&H Distributing announced its departure from Harrisburg, many city residents wondered what would replace the company at its longstanding Uptown headquarters.

Now we know.

Last month, the state Department of General Services announced that the commonwealth plans to build a three-story, 120,000-square-foot building to house hundreds of workers displaced from the former Harrisburg State Hospital grounds in Susquehanna Township.

“We are glad to be able to announce the award of this lease that will put nearly 900 employees into a physically and technologically advanced workspace,” said DGS Secretary Curt Topper, in a statement.

In January, D&H announced that it would move to a new office campus in Lower Paxton Township after almost seven decades on the 2500-block of N. 7th Street.

DGS said that the new office building will house employees from the Office of Administration’s Office of Information Technology and the Department of Human Services, including staff from offices of its medical assistance programs, income maintenance, administration, youth and families and its 24/7 ChildLine operations.

Most workers will be relocated from buildings at the former State Hospital, which the state is trying to sell. Some also will relocate from an office building on Herr Street and the Office of Medical Assistance Programs space in Camp Hill.

According to DGS, the state is entering into a build-to-suit lease with Hudson Asset Advisors, which will demolish the low-slung, sprawling D&H building. On the site, it then will build a 120,000-square-foot building with 1,000 parking spaces.

DGS expects to break ground in early 2020, with the first workers moving in during the first quarter of 2021.

DGS did not reveal financial terms, but said that it would once the pricing and terms of the lease are finalized.

Library Buys Historic House, Will Expand

For many years, two prominent parcels on N. Front Street in Harrisburg had common ownership and a shared history.

More than a century ago, those parcels separated, and the building’s side yard became the site of the McCormick Riverfront Library.

Now, those two properties are linked again.

In a recent ceremony, Dauphin County Library System (DCLS) officials announced that they had purchased the original, two-century-old house next door to the McCormick Library, with plans to renovate and turn it into administrative offices.

“This project lets us restore and preserve this historic structure,” said DCLS Executive Director Karen Cullings. “It is one of the oldest buildings in the city.”

Ken Frew, the long-time librarian for the Dauphin County Historical Society, affirmed the historic credentials of the building at 27 N. Front St.

Frew said that Stephen Hills, who came to Harrisburg to construct the original state Capitol, built the Georgian-style house for his own home around 1812. He owned the building for many years, eventually renting it out to Gov. John Schulze, one of a group of houses now known as “Governor’s Row.”

“If I had to compile a list of the top-10 most-historic houses in Harrisburg, this house would be in the top five,” Frew said.

In July, DCLS bought the 5,458-square-foot house for $295,000 from long-time owner, attorney William Balaban.

The library itself sits on land that originally was the side yard to the building, bequeathed by a later owner, Sara Haldeman Haly, who had a garden on the property.

“I am truly honored that we were able to acquire the property that was Sara’s home,” Cullings said.

Cullings said that DCLS was “in the formative stages of the project,” as it still needs to raise money for the substantial renovation.

Once the renovation is done, DCLS plans to move its administrative staff into the house. That will free up space in the library for more family and children’s activities, including STEM and arts-related programming, Cullings said.

Next door, DCLS plans to renovate the house’s first floor for community meetings and events and also will allow public access to the courtyard in the back, she said.

DCLS board President Andrew Enders wrapped up the brief ceremony with a pitch to the community to help the project come to fruition.

“It’s time for the Dauphin County Library System to continue to make our mark on this community,” he said. “But we need your support. Whether it’s your time or your money, we’ll take it.”

Urban Meadow Extension Proposed

Harrisburg hopes to extend an existing walkway by two blocks, offering a landscaped pedestrian link between the new federal courthouse and the heart of Midtown Harrisburg.

The city has applied for a $75,430 grant to PA WalkWorks, a state Department of Health program, to extend the “urban meadow” to N. 6th Street from its current terminus at Fulton Street.

“With the courthouse being built, we would like to see this extension,” confirmed Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

About a decade ago, three blocks of Boyd Street, from N. 3rd to Fulton streets, were transformed from a street alley into a pleasant walkway and bike path with the installation of pavers and native plants.

The project was part of a larger master plan to revitalize the area. In the early 2000s, the city acquired and cleared several blocks of blighted houses and commercial buildings along the 300- and 400-blocks of Reily Street.

The Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority eventually sold these blocks to GreenWorks Development and HACC, and they’re now surface parking lots. Recently, GreenWorks received a $2 million state grant to help fund a $26 million, 135-unit apartment and retail building planned for the 300-block of Reily.

The current urban meadow runs in back of these parcels.

If received, the grant would pay for design work for the two-block extension up Boyd Street to N. 6th Street, making the walkway nearly ¼-mile in total. Papenfuse said the city also is applying for a Dauphin County gaming grant, which would help fund the remainder of the project, including construction.

City Council must ratify the application to PA WalkWorks, though the city has already submitted the application in order to meet an Aug. 30 deadline.

Home Sales, Prices Climb

Both home sales and prices swung up in August in the Harrisburg area, largely due to falling interest rates.

The Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors credited declining mortgage rates for sales that rose 5.3 percent to 720 units compared to the year-ago period. Median sales prices increased by 10.5 percent to $199,500 over the same period, GHAR said.

In Dauphin County, sales totaled 346 units, an increase of 16 units, while the median sales price rose 12.1 percent to $184,900 compared to August 2018, according to GHAR. Cumberland County saw sales go up by 9.7 percent to 350 units, with the median price up by 9.3 percent to $218,500.

Perry County had a decrease in volume, with sales down by 11 units to 24 units compared to the year-ago period, GHAR said. The median sales price also dropped, down 9.5 percent to $153,750.

So Noted

Jason Isbell has put Harrisburg on his upcoming concert tour, scoring a date at the Forum. The Grammy Award-winning Americana/roots icon will play on Dec. 20 as part of the Harrisburg University concert series.

Open Stage of Harrisburg announced last month that it was rebranding simply as “Open Stage” and changed its logo. The changes were made in anticipation of opening its expanded and renovated theater in downtown Harrisburg.

Recycle Bicycle last month moved out of its home of the last four years, the Atlas Street Warehouse in Uptown Harrisburg. The nonprofit wants to purchase a new, permanent home, preferably on Allison Hill, and hopes to make an announcement soon.

Salman Rushdie is returning to Harrisburg in December, with an appearance at Midtown Scholar Bookstore. The world-famous author will speak and sign books to promote his newest novel, “Quichotte.”

Shady McGrady’s is up for sale, joining a number of other long-established bars and restaurants to hit the market in the Harrisburg area. The owners are asking $650,000 for two buildings, plus the liquor license and fixtures. In recent months, several other local institutions have been listed for sale, including the FireHouse Restaurant in Harrisburg and the Glass Lounge in Susquehanna Township.

Two Poodles debuted in the Broad Street Market, selling scratch-made bagels from its stand in the brick building. Owners Bill Weber and Shea Mascia, who reside in Elizabethtown, also sell bagels in York Central Market.

Whitaker Center is turning 20-year-old classroom space into a new, 3,000-square-foot STEM Design Studios in the Harsco Science Center. Très Bonne Année, an annual, wine-focused fundraiser, is underwriting much of the $450,000 cost of the new STEM center.

Changing Hands

Benton St., 512: J. Eldred to V. Doan, $103,000

Briggs St., 1836: BSR Rental Trust to J. Cruz & C. Soto, $69,000

Chestnut St., 2123: T. Barton to T. Allen, $200,000

Cumberland St., 119: S. Pritchard to J. & L. Weigle, $129,000

Delaware St., 262: WCI Partners to A. Hanlon, $114,000

Derry St., 2414: U.S. Bank NA to HT Properties LLC, $36,400

Green St., 1100: B. Smith to D. & K. Rosemarino, $169,900

Green St., 1430: B. Rice to K. Roberts, $148,000

Green St., 1612: B. Brubaker to G. Hoffner, $150,000

Green St., 1710: Federal National Mortgage Association to M. Della Porta, $120,000

Green St., 1920: WCI Partners LP to A. Hanlon, $123,000

Green St., 1935: R. Holder to T. Holder, $200,000

Green St., 2320: M. Chajai to M. Sadi, $31,000

Hale Ave., 444: P. Huynh to MRG Homes LLC, $55,000

Harris St., 414: J. Underhill to Z. Jackson, $107,000

Herr St., 415 & 426 Snipe Al.: J. Foreman to K. Baran & R. Gillis, $62,500

Holly St., 1937: T. Hardison to CR Property LLC, $30,000

Hudson St., 1131: T. Smarsh to M. Hester, $104,000

Hudson St., 1257: R. Madara to R. & N. Purdy, $125,000

Hummel St., 210: Justgeoff Partners LLC to Ice Properties LLC, $51,000

Kensington St., 2142: C. Smith to D. Anderson, $75,000

Lexington St., 2615: A. Oglesby to S. Das, $59,900

N. 2nd St., 402: North Front Associates to N&R Group, $200,000

N. 2nd St., 509: 509 Partners LLC to Pennsylvania School Boards Association Insurance, $335,000

N. 2nd St., 1519: H. Task to T. Kunkle, $224,900

N. 2nd St., 1821: W&P Real Estate Investments to R. Rammouni, $56,000

N. 2nd St., 3115: G. Fiaschetti to C. & C. Harris, $77,900

N. 3rd St., 2331: F. Laoukili & M. Mtere to S. Morton & R. Bushner, $970,000

N. 4th St., 2434: PA Deals to L. & C. Lautsbaugh, $70,000

N. 4th St., 3309: D. Wright to K. Dierolf, $121,000

N. 5th St., 2326: L. Palmer to S. Wolfe, $87,000

N. 5th St., 2558: V. Rivas to R. Morel, $65,000

N. 5th St., 2731: PA Deals LLC to R. Narinesingh, $79,900

N. 6th St., 2646: Preferred Trust Company Custodian & D. Clements to Builders Property Management & Marketing Group LLC, $42,000

N. 12th St., 1002: Cameron St. Body Shop Inc. & Aumiller’s Auto Parts Inc. to DF Herr LP, $750,000

N. 15th St., 1419: 1900 Capital Trust II to S. Jumaevo & A. Ruziev, $33,000

N. 16th St., 716: H. Lowery to J. Vazquez, $135,000

N. 16th St., 1223: KDR Investments LLP to W. West, $79,000

N., 17th St., 117: Justgeoff Partners LLC to Ice Properties LLC, $40,000

N. 18th St., 706: C. Harper to T. Mulally, $55,550

N. Cameron St., 33: Musalair Trust to 27 33 N. Cameron St. LLC, $5,264,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 303: A. Cahall & M. Brenner to R. & S. Cuyjet, $127,000

Peffer St., 329: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development information Systems & Networks to J. Secrest, $34,500

Penn St., 1931: R. & B. Precourt to Z. Ashley & A. Garman, $150,000

Pennwood Rd., 3127: J. Bell to N. Lilla, $125,000

Rolleston St., 1411 & 1315: Keystone RH LLC to JWM Associates, $1,360,000

Rumson Dr., 331: D. Burns to T. Ait, $85,000

S. 14th St., 47: Redevelopment Authority City of Harrisburg to Capital Region Economic Development Corporation, $115,000

State St., 131: Grandtree Farms Incorporated to WCI Partners LP, $150,000

State St., 1406: JRC Properties LLC to AISH Partners LLC, $80,500

State St., 1726: K. Fearnbaugh to Three Bridges Holdings LLC, $69,500

Verbeke St., 222: E. Dean to S. Price & D. Lyons Jr., $157,500

Walnut St., 1818: J. Monroe Trust to F. Counts, $33,000

Woodlawn St., 2259: D. Enders to HL Bowman Building LLC, $199,963

Woodlawn St., 2323: Brothers & Sister Food Service Inc. to Indigo Foods USA, $680,000

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

Harrisburg plans to organize, run Artsfest for 2020 event

September 18, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

A colorful scene at Artsfest this past May

When Jump Street announced it was shutting down, many Harrisburg residents wondered who would run the city’s beloved Artsfest celebration.

Now we know, as the city has opted to take the event in-house.

“The city is taking on Artsfest for next year because no one else has stepped up,” he said.

Papenfuse said that adopting Artsfest, in its 53rd year, wasn’t his preferred option, but that he feared that the event wouldn’t happen otherwise.

“We can’t let Artsfest disappear,” he said. “It’s too valuable to the city.”

For one year, the city hopes to hire Melissa Snyder, the long-time executive director of Jump Street, as a consultant. To that end, City Council introduced a resolution on Tuesday night that, if approved, would pay Snyder $10,000 to help transition the event from Jump Street to the city. That amount breaks down to $50 per hour for an expected 200 hours of work.

“It’s a small consulting contract so that we have the institutional knowledge we need,” Papenfuse said.

Council is expected to discuss the resolution at a future work session before voting on the contract.

Papenfuse estimates the total cost of Artsfest to be about $100,000. In the end, he expects the city to break even from sponsorships and other event revenue.

Art on the Water: Artsfest returns, marking 52 years in Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park.

May 21, 2019 | by Hanna Martin

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse this morning, introducing the annual Artsfest celebration.

A chilly breeze blew in from the Susquehanna River this morning, making it seem more like late April than late May.

That didn’t stop local officials from gathering in Riverfront Park to announce the city’s annual welcome to summer, Artsfest, which will celebrate its 52^nd year over the long Memorial Day weekend.

The three-day festival, which begins on Saturday, will host more than 200 artists from across the country, with over 30 food vendors and a wide variety of local performers.

“It is an opportunity for people throughout the region to come and see the best of Harrisburg and all of the one-of-a-kind, award-winning festival features,” said Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, who expects some 40,000 people to visit the city’s waterfront this weekend.

The festival will feature art in 16 categories ranging from paintings and photography to ceramics and woodworking. The Kunkel Plaza stage, located at the base of State Street, will host local performers, including the Troupe Hayati Belly Dancers, The Mighty River Band and Madison Ryan.

New this year, visitors are invited to contribute to a mural created by Lower Dauphin School District art teacher Dana Attivo and her students. The mural, which will be located near Kunkel Plaza, eventually will decorate the walls of the adolescent section of Psychiatric Institute of Pennsylvania, to help make the space more relaxing and colorful.

Local food vendors will serve a wide variety of cuisine at two different food courts. Visitors can enjoy such perennial favorites as Farm Show milkshakes, Bricker’s Famous French Fries and Sherri’s Crab Cakes, among many other food choices.

In addition to the main festival, Artsfest will include JazzFest at the Pine Street stage, sponsored by the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz, Kidsfest featuring the Gamut Theatre Group’s Popcorn Hat Players and kid-friendly vendors, and the 21st annual Moviate Underground Film Festival.

Street parking will be free on Sunday and Monday, while Saturday will have free four-hour parking with the code LOVEHBG on the ParkMobile app. City Island will also have parking available for $5. For safety purposes, no bicycles or pets will be allowed at Artsfest.

Harrisburg is in the process of repairing the lower river walk, but the repairs will not affect Artsfest, as visitors are still welcome to stroll along the river, Papenfuse said.

In addition, the Harrisburg Senators will play on City Island this weekend, prompting Papenfuse to encourage attendees to combine Artsfest and a baseball game.

According to Melissa Snyder, executive director of festival organizer Jump Street, Artsfest highlights the importance of local artists, and she encourages locals to enjoy the creativity that the festival has to offer.

“Art tells the story of humanity and provides our cities with the life force to drive that creativity and those connections,” she said. “It adds character to a place. It builds connections with different audiences.”

Artsfest takes place May 25 to 27 in Riverfront Park, Harrisburg, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Saturday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday. It is produced by Jump Street, a community-based, nonprofit organization that creates arts-based program development and helps bring art and artists into Harrisburg. For more information visit www.artsfesthbg.com.

Something Old, Something Green: For the century-plus-old Civic Club of Harrisburg, 2017 was a year to remember.

November 30, 2017 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

In an organization dating back well over a century, very few individual years stand out, as most flow into one another without much change.

For the Civic Club of Harrisburg, 2017 was one of the more memorable years.

The club made a conscious decision to do away with one longstanding tradition, began another one and, oh, there was the little matter of the flood—but more on that later.

New Direction

The Civic Club was founded in 1898 by a group of Harrisburg women dedicated to “increasing the public interest in all matters to good citizenship and to promote a better social order,” according to the club’s written history. It boasts an impressive dedication to public service, including establishing the first free kindergarten in Harrisburg in 1923 and leading a canning kitchen during World War II.

Through many of those years, bimonthly luncheons were a fixture of the annual calendar, as members would gather in the stately Overlook mansion, socialize, listen to a speaker and fundraise for a good cause. However, members decided this year that the club had to change with the times and, so, the ancient tradition would end.

Simply put, women’s lives had become so busy that the club had trouble meeting the miminum attendance quota for the midday gathering, said club President Judy Imler.

Member Melissa Snyder, who’s also executive director and chief operating officer for Jump Street, suggested a new direction. The club could initiate an educational film series as a public outreach project to replace the luncheons, Imler said.

An environmental film series sponsored by the Harrisburg Parks Foundation began in October with a presentation of “Racing Extinction,” a documentary by Academy Award-winning Director Louie Psihoyos examining biodiversity loss, its effect on humanity and the solutions that inspire hope for a sustainable future. November’s feature was “The True Cost,” focusing on the history of clothing and the impact the industry has on the environment and the world.

The series will continue in 2018 with “Water Blues, Green Solution” on March 22, telling the story of communities that create green solutions for water “blues” like flooding, pollution and scarcity. “Cities of Trees” follows in April, the tale of a nonprofit that worked to reduce poverty in Washington, D.C., by offering jobs to the unemployed while improving parks.

“How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things That Climate Can’t Change,” by Oscar-nominated Director Josh Fox, also is in line for a showing, but a date hasn’t yet been scheduled. All films are free and open to the public.

Never Forget

Chances are, you’ve passed Overlook, the Tudor mansion on Front Street adjoining the Old Waterworks building in Harrisburg. It’s easy to notice because it’s one of two surviving buildings on Front Street’s west side that runs along the river. This has been the club’s headquarters since for more than 100 years.

The home was built in 1903 by William Reynolds Fleming for his wife, Virginia, who inherited it upon her husband’s death in 1906. When Virginia died in 1914, the property was bequeathed to the Civic Club, which proudly continues to maintain the home and its scenic gardens.

An ornate ballroom on the mansion’s second floor offers a majestic overlook of the Susquehanna, the reason Fleming gave the home its name. Each year, it’s the scene of many wedding receptions and other events, which have become critical sources of revenue for the club.

Maintaining a 1903 building, however, comes with its challenges, which brings us to the final reason that 2017 has been such a significant year for the 120-year-old group.

On Sept. 25, Imler and others entered the mansion to discover extensive first-floor flooding in the kitchen, hallway and coat room.

“I’ll never forget that date,” she said.

A water pipe had burst in the upstairs men’s room when no one was there to stop it.

“I can’t explain how we felt when we walked in and saw this,” Imler recalled. “The whole kitchen was like a shower. It took 13 days for everything to dry.”

Unfortunately, building restoration involved more than just drying things out. The flood had ruined the kitchen’s commercial stove and cabinets, as well as nearby flooring and wallpaper.

“There’s only so much that insurance will cover,” Imler said. “We worked a deal for the new cabinets. We were able to save the refrigerator and had a donor stove. We got everything in order, finally. That was a big challenge.”

Things have, more or less, returned to normal at Overlook. Happy brides and grooms are, once again, celebrating their nuptials, and the holiday season is always an important time at the mansion.

In addition to the environmental film series, more changes might be on tap for 2018 as the group continues to ponder how best to serve the Harrisburg community. But good works have always been at the core of the Civic Club, even in our rapidly changing world, one so different from the days when ladies lunched.

“We want to keep the reasons and ideas going, along with a shared love of this building,” Imler said.

The Civic Club of Harrisburg is located at 612 N. Front St., Harrisburg. For more inforomation, call 717-234-6736 or visit www.civicclubofharrisburg.com or the Facebook page.

Art lovers, rejoice! 50th Annual ArtsFest returns with a twist.

May 12, 2017 | by Yaasmeen Piper

bright purple flower surrounded by line of other flower yard decorations

An artist at last year’s ArtsFest made these metal lawn decorations.

Each Memorial Day weekend, ArtsFest takes over the banks of Harrisburg’s Susquehanna River. This year, the 50^th annual festival returns with some new attractions.

In addition to artists displaying and selling hand-crafted goods, attendees can enjoy a flea market, live jazz music, film screenings and craft beer during the free three-day event.

“Come to Harrisburg,” said Melissa Snyder, executive director of the arts nonprofit Jump Street. “Enjoy the wonderful art, the great music and incredible food along our beautiful Susquehanna River.”

Event organizers expect more than 35,000 attendees will peruse the wares from local and national artists specializing in jewelry, pottery, photography, painting and more.

For the first time, Harrisburg’s monthly arts market, the HBG Flea, will host HbgFest, a festival within the festival.

“You’re going to be amazed at the quality of the work right here in our own backyard,” Snyder said. “HBGFest inside ArtsFest will bring the passion of HBG Flea to present a snapshot of the best of art and handiwork from our own Harrisburg local artists.”

Jump Street Executive Director Melissa Snyder and Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced the details of ArtsFest this morning.

Some might say that another craft at ArtsFest is the food, as 32 food trucks will offer a variety of cuisines and dishes.

The main stage at Kunkel Plaza will feature local school bands and other local favorites. Jazz musicians will perform with JazzFest, hosted by Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz, on a stage near the Walnut Street Bridge.

FilmFest also returns this year. The three-day festival, sponsored by Moviate Underground, will feature films ranging from documentaries to comedies and animation.

“Screenings are all free for everyone to attend,” Snyder said, “They create an atmosphere unlike any other film festival.”

Younger attendees can enjoy games and performances during KidsFest. Each day between 12 and 5 p.m., Gamut Theatre’s group, Popcorn Hat Players, will perform in the children’s section of the festival.

ArtsFest welcomes two additional partners this year.

With a special treat for beer-lovers, Camp Hill-based Ever Grain Brewing Co. will bring their craft beer to BeerFest in the Civic Club of Harrisburg.

Capital Region Water, Harrisburg’s water authority, will help ArtsFest reduce waste and water usage with a free tap water bar.

“We’re trying to cut back on our impact on the environment,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “We’re going to be encouraging people to our reusable water bottles and try to avoid all the plastic bottles that usually fill the festival.”

Festival-goers can bring their own water bottles or purchase one from Jump Street and Members 1^st.

Find free street parking all day Sunday and Monday, a federal holiday. Use the code LUVHBG with the ParkMobile app to score four hours of free street parking Saturday. The Market Square parking garage will be available for $10 each day of the festival.

This story was updated on 1:45 p.m. on May 15 to correct errors relating to JazzFest and the Kunkel Plaza main stage.

Author: Yaasmeen Piper

Army Maneuver: The Salvation Army has major plans to move and expand, but first it must raise the funds.

September 30, 2016 | by Susan Ryder

The corner of Rudy Road and 29^th Street looks rather ragged.

With boarded buildings, forgotten vehicles and trash, it seems to be a place of great, if unrealized, potential. However, there’s hope for this corner of Harrisburg as the Salvation Army has big plans for it.

Recently, the Salvation Army, Harrisburg Capital City Region, began a capital campaign to create an “Oasis of Hope” with a new, 43,000-square-foot building and a 7-acre campus.

The proposed campus, the Salvation Army Service and Worship Center, would give the organization something it lacks at its current Midtown facility on Green Street—the ability to consolidate in one place—whether that’s serving 2,500 area youth, offering breakfast for 100 five days a week or assisting more than 20,000 people a year.

Currently, the Salvation Army uses 20 off-site locations just to run its youth programs. Kathy Anderson-Martin, director of resource development, said that, while the Salvation Army is grateful for access to churches and schools to house its programs, it “limits impact, and it’s hard to take your programs on the road.”

“We spend a lot of time coordinating logistics that wouldn’t be necessary in another space,” added Melissa Snyder, family services administrator.

The summer program, for instance, is located in a church that requires that all of the materials for 150 students be packed away each Friday—so that the space is useable for the church on Sunday—then unpacked again to start the week.

“For us, we will be much more efficient so our staff can be with clients and the people we serve,” said Jenny Gallagher-Blom, director of operations.

The lack of storage, absence of a loading dock, and presence of a small, gated parking lot prevent delivery of large donations of food. Many deliveries end up on the sidewalk for employees to transfer into the building themselves.

This lack of space is especially glaring for the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas gift distribution, when about 10,000 gifts are collected and stored in various areas of the building. They must be moved again if the space is needed for another purpose. Eventually, the gifts are shuttled to the 19^th Street Armory, as the current facility lacks sufficient room to hold the event.

Where We Should Be

Besides physical space, the location is another impediment in reaching the community they serve. In recent years, the Midtown neighborhood where they’ve been located for many decades has changed.

“We’re not where we’re supposed to be,” said Anderson-Martin. “We should be near where the most people need us.”

The new location, she said, will better meet the needs of the community and allow for ease of access with a bus route on the property and proximity to local schools. Leaving the Green Street location will impact some local clients, but many of them already travel to get there.

Community leaders have been consulted about the planned move. Debra Cruel, spokesperson for the 29^th Street Neighborhood Preservation Committee, said her group communicated the need for a community gathering space and green space.

The project, she said, meets these goals with a multipurpose center for events and acres of concrete transformed into basketball courts, a playground and a nature trail.

“Just as I believe the model for any community transformation, all of the stakeholders should have a voice in what’s happening,” Cruel said. “As far as neighborhood preservation is concerned, we feel very much a part of the entire venture.”

Holistic Solution

The new location also will have plenty of room for such needs as refrigeration, dry goods storage, a loading dock, a gymnasium and suites to house an education wing, nutrition education and family services.

With all of its programs under one roof, the Salvation Army can provide a holistic solution. Children can come to a youth program while their parents attend a nutrition class or self-sufficiency program.

“Increasingly, we are getting beyond that you come in for a bag of food every so often,” said Anderson-Martin. “We want to help you get to the point of self-sufficiency.”

Independence is important to the Salvation Army, as is good stewardship. Its commitment to responsible stewardship will not allow it to incur debt for any project. Instead, it will rely on donations and grants to fund the $9 million venture. Reserve funds allowed for the purchase of the land in May 2015. Demolition of the three structures on the property will begin this fall, but it will need to raise the remaining $5 million needed.

“The timeline [for completion] depends on the money,” said Anderson-Martin.

In partnership with the community, the Salvation Army hopes that, rather than rooms full of storage boxes, it will have rooms full of youth. Rather than a gymnasium used as a food pantry, the gymnasium will be brimming with ball players. And, instead of moving deliveries from curb to cupboard, pallet by pallet, they can spend their time building relationships with neighbors in need.

To learn more about the Salvation Army, Harrisburg Capital City Region, including how to donate to the capital campaign, visit www.pa.salvationarmy.org/harrisburg-pa.

Author: Susan Ryder

Wheel Life: After building up Jump Street, Bob Welsh has turned his attention to where art, education and commerce meet.

December 30, 2014 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

On a stroll through Strawberry Square, you might notice that one store stands out boldly.

Bursts of color pour through the plate-glass window and, once inside, you see creations that range from repurposed furniture to T-shirts to functional sculpture. The goods are youthful, fun and artsy; most are even practical.

A few months back, Urban Xpression opened its doors to give a creative and entrepreneurial outlet to area youth eager to meld art and business. The store also is the most visible manifestation of The WheelHouse, a program recently spun off from Jump Street, the community arts group long run by Bob Welsh.

“WheelHouse is an outgrowth of a program at Jump Street, which focuses on art-based workforce development,” Welsh explained. “The WheelHouse program is an innovative partnership in STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math) designed to give high school and college students real-world experience in live work environments—learning while earning a paycheck.”

Defining Moment

Welsh arrived in Harrisburg in 1983, joining a “bunch of musicians” doing the club circuit. He owned and operated Green Room Records and the Green Room recording studio and was elected to the Grammy Academy.

Then came one of life’s defining moments. Welsh read in the Patriot-News about a school that had no musical instruments, so he decided to do something about it. Together with fellow musician Paul Kruis, he put together the Gift of Music program to collect instruments. He raised money among friends and acquaintances and found he was good at it.

The program’s first big gift—of more than 30 instruments—went to Ronald Brown Charter School.

A bit later, when Beverly Portis, executive director of MetroArts, precursor to Jump Street, announced her decision to move on, she recommended Welsh to the board of directors. He was appointed interim director, then executive director and served for 14 years.

Now, he heads Wheelhouse, a subsidiary of Jump Street, while remaining a staff member of the parent organization.

“This seven-figure-budget organization requires all my attention,” he said of The WheelHouse.

Eye Opener

Wheelhouse projects give youth skills they need to be successful in future employment, while advancing high school and college education with in-demand areas of study.

Michael Mills, a senior at Harrisburg Academy, is one participant. Last summer, he was part of a student team tasked to design a store.

“It was an eye-opening experience,” said Mills, a Harrisburg resident who plans to get a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. “We worked with many professional artists and business people and other co-workers from Jump Street. We named the store, painted it, created a vision and mission statement, created a slogan for it, and decided what to put in it.”

The result: Urban Xpression, a youth-created shop focused on making and selling artistic goods. The students learn business planning, customer service, marketing, finance and entrepreneurship, while earning high school and/or college credits.

As part of the program, Mills, who is an assistant store manager, will be taking a college course in technology. Beginning this month, he also will be a paid apprentice.

In addition to Urban Xpression, The WheelHouse operates an Agtech program, which combines agriculture and technology, and a Community Tech program, which teaches students digital photography and technology-based design. Projects in finance and IT are likely to be added, said Welsh.

Students come from all over the region and from public, charter and private schools to participate.

“We try not to interrupt their school day,” Welsh said. “We work around their senior hours, co-op, study programs.”

Meanwhile, Jump Street, with its slogan of “connecting artist and community,” continues its own programming.

The Gift of Music, the project that originally drew Welsh into the nonprofit world, is expanding beyond the acquisition of instruments to the actual support of music programs. These are too often cut from schools because of budgetary concerns, said Melissa Snyder, the group’s interim executive director.

Jump Street also helps students who cannot afford to buy or rent an instrument to participate in music programs. Learning to play an instrument has many benefits, from developing language and reasoning skills to increased self-discipline and self-confidence, said Snyder.

“Music is a gift you can give your child that lasts their entire life,” she said.

Since 2001, the Gift of Music has collected and distributed more than 500 instruments to students in the Capital Region.

“Since the instruments stay in schools, we have easily reached 1,000 kids locally with them,” said Welsh.

Other events and programs sponsored by Jump Street include the annual Artsfest; the teen publication “and” magazine; and Paintin’ Lively, which teams teens with professional artists, who use their creative skills to refurbish furniture for sale.

While Welsh no longer is at the helm of Jump Street, he emphasized that Jump Street and WheelHouse are parts of a whole. They share office space, as well as a mission of bringing the community together and advancing youth through art.

“Almost 17 years at Jump Street taught me to do workforce development in arts and culture,” said Welsh. “WheelHouse is just an extension.”

The WheelHouse is co-located with Jump Street at 100 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. Visit www.wheelhousepa.com. Urban Xpression is located inside Strawberry Square, 315 Market St., Harrisburg.

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