Tag Archives: Strawberry Square

Take a Bow: With a new charter, arts-focused CASA continues its run as one of Harrisburg’s premier schools.

July 31, 2018 | by Susan Ryder

Photo by Ben Miller.

Back in 2011, the CASA story did not seem headed for a happy ending.

Enrollment was down 40 percent, school districts were withdrawing funding, and the arts-oriented high school had lost its program director.

But in seven short years, the plot has turned dramatically in favor of the Capital Area School for the Arts. In April, CASA received a five-year charter renewal in a school district that typically does not embrace charter schools.

“This is a huge validation of the past four years—all the kids we’ve reached, all the work we’re doing,” said Tim Wendling, CASA’s principal and CEO.

Wendling arrived at CASA in 2013 after it had just received its first charter, following a dozen years as a struggling magnet school. It’s one of just three brick-and-mortar charter schools in the Harrisburg school district, which must approve charter applications.

Applying for a charter is a painstaking process. The charter renewal for CASA contained 3,500 pages of documents, including information about curriculum, test scores, school design, operations and management and future plans. Visits and questions from district officials were part of the process, as well.

Why was CASA’s charter renewal approved?

“We are meeting and exceeding the goals that were set down in the first charter,” said Wendling. “[We’re] a premier provider of arts education in the city.”

CASA’s performance numbers bear this out. The school’s graduation rate is 94 percent, and student proficiency scores are strong—87 percent in biology, 93 percent in literature and 78 percent in algebra.

Those scores don’t necessarily arrive with the students, who are accepted to CASA based solely on an audition. The school has no information on students’ academics, attendance or behavioral history until after they are accepted to the school.

Once enrolled, CASA students often begin to thrive academically because they like going to school, Wendling said.

“We have 200 very different kids,” he said. “This place is perfect for them. They all fit in.”

The school’s six disciplines include creative writing, dance, film and video, music, theater and visual arts, providing many places for students to excel both in academics and arts.

Lois Lehrman Grass, long a supporter of the arts in Harrisburg, has been a part CASA since its inception in 2001, seeing the school grow from leasing empty rooms to its current state-of-the-art facility in Strawberry Square.

“Everybody who has a wonderful talent should be in a safe environment to be able to do what they do,” Grass said.

She said the creation of the school was not a “one-man band” but involved many people working together. The same could be said of the charter renewal, she said.

“It was more than a little nerve-wracking,” said Grass, a fixture at the school who is greeted affectionately by staff and students as she walks down the bustling hallways.

So, what’s in store for CASA now that it’s met this milestone?

“No big changes,” Wendling said. “We want to take this great thing we started and keep making it better.”

CASA plans to stay in Strawberry Square, in keeping with the school’s mission to use the city as a classroom, Wendling said.

Having the school in the city is mutually beneficial. Students and parents who don’t live in or frequent the city can “come and see Harrisburg’s true self,” he said. And Harrisburg residents get to see high school students in a different, creative light— filming, painting by the river, taking pictures in the downtown, etc.

“[CASA] is an art school that has the city of Harrisburg as our landscape,” said David Skerpon, a board member.

Besides maintaining its arts focus, CASA plans to continue building on its strong academic foundation, focusing on math and science, Wendling said. The school also wants to continue to foster its “fantastic collaboration” with the local arts community.

“We hope to see that we are even more integrated with the art scene than we are today,” Skerpon said.

That integration includes internships with Gamut Theatre Group and Open Stage of Harrisburg, film viewings at Midtown Cinema and art exhibitions at the Art Association of Harrisburg and the Susquehanna Art Museum.

One new thing is the College and Career Readiness Program, designed to connect and direct students to the opportunities available after graduation. Students will select “pathways” of study that take into account their interests and strengths.

Even though CASA has just received a new charter, there’s little time to rest, Wendling said. In about a year, administrators will begin contemplating the next charter renewal process. CASA, after all, can’t afford to take a break, as there’s always another group of talented students waiting in the wings.

“When you look at the 200 kids and try to picture them somewhere else, you can’t,” Wendling said. “This is the perfect school for them.”

Capital Area School for the Arts will hold its CASA Celebration Soiree, celebrating its charter renewal and honoring founders Lois Lehrman Grass and Dr. Glenn Zehner, on Sept. 20 at Whitaker Center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg. For more information about the event and about CASA, visit www.casa-arts.org.

Green Scene: It’s a garden party at the 2nd annual HBG VeggieFest.

July 30, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

A table of tastes from last year’s inaugural Harrisburg VeggieFest.

Eat your vegetables!

As kids, we all heard that bit of standard motherly advice. As adults, we know how sound it was.

Fortunately, you’ll be able to make your mother proud and expand your greens-eating horizons next month as the Harrisburg VeggieFest takes root for a second year.

“The Harrisburg area has so much to offer, and this festival allows vegan, vegetarians and the veg-curious to shop, sip and sample from local purveyors in a fun, inviting space,” said Brad Jones, CEO of Harristown Enterprises.

Harristown owns Strawberry Square, the appropriately named venue that will host the event. This year, the vendor list has grown substantially, with far more food and drink options than the inaugural event in 2017.

Participating restaurants will include the expected, such as Harrisburg’s The Vegetable Hunter, to perhaps the less predictable, like Devon Seafood & Steak of Hershey. There will also be a greater selection of non-alcoholic and adult beverages, including from numerous area craft breweries, to wash down all that plant-based cuisine.

This year will feature VeggieFest’s first competition—a “Faux Burger Showdown”—that will pit several local kitchens against each other to see who can serve up the best meat-alternative burger. Chefs will present their burgers to a panel of judges, while attendees get to munch on samples.

Jones stressed that the event is about much more than vegan and vegetarian food—it’s about healthy lifestyles. So, fitness, therapy and natural cosmetics companies will be among the more than 40 vendors on hand. In fact, UPMC Pinnacle is a lead sponsor of the VeggieFest.

There’s also a social-good aspect, as funds raised will benefit Jump Street, the Harrisburg-based youth arts and education nonprofit organization. Tickets for VeggieFest are $20 regular price and $10 for students and designated drivers.

“We’re excited for the return of Harrisburg VeggieFest to Strawberry Square,” Jones said.

Harrisburg VeggieFest, produced in partnership with Strawberry Square and SaraBozich.com, will take place Aug. 18, 1 to 4 p.m., at Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg. For more information, including a full vendor list and tickets, visit www.hbgveggiefest.com.

Chew on a Cause: Food Fundraisers make, then rake in, the dough.

April 30, 2018 | by Gina Napoli

Kings Who Cook

Raising money is tough, even for a good cause.

So, organizations try everything from giving out awards to running 5Ks to get people to support their groups and good deeds. Over the years, some have built fundraisers entirely around food—not as an add-on, but as the main event.

So, we set out to get the skinny on a few of the most popular food fundraisers around Harrisburg.

Central PA Superchef
If you attend the annual Central PA Superchef event at the Hershey Lodge, you can expect larger portions than the traditional sample size. Samples are demi-sized—about the size of a traditional appetizer.

The majority of sponsoring restaurants are standalone establishments, with only a few franchises.

“Superchef gives guests the ability to sample fine dining restaurants at an affordable price,” said event planner Abeer Srouji Allen, co-owner of Events by Eye Candy. “Some of the chefs have appeared on cable TV cooking and restaurant makeover shows.”

Superchef, which just took place last month, creates awareness and raises funds for various local nonprofits.

“A committee chooses different recipient charities each year—those that will have the greatest impact in the local community,” Allen said.

For 2018, the Alzheimer’s Association benefits, with special emphasis on early onset awareness. Past recipients have included Salvation Army, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Mission Central and Project CURE.

In 2017, 660 people attended the event, dramatically increasing its turnout since its inception in 2010. From the beginning, Superchef has raised $182,000 for those non-profits, with 100 percent of proceeds donated after expenses.

In conjunction with HACC, Eye Candy is spinning off an amateur version called Homemade Superchef on June 3, in which 12 home cooks will compete for bragging rights and promote farm products. A percentage of proceeds will be split between New Hope Ministries and The Peyton Walker Foundation.

Taste of Central PA
There may be no more natural pairing than the Taste of Central PA and its beneficiary, the Central PA Food Bank.

Jennifer Powell, the food bank’s director of development and communications, described this synergy.

Restaurants, she said, “provide premiere fare to the community while promoting their restaurants, and the food bank receives revenue from ticket sales and sponsorships.”

For the annual October event, local chefs and bakers spread throughout Strawberry Square with their food samples. Ticket-holders help themselves to as much as they like. Powell said that people enjoy the opportunity to sample signature fare and interact with the chefs.

“The community has welcomed, supported and promoted these events,” she said.

Over the Taste’s 30 years, participating restaurants read like a history of Harrisburg dining. In fact, Passage to India, the stalwart Indian restaurant on the river in Shipoke, has been with the event since its inception.

Funds raised from the Taste of Central PA tie directly back to the organization’s mission, its many programs, and are distributed to more than 1,000 program partners. Funds have gone to providing full backpacks for children, to meals for food-insecure children and to an elder share program.

There is also a fairly new program to provide food for veterans and active-duty military. Central PA Food Bank partners with VFWs, the Veteran’s Administration, American Legions and other military organizations.

“We work through our network to provide food discreetly, preserving their dignity,” Powell said.

Kings Who Cook
Kings Who Cook is another food sampling fundraiser held in Strawberry Square.

Instead of professional chefs, though, male amateur cooks—called “kings”—gather each April to make the food. Members of Harrisburg Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, use their extended networks to find and recruit their kings.

“For the most part, our kings cook their food,” said event co-chair Dorothy Guy. “They don’t just serve something their wives made.”

Some notable kings have participated over the event’s 20-year tenure, including Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, who has served up his signature chicken salad.

“We get politicians, legislators, secretaries within state government,” Guy said. “One was even a chef for the White House.”

This is an event that annually packs them in, with hundreds of guests.

“This event has become so popular, it has outgrown five venues already,” Guy said. “But we’re pleased with our current venue, and so are our guests.”

She is also pleased with the help her sorority has provided to area students through its competitive scholarship program.

“This allows us to assist students in achieving their career goals,” Guy said. “We’ve awarded over $250,000 to students for college or technical school. We’re very proud of that.”

The community interest and involvement also is important, as Kings Who Cook aligns with the sorority’s goals of community outreach, sisterhood and service.

“Years later, we get to see ladies we’ve awarded scholarships to, and they’re coming back as [sorority] sisters,” Guy said.

Time for a Taste
Food fundraisers occur around central Pennsylvania all year long. So, mark your calendars for these annual events, which is just a sampling.

ChocolateFest
When: January
Beneficiary: Keystone Human Services
www.keystonehumanservices.org/events/chocolatefest

Central PA Soup Cook-Off
When: March or April
Beneficiary: Schleroderma Foundation
www.centralpasoupcookoff.com.

Kings Who Cook
When: April
Beneficiary: Student Scholarships
Facebook: Harrisburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Central PA Superchef
When: April
Beneficiary: Various nonprofits
www.centralpasuperchef.com

PA Flavor
When: April
Beneficiary: Scholarships for hospitality students
www.paflavor.com.

Harrisburg Beer Week
When: April
Beneficiary: Harrisburg River Rescue
www.harrisburgbeerweek.com.

A Taste of Jazz
When: May
Beneficiary: Ministries of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Harrisburg Cupcake Cup
When: October
Beneficiary: Central PA Food Bank
www.cupcakecup.org.

Taste of Central PA
When: October
Beneficiary: Central PA Food Bank
www.centralpafoodbank.org

“Our First Responders”: Harristown to start workforce housing policy.

April 13, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

Strawberry Square in Harrisburg, where many of Harristown’s employees work

As debates about housing prices swirl in City Council chambers, Harrisburg’s busiest downtown developer is dipping its toe into affordable housing policies.

Harristown Enterprises, the real estate company that has developed dozens of apartments in downtown Harrisburg since 2016, will soon implement a workforce housing policy for its rental units, CEO Brad Jones told TheBurg.

Jones said that Harristown will reserve 10 percent of its downtown units for employees of Harrisburg Property Services, the Harristown subsidiary that provides janitorial, security and maintenance services to its properties.

“These are our folks who clean and maintain buildings, our plumbers, electricians, construction guys,” Jones said. “They’re the people who fix and maintain everything here and keep the place safe and clean.”

Any HPS employee whose household earns $40,600 per year, which is 80 percent of Dauphin County’s median household income, will qualify for the program.

Participating employees will also get a modest reduction on their market-rate rent. According to Jones, prices for Harristown’s downtown apartments range from $750 to $1,500 per month. An apartment that rents for $800 or less will get a $50 reduction, while those renting for more than $800 will be reduced by $75 per month.

Jones said that Harristown followed federal affordability guidelines to set its program criteria and eligibility standards. The rule of thumb set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is that any household spending more than 30 percent of its total income on housing – rent or mortgage plus utilities – is considered cost-burdened. Most affordable housing programs, from the federal to local level, aim to keep housing costs at or below HUD’s affordability indicator.

Jones reported that one HPS employee who already lives in a Harristown unit will have his rent reduced. Other HPS employees will be able to participate in the workforce housing program as units become available.

“We have a lot of turnover in the apartment business,” Jones said. “I don’t anticipate that people will have to wait very long.”

Harristown currently owns 60 apartments clustered in three different housing projects downtown: Strawberry Square, the Fifteen@ Twenty-Two project on S. 3^rd Street and SOMA apartments on 3rd Street. All of the units are modern conversions with upscale finishes and in-unit washers and dryers, according to property listings.

Twelve more apartments are currently under development at Harristown’s newest project, “The Bogg” on 2nd and Cranberry streets.

Jones said that the workforce housing initiative was partially spurred by recent discussions in City Council, which grants final approval for any building project in the city.

Since January, council President Wanda Williams has called on Harristown and other property developers to consider low-income residents in their projects.

“I’m very in favor of developers investing in Harrisburg, but until we talk about having affordable housing for everyone–including cashiers and clerks who work in downtown bars and restaurants–in every neighborhood of our city, we have not done our jobs,” Williams said.

At a legislative session earlier this week, Williams cast the sole vote against Harristown’s newest project, which will convert a mid-century office building on Pine Street into 25 apartments. Williams said she would not vote for any development projects until she felt confident that they were providing affordable units.

But Jones also said that Harristown is responding to HPS employees who have expressed interest in downtown units. Harristown executives decided that a workforce housing program could be mutually beneficial to employees and managers.

Jones estimated that only about half of HPS employees live in Harrisburg, and many of them walk or take public transportation to work. But since many security and janitorial personnel work late hours, not all can count on using public transportation for their commutes.

“We do have some employees who have no other way to get home, so this could be a real benefit for them and for us,” Jones said. “It’s nice to have people who work for you and live a block or two away from work. Often, those folks might get called in if there’s an issue in the facility – they’re our first responders.”

Think Global, Live Local: Students from around the world take up residence at International House.

February 28, 2018 | by Alexandra Jones

Burg in Focus: International House Harrisburg from GK Visual on Vimeo.

On a cold, mid-winter evening, a small group of strangers were warming up to each other at Harrisburg’s International House.

Sharing names, occupations and smiles, they sloughed off their winter layers and piled around a table. Plates of vindaloo, naan and basmati rice sat before them. It was time for the “Signature Series,” a free event, open to the public, featuring a speaker from a different country each month. On this particular Thursday, Darahas Sontyana took the stage to discuss his native country of India.

Sontyana, a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1999. He showed the audience a PowerPoint and talked about India’s culture and traditions, but much of his talk was about his bi-cultural experience growing up.

“At home, I was Indian, but everywhere else, I was American,” he explained to the room.

Sontyana’s story is representative of the venue where his talk took place.

I-House, as it’s commonly called, is where cultures can’t help but intermingle. It’s where a Chinese student and a Danish student can live right next door to one another or an American student and a Korean student can become friends playing ping pong. It’s where college students from all over the world participate together in local sporting events, festivals and museum visits.

“I can experience cultures from all around the world without having to take a plane,” said Verley Valérius, a 24-year-old Haitian student who’s a junior at Penn State Harrisburg.

A project of Harristown Development Co., I-House is one in a family of 17 institutions across the globe that operate under the same name and mission. All are independent nonprofits that provide long- and short-term living accommodations for students in a fun and friendly intercultural environment.

Since its 2002 conception, the Harrisburg location has hosted students from 94 nations, going through two major expansions across three complexes downtown. Its accommodation numbers have multiplied by a factor of more than 10, climbing from 14 to 150 beds.

“And all you have to be to live at the I-House is a student,” said manager Kevin Markey.

Americans are welcome, too, he said. In fact, when he lived and worked at the house as a resident assistant, he made friends across the globe, two of whom were in his wedding party.

As manager, Markey now hosts the events that helped him meet these friends — dinners, movie nights, ice cream socials. He also helps residents check items off their traveling bucket lists, like visiting New York City and seeing Niagara Falls. His colleague, Agata Czopek, director of international programs, estimates that I-House has hosted around 9,000 students over its 15 years.

Each year, Czopek travels to more than a dozen countries, recruiting students to stay at the house for a seasonal work program with local employers. She also helps the students transition to American life. She herself came to America from Poland at age 24, speaking very little English and dealing with everything from homesickness and stress to communication issues.

The connections built during programs last a lifetime, Czopek said. So, next year, she wants to expand the impact of I-House beyond the immediate neighborhood. She hopes to start up a dinner club with American families.

Ultimately, Czopek is motivated, she said, by the experiences students have in Harrisburg, which can change their perceptions of Americans and Americans’ perceptions of them.

“It makes you realize there is so much more that we have in common than could divide us,” she said.

For more information about International House and its programs, visit www.I-Househbg.org or call 717-724-2846.

TheBurg Podcast: Onward and Upward Edition

February 16, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

We cover all things infrastructure and development on this week’s episode of TheBurg Podcast. First, why is Capital Region Water going to spend more than $300 million updating Harrisburg’s sewer system, and what will it mean for ratepayers? Then we dip back into the debate playing out in city council about affordable housing downtown. We wrap up with (yet another) update on the city’s comprehensive plan — is there an end in sight?

Stream the episode here via Soundcloud, or subscribe to TheBurg Podcast in the Apple or Android podcast apps.

Read more about this week’s topics at TheBurgNews.com, and look for our new magazine when it hits newsstands next Wednesday:

Move In Day: First MulDer Square house sold, ready for new owners.

Moving Ahead: Despite criticism, HBG Planning Commission sticks with comprehensive plan draft.

2 for 2: Council considers, approves development projects in Harrisburg.

Water, Sewer Plan: Massive improvements, major rate hikes proposed over next 2 decades.

TheBurg Podcast is released twice a month by TheBurg Magazine. It is recorded in the offices of StartUp Harrisburg and produced by Lizzy Hardison. Special thanks to Paul Cooley, who wrote our theme music.

2 for 2: Council considers, approves development projects in Harrisburg.

February 13, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

More apartments are coming to Strawberry Square.

Harrisburg City Council tonight approved a pair of land use proposals at its semi-monthly legislative session, giving the green light to a residential conversion project downtown and a community center extension in North Allison Hill.

Council unanimously approved a land development plan submitted by Brad Jones, CEO of Harristown Enterprises, which will convert vacant office space in Strawberry Square into 13 apartment units. The project will add to the 24 apartments already inside Strawberry Square, the result of a 2016 office-to-residential conversion by Harristown.

It’s also the third project that Jones has put before council just this year, as last month, council approved two other downtown projects proposed by Harristown: a new office building on S. 2nd Street just off Market Square and a small office-to-residential conversion at 221 N. 2nd St.

Tonight’s approval came despite recent statements from some council members that they are concerned about affordable housing in the downtown district.

Last week, Jones defended his pricing structure, telling council that 15 percent of Harristown’s apartment units could be rented by someone with an annual income of just $25,000 to $40,000 a year, while another 40 percent could be afforded by someone with an average income of $60,000 a year.

Council has not proposed any plans to regulate rents in Harrisburg. Last month, however, council President Wanda Williams said that she would continue to monitor housing development and advocate for affordable options.

Council tonight also passed a resolution authorizing Bethesda Mission to expand its community center on Herr Street in North Allison Hill. The proposal calls for the renovation of an old printing plant at 1424 Herr Street, which will create a full-size gymnasium, classrooms, office space and an event hall with a full-service kitchen.

The 10,000-square-foot space needs extensive renovations, including an overhaul of its HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems, Cindy Mallow, director of development at Bethesda Mission, told TheBurg last week.

The renovated facility will also be joined to the Bethesda Mission Youth Center, which is next door at 1429 Herr St. Together, they will create a full-service community center with classes and amenities for all age groups.

Bethesda Mission hopes to break ground on the project in the summer of 2018.

Harrisburg to host first annual “Ice & Fire” winter festival next month.

February 8, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

Mayor Eric Papenfuse was joined by city officials, representatives from Capital Blue Cross and D&H Distribution, and Elsa from “Frozen” at City Hall on Thursday.

Harrisburg may be slick with ice today, but there’s more to come at a new city festival next month.

The first annual Ice & Fire festival will be held on Saturday, March 3 from 1 to 9 p.m. in the city’s downtown business district. All of the events will be free and open to the public.

“We’re celebrating the end of winter,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said in a press conference at city hall on Thursday.

Attractions will include a 2,400-square-foot outdoor skating rink on Market Street with complimentary skate rentals, an inflatable toboggan slide, and an ice castle with characters from the movie “Frozen.” Festival-goers can also take in ice sculptures, fire dance performances and musical acts by a DJ and live bands.

City officials also hope that festival will bring business to local shops and restaurants. Food trucks will be stationed downtown, and the HBG Flea, a monthly art market, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Strawberry Square.

The $50,000 event will be funded by sponsorships, Papenfuse said, including significant contributions by Capital Blue Cross and D&H Distribution.

“The city was prepared to provide funding, but I’m really pleased that we covered it with the full support of sponsors,” Papenfuse said.

The mayor noted that Harrisburg’s summer festivals, such as Kipona, bring thousands of regional visitors into the city each year. He said that Ice & Fire will be Harrisburg’s first winter festival. If the event is a success, the city may repeat it in the future as a multi-day festival.

“We’re piloting it as a one-day festival, but we will look to expanding it,” Papenfuse said.

Metered parking will be enforced on the day of the festival. Attendees can enter the coupon code “LUVHBG” in the ParkMobile app to redeem four hours of free parking. The Market Square Garage will offer full-day parking for $10, and parking in City Island garages will be free.

Rate Debate: More apartments, more talk of rental rates at Harrisburg council.

February 6, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

Thirteen more apartments have been proposed for Strawberry Square in Harrisburg.

Affordable housing was back in the spotlight tonight, as the Harrisburg City Council listened to plans for another downtown apartment conversion.

At their biweekly work session, council members heard from Harristown Enterprises CEO Brad Jones about plans to convert empty office space inside of Strawberry Square into 13 apartments—10 one-bedroom and three two-bedroom units.

Jones’ presentation of the project rekindled a discussion from the prior council meeting two weeks ago, when council President Wanda Williams read a lengthy statement saying that she expected downtown developers to include affordable housing in their plans going forward.

“I certainly will be watching,” she said at the time.

Williams was absent from tonight’s work session, but Councilman Dave Madsen picked up the thread, saying that he had spoken with Williams about their concerns over rental rates for newly renovated, higher-end units in downtown Harrisburg.

“We discussed that pricing has been a concern with these projects,” said Madsen. “But, as I understand with Wanda Williams, we’d like to move this project along, but with future projects, that you consider throwing in a few affordable housing units.”

Madsen said that he’s heard from constituents recently who said that they’re troubled over the issue of affordable housing in Harrisburg given recent higher-end projects downtown. Perhaps paradoxically, he also said that constituents seem to desire the high-quality housing being built by downtown developers like Harristown.

“We’ve seen everything downtown,”said Madsen, relating what residents have told him. “Why aren’t we seeing it in our neighborhood?”

Over the past two years, Harristown has brought about a half-dozen projects to council for approval. Nearly all have been conversions from empty, even dilapidated office space, to higher-end residential units. In all, the company has constructed about 60 apartment units from these projects, Jones said tonight.

Just two weeks ago, council approved a Harristown project at N. 2^nd and Cranberry streets, which will convert a long-empty, historic office building to an apartment building with 12 one- and two-bedroom units.

And Harristown now has another downtown project on the boards—the conversion of a six-story office building at 124 Pine St. into a mixed-use project consisting of 25 apartments with retail space on the first floor. That project, which requires a variance, is slated to go before the city’s Planning Commission and Zoning Hearing Board this month.

Jones came to tonight’s meeting armed with data, as he tried to counter the narrative that his company’s apartments are too pricey. He said that about 15 percent of Harristown’s existing units could be rented by someone with an annual income of just $25,000 to $40,000 a year, while another 40 percent could be afforded by someone with an average income of $60,000 a year.

He also emphasized that his projects—and, in fact, most apartment projects in the city over the last decade—rehabilitated existing empty and blighted housing stock and did not lead to displacement.

“The point I want to make tonight is that that has not occurred to this point,” he said. “Could it happen in the future? Sure. We’ve seen it happen in other places.”

Several council members said that they should not single out individual projects or developers in a pursuit of affordable housing. Instead, the city, they said, needs to develop a clearer policy on what it expects from all builders as Harrisburg continues to redevelop.

“This governing body needs to figure out what our policies are going to be,” said Councilwoman Shamaine Daniels. “We just can’t have one investor or one developer solve the affordable housing issue in the city.”

Madsen concurred.

“This has long been a concern,” he said. “It should require legislation on our part or our side.”

Council is expected to take a final vote on the Harristown residential conversion in Strawberry Square at its legislative session next week.

January News Digest

January 31, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

Comprehensive Plan Draft Criticized, Defended

Harrisburg’s draft comprehensive plan faced a cool reception from business leaders and city administrators last month, as the city Planning Commission hosted its first hearing on the document following a months-long dispute between the city and the plan’s author.

During a hearing in City Council chambers, members of the business community said the plan stepped on the toes of property owners and private developers. They feared that the proposals for land use would restrict investment in the city.

Private citizens and representatives from neighborhood associations were more supportive. Those who spoke out commended the plan’s goals to connect parks and neighborhoods and to redesign roadways for pedestrians and cyclists.

The plan, developed by the Harrisburg-based Office of Planning and Architecture, aims to guide development and urban planning in the city for the next 20 years. The project was delayed more than a year after OPA’s principal, Bret Peters, feuded with the city about compensation, deadlines and proposals in the plan.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse wants the Planning Commission to discard the consultant’s draft entirely and adopt a new draft written by the city’s Planning Bureau. He said their in-house plan includes many of the best ideas from Peters’ draft, but is less specific and ideological.

“[Peters’] plan is a recipe for disaster,” Papenfuse said. “It’s unworkable and unsalvageable.”

Other business professionals offered more specific criticisms.

Attorney Charles Courtney spoke on behalf of his client, Adam Meinstein, who owns the former U.S. Postal Service building at 813 Market St. The draft comprehensive plan recommends dividing that property between commercial, residential and business uses. Courtney said that the specificity of the plan limited his client’s discretion for how to develop the property.

“We need to have a broader view,” Courtney said. “If and when that property is developed, all the stakeholders will want to work together and not have it hamstrung by language in the comprehensive plan.”

Kevin Kulp, president of the Harrisburg Senators, said that the plan would be catastrophic for businesses on City Island. It calls for the elimination of all surface parking on City Island and for parking to be relocated to a garage on the island and overflow lots in downtown Harrisburg.

“We don’t have enough parking as it is, and we need every bit of it,” Kulp said.

Geoffrey Knight, director of the city’s Planning Bureau, said that the plan Harrisburg adopts needs to guide development, not direct it. If an owner did not want to develop a property according to a mandate in the comprehensive plan, Knight said, the owner would have to seek a waiver from the Planning Commission, which is the first body to consider land use proposals.

Some residents came out in support. Joyce Gamble, leader of Camp Curtin Community Neighbors United, said her organization supported the plan and hoped to work with the city to shepherd it to approval. Zach Monnier, a North Street resident, said he appreciated proposals that would make renters stakeholders in their neighborhoods.

Peters later rejected the charge that he did not prioritize private business interests in his draft. Raising the aggregate real estate values in Harrisburg is central to the plan, he said, and will benefit property owners as well as residents. He also said that Harrisburg needed the kind of specific planning that made many attendees at the meeting balk.

“Laissez faire real estate and planning have been practiced in this city for 50 years, and it hasn’t worked,” Peters said.

Planning Commission members will consider the input from the meeting when they convene on Feb. 5.

Mayor’s Aide Loses Job

A senior mayoral aide who was found liable in civil court for threatening an Allison Hill resident is no longer employed with the city.

Communications Director Joyce Davis confirmed last month that Karl Singleton, former senior advisor to Mayor Eric Papenfuse, has not been employed with the city since Papenfuse learned about the court ruling. Davis could not say whether Singleton had resigned or been fired.

In December, Singleton appeared before Magisterial District Justice David O’Leary for a hearing on a civil suit filed last July by Allison Hill resident Timothy Rowbottom. Rowbottom said in court that Singleton threatened his life during a heated argument on May 9, a week before the primary municipal elections, following a debate between mayoral primary candidates at the Hilton Harrisburg.

“I’m from Hall Manor, you should be scared of me,” Singleton allegedly told Rowbottom, referring to Harrisburg’s largest public housing complex, according to the court ruling. “I know where you live; I can have you taken out.”

Rowbottom, who campaigned for Papenfuse challenger Jennie Jenkins during the mayoral primary, allegedly made racist remarks to Singleton prior to the argument. He admitted to calling Singleton “a sorry excuse for a black man” and that he (Rowbottom) “is blacker than [Singleton] ever will be,” stated the court ruling.

O’Leary found Singleton liable for making malicious threats. The judge also said that Singleton’s political position compounded his liability.

Since Rowbottom admitted in court that he was unapologetic for his racially inflammatory remarks and claimed he was unafraid of Singleton, O’Leary only awarded the plaintiff nominal damages.

Davis said she was unaware of any plans to replace Singleton, whose position was incidentally reduced to part-time in January. Papenfuse said during budget hearings in December that the recent addition of a full-time business advisor to his cabinet reduced the need for a full-time aide.

City Officials Sworn In

Harrisburg officials invoked a spirit of optimism and cooperation last month, as the city swore in its returning mayor and most of City Council.

In city hall, newly inaugurated District Justice Hanif Johnson administered the oath of office to Mayor Eric Papenfuse, Treasurer Dan Miller and council members Wanda Williams, Shamaine Daniels, Ben Allatt, Dave Madsen and Ausha Green.

At the ceremony, Papenfuse cited the progress Harrisburg has made during his first term following the financial crisis that nearly bankrupted the city and sent it into state receivership.

“Today, Harrisburg is not a symbol of failure,” he said. “In Pennsylvania and throughout the nation, Harrisburg is a glowing symbol of renaissance and renewal.”

He credited his fellow elected officials, city workers and residents for “the optimism and hope that is so palpable on our streets today.”

“Yes, we have achieved a lot working together these past four years, but much work lies ahead,” he said.

Following the ceremony, City Council held a brief reorganization meeting, unanimously re-electing Williams as council president. Allatt took over as vice president by a 4-3 vote over Councilman Westburn Majors. Daniels, who served previously as vice president, was not re-nominated.

Williams said that, for 2018, her principal goal is ensuring the construction of the police substation on Allison Hill. The city plans to raise a 1,600-square-foot modular building on S. 15^thStreet, with a planned opening in the late summer. Completion of the city’s comprehensive plan is another priority, she said.

Brewpub RFP Issued

Have you always dreamt of running your own brewpub? If so, you may want to give Harristown a call.

Harristown Enterprises last month issued a request for proposals (RFP) as it seeks a qualified entrepreneur to open a brewpub or full-service restaurant in a large space on Market Street long occupied by the Gingerbread Man.

CEO Brad Jones said Harristown went this route after several potential deals fell through for the space.

“We really want to get the word out,” Jones said. “We think there are a lot of people out there who will find this to be a really attractive deal.”

The 6,000-square-foot space, part of Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg, has been empty since the Gingerbread Man closed down in 2014.

The RFP lists several criteria:

Brewery or distillery with a full-service restaurant or a brewpub or restaurant with a liquor license
A lease of at least seven years
Operations seven days a week

Harristown plans to charge $10.50 per square foot of rentable space for the first year and is offering to help defray the cost of the build-out. If interested, Harristown requires a business plan, resumes and financial information by Feb. 5.

“We feel the downtown is underserved for breweries,” Jones said. “That’s the one thing we’re missing.”

U.S. Marshal Killed

A deputy U.S. marshal was killed and a York City police officer wounded last month after gunfire erupted in an Allison Hill residence, where members of a federal fugitive task force went to serve a warrant to a Harrisburg woman.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Christopher David Hill, 45, of York County, an 11-year veteran of the Marshals Service, was killed in the gun battle.

Kevin Sturgis of Philadelphia, who opened fire at the officers, later succumbed to gunshot wounds, said law enforcement officials. The subject of the warrant, Shayla Lynette Towles Pierce, was taken into custody at the scene, charged with making terroristic threats with a weapon, officials said.

According to U.S. Attorney David J. Freed, officers in the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrived at the residence in the 1800-block of Mulberry Street just after 6 a.m. to serve Pierce an arrest warrant. After they announced their presence and entered, they apprehended her on the second floor of the dwelling.

After placing Pierce in handcuffs, Freed said, gunfire erupted from the second floor of the residence. Hill and York City police officer Kyle Pitts were both struck. Hill died of his wounds at UPMC Pinnacle Hospital, Freed said. Pitts underwent surgery and is expected to fully recover.

Sturgis fled to the first floor of the building and exited through the front door while firing his weapon, officials said. Officers returned fire and killed him.

School Board Vacancy

The Harrisburg school district is accepting applications for a vacancy on the school board.

Board member Matthew Krupp resigned his seat last month after assuming the elected office of Dauphin County prothonotary.

Applicants have until mid-February to submit their applications. The successful candidate will serve out the remainder of Krupp’s four-year term.

For more information, visit the school district’s website.

Major Gift for SAM

The Susquehanna Art Museum last month announced a $2 million donation from local art collectors, Marty and Tom Philips.

As a result of the donation, the museum building, located in Midtown Harrisburg, has been renamed the Susquehanna Art Museum at the Marty and Tom Philips Family Art Center. The gift is contingent on SAM raising at least $1 million in matching funds over the next two years.

In addition, SAM last month announced naming gifts from the S. Wilson and Grace M. Pollock Foundation, which will lend its name to the Education Center Gallery, and Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP, which will have its name above the museum’s entry portico.

So Noted

2K Networking announced a change of ownership last month, as Josh Hinkle, former director of business development, acquired the Harrisburg-based technology company. He took over from former CEO Glenn Pepo, who will stay on as a consultant.

Barley Snyder, which has locations throughout central and eastern Pennsylvania, last month opened its newest office in downtown Harrisburg. The office is staffed with 10 attorneys formerly of Rhoads & Sinon and is located in that firm’s former space at the M&T Bank building.

RSR Realtors last month named Jamie Berrier as president of the Lemoyne-based real estate company. She succeeds Greg Rothman, who will remain as a partner and board chairman, the company said. Moreover, RSR named Jim Koury as CEO, Garrett Rothman as vice president and broker of record and Bill Rothman as treasurer.

Smith Land & Improvement Corp., headquartered in Camp Hill, announced last month that Richard E. Jordan III, formerly chief operating officer, is now president and CEO. He replaced his father, Richard E. Jordan II, who will retain the role of chairman of the board.

The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC) announced last month the availability of more than 120 scholarship funds available to Pennsylvania students administered by its organization. For more information about scholarship opportunities or to apply, visit www.tfec.org.

Vista, a provider of autism services in eight counties in central PA, last month appointed Kirsten Yurich as chief executive officer. In this role, Yurich, previously the organization’s chief clinical officer, will oversee all operations of the Vista School, the Vista Foundation and Vista Adult Services.

Changing Hands

Balm St., 57: K. & R. Thames to C. & S. Epps, $50,000

Boas St., 318: M. Webb to C. Hughes, $144,000

Boas St., 1815: Harrisburg Rentals LLC to S. Henry, $64,000

Chestnut St., 2014 & 2015 Zarker St.: R. & B. Cielinski to T. Smallwood, $33,500

Croyden Rd., 2962: J. & R. Harle to M. Cabrera, $48,000

Cumberland St., 121: L. Williams to J. & K. Bowser, $59,000

Derry St., 1525: J. Rissler to M. & A. Mekhaiel, $40,000

Derry St., 2641: L. Knoll to E. Chandler, $79,900

Dunkle St., 631: B. Drake to A. Eubanks, $64,900

Emerald St., 521: N. Clelan to C. Gibbs, $84,900

Green St., 1509: R. Stare to A. & K. Tyson, $95,500

Green St., 1936: D. Marquette to G. Tsambas, $210,000

Green St., 2106: J. Evans to Segue Systems LLC, $39,010

Greenwood St., 2506: N. Hanna & J. Parisi to T. Davis & J. Martinez, $99,000

Hanna St., 106: S. Fahey to D. Frank, $174,000

Herr St., 1933: Bajwa & Rana LLC to N. & M. Gill, $250,000

Julia St., 1945: J. & S. Pagliaro to Kanta Estates LP, $230,000

Kelker St., 622: PA Deals LLC to End Properties LLC, $54,000

Lenox St., 1935: J. & K. Alvarez to B. McKinley, $72,500

Lewis St., 308: A. Dittman to C. Engvall & A. Bryant, $112,000

Lewis St., 322: J. Chelgren to K. Franklin, $60,000

Logan St., 2417: W. Blackway to Y. Aquayo & I. Class, $41,000

Market St., 810, 812 & 900 and 12, 21 & 23 N. 9^th St., and 24 & 26 N. 10^th St.: 812 Market Street LLC & Twenty Lake Holdings to 812 Market Inc. & L&B Realty Advisers LLP, $1,600,000

Market St., 1301: J. & S. Kim to 80 Second Street LLC, $180,000

Nagle St., 121: D. Gadel to P. Donohoe & J. Augustine, $182,000

North St., 1721: D. Hawkins to R. Scott, $40,000

N. 2^nd St., 1813: E. Pettis & C. Barker to J. Bailey, $81,500

N. 2^nd St., 2141: D. Kumpf to T. & J. Perla, $117,500

N. 2^nd St., 2838: S. & B. Blank to Diamond Real Estate Solutions Inc., $90,000

N. 2^nd St., 3224: K. Petrich to B. Najia Property LLC, $39,000

N. 3^rd St., 512: Genex Properties to RLJG Inc., $80,000

N. 3^rd St., 1209: N. Riess to R. Abel, $129,000

N. 3^rd St., 1616: W. Taylor & C. Pimentel to T. Breitsprecher, $100,000

N. 6^th St., 2470 & 2472: F. & E. Karnouskos & Sixth Street Holdings LLC to Rivas Property Investments LLC, $80,000

N. 17^th St., 94: S&S Property Management to N. Booth, $34,000

N. Front St., 1525, unit 402: R. & R. Fried to S. Anthony, $205,000

Penn St., 1930: J. McSurdy & J. Lentini to T. Holderman, $157,400

Penn St., 2139: Central Penn Properties to PA Capital Area Investments LLC, $30,000

Pennwood Rd., 3210: J. Clark to A. & G. Powell, $117,500

Reily St., 313: Judy Fisher 2004 Trust to E. Krokonko, $77,000

Rose St., 925: D. Niles to R. Ritchie, $80,000

Rumson Dr., 281: G. Burdsal to J. Runyan, $72,000

Seneca St., 226: R. Ralls to I. Billington, $127,000

S. 2^nd St., 316: Diamond Real Estate Solutions LLC to A. Radford & N. Towne, $110,000

S. 13^th St., 14: H. & L. Grajales to B. Crews, $67,000

S. 14^th St., 1414: A. & G. Evans to City of Harrisburg, $55,000

S. 14^th St., 1416: G. Evans to City of Harrisburg, $51,500

S. 14^th St., 1429: J. Newhouse to City of Harrisburg, $45,000

S. 25^th St., 638: PA Deals LLC to Mid-Atlantic IRA James Eshelman IRA, $60,000

S. 26^th St., 734: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development and Information Systems Networks Corp. to J. Gilpatrick, $41,000

S. 29^th St., 526: Kusic Capital Group LLC to R. Morris & A. Courtney, $150,000

S. Front St., 629: Harrisburg PA Properties LLC to J. Snyder, $50,000

S. Front St., 709: D. Smith to L. Foster, $182,900

State St., 1730: Mussani & Co. LP to Next Generation TC FBO Akhter Parvez IRA, $60,750

State St., 1911: JP Homes Inc. to G. & E. Varghese, $34,000

Susquehanna St., 1637: Harrisburg Rentals LLC to S. Henry, $83,900

Susquehanna St., 1716: L. Caro to S. Goodman, $98,500

Valley Rd., 2317: M. Thomas to G. & K. Kooiker, $144,000

Walnut St., 401: M. Tamanini to B. Kowalczyk, $100,000

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