Tag Archives: Strawberry Square

Crash Into Me: Colliding into a year of pandemic

February 26, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

One year ago, during the first week of March, I did several things.

I walked over to Strawberry Square to get a coffee and do some work at a high-top table near the Little Amps kiosk. I met friends at the bar at McGrath’s. I ate lunch inside the Broad Street Market.

These all seemed so routine—little outings that I enjoyed but hardly thought about as special. Tomorrow or next week or whenever, I might well do them again.

But no.

A few days later, Gov. Tom Wolf announced a health emergency, and schools shut down, businesses shut down, life shut down.

For the past year—yes, it’s been an entire year—we’ve lived in a state of suspended existence, a strange reality where nothing seems quite right. Three-hundred-and-sixty-five days later, I still can’t regain my footing.

Attend a party? Go to a movie? Be near a stranger? Since March 2020, such simple acts have been regarded as reckless or rebellious.

I’ve often thought about what I miss most from our year of pandemic. Well, I haven’t seen my family, have had limited time with friends and haven’t dined inside of a restaurant. So, there are three, right there.

But, maybe what I most miss, at least on a day-to-day basis, is something called “collisions.”

In urban studies speak, collisions are those random interactions you often have in cities, when you venture out and randomly bump into a friend or have an unexpected conversation with a stranger. From these collisions, you share information, you learn, maybe you even collaborate or create.

In Harrisburg, collisions used to happen to me all the time.

I once joked that a Saturday shopping trip to the Broad Street Market took two hours longer than planned because of all the people I saw and talked to. Folks stopped to chat about Harrisburg or wanted me to join them for a beer at the Zeroday Outpost or pulled up a chair while I ate lunch.

It was half grocery shopping, half social excursion. I may have gone to the market for bread, but I returned with news tips, story ideas and life updates.

On Saturdays, the Broad Street Market, in particular, has a very high “collision density,” another nerdy term that just means that there are a lot of people in one place to run into, to interact with and to learn from.

Or, let me correct that, the market used to have a high collision density.

Sure, there are still people shopping there now, but you can’t sit at tables anymore, you can’t linger over coffee, and you can’t really strike up random conversations. But who would want to anyway, when everyone is half-hidden behind a mask and your next close encounter could lead you to the COVID ward?

The same can be said of any public space. In Harrisburg, that might be your favorite coffee shop, your neighborhood bar, your regular restaurant—your theater, art or music place.

The virus has robbed us of so much, starting with people we love. But it’s also taken away our many small enjoyments, including random interactions that we didn’t even think much about until, one day, they were just gone.

For the past year, we’ve been living in a strange, foggy, unwelcome reality of stay away, stand back, don’t talk to me and don’t touch.

Last year, on the first weekend in March, I called an Uber, rode over to the mall and did some clothes shopping. The place was packed.

During those three hours, I had dozens of unexpected conversations and interactions: fellow shoppers, salespeople, a family at the next table during a coffee break. I even ran into a couple from my neighborhood and, inevitably, they had information to share. Yes, collisions can happen even on the west shore!

But they’re really synonymous with the city and, actually, are one of my favorite parts of living in an urban environment. Oh, to be greeted again on a Harrisburg street corner by a smiling face, a firm handshake, a hug.

In 10 years’ time, when I look back on our year of pandemic, I may remember something about the daily case counts, the business closures, the countless Zoom meetings. However, I likely will remember it most by how it made me feel. “Empty” seems to be the most appropriate word I can think of right now.

We’re told that we may be able to resume our normal lives as we move through 2021. Sign me up. Then stop me on the street, sit at my table, come share a beer with me, talk, gossip. I’m collision-ready.

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

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

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City presents Walnut, Chestnut street projects to improve safety, connectivity downtown

November 17, 2020 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Walnut Street in downtown Harrisburg

City engineers’ wheels are spinning when it comes to travel in Harrisburg.

At a pop-up event in Strawberry Square on Tuesday, City Engineer Wayne Martin and project designers presented their East-West Multimodal Connection Project to improve safety and multi-modal access downtown.

“We want to protect our most vulnerable pedestrians and bicyclists,” Martin said.

Sections of Chestnut and Walnut streets will see substantial construction, adding bike lanes, increased parking and sidewalk enhancements.

Parts of these corridors are listed on Harrisburg’s high injury network and are crash-prone streets, Martin said.

Besides safety reasons, Martin said the project has an economic aspect.

“Pedestrian and bike improvements tend to increase the amount residents stop at retail shops and restaurants,” he said.

The improvements will intersect with the Capital Area Greenbelt, Martin said, making bike travel through the city more efficient. People will be able to move more safely from the Walnut Street pedestrian bridge to Strawberry Square and the state Capitol complex, he said.

The Walnut Street portion of the project will extend from the pedestrian bridge on Front Street to 4^th Street.

Walnut Street concept

Walnut will be re-striped to include an eastbound contraflow bike lane and westbound sharrow markers, which indicate shared bike/vehicle lanes. For easy access from the pedestrian bridge, a bike-only crosswalk will stretch across Front Street.

A raised intersection will be constructed at Walnut and 2nd streets to slow traffic and improve pedestrian visibility. Sidewalks along Walnut Street will also be improved.

Between 3^rd and 4^th streets, Walnut will be widened to include a westbound bike lane in addition to the eastbound lane. There will be parking on both sides of the street, along with a bus stop.

Chestnut Street concept

Chestnut Street additions include re-striping for east and westbound bike lanes. Curbs at the 3^rd Street intersection will be extended to protect cars, and portions of the sidewalk along Chestnut will be reconstructed. A bus loading and unloading area will be added and a raised crosswalk at South Dewberry Street will be built. The Dewberry Street Loop will also be re-striped to include more parking.

The East-West Multimodal Connection Project is part of Harrisburg’s Vision Zero initiative to decrease pedestrian fatalities in the city.

Capital Area Transit, Harristown Enterprises, Harrisburg Housing Authority, the Department of General Services and the Downtown Improvement District collaborated with the city to provide input, Martin said.

The multimodal project is in the preliminary planning phase and construction is expected to begin in 2022.

Costs are expected to be around $1.4 million, and the city already has received $500,000 in grants for the project, said project manager Matt Shinton of Kimley-Horn engineering firm.

Martin is encouraging residents to complete a survey on their website to provide feedback on the project.

“We feel like we got a good collaboration with stakeholders, but ultimately we want residents to comment as well,” he said.

Other Vision Zero projects in the design phase include the “Courthouse Connection” project that will extend a pedestrian and bicyclist friendly corridor on Boyd Street from N. 3^rd to N. 6^th street. Martin said they are waiting on construction funding.

State Street improvements are also in the works to make one of the most dangerous roads on the east coast safer for pedestrians. The project, which includes a major “road diet” to reduce the number of travel lanes is fully funded and looking at a spring construction start, according to Martin.

Plans for 7^th Street feature a roundabout, which will be constructed near the new federal courthouse and a center median with street trees. Martin said that project is currently in the bidding stage.

A 2nd Street project to convert the road from one-way to two-way should be accepting bids by the end of the year, Martin said.

“It’s going to be crazy next year,” he said.

For more information on Vision Zero, visit visionzerohbg.com.

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Getting Creative: Capital Area School for the Arts expands, adds new classrooms

September 24, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

The new science lab at Capital Area School for the Arts.

A week before Capital Area School for the Arts (CASA) was set to welcome students back, construction at the campus was just finishing.

In a nick of time, the charter school completed a classroom expansion project at its campus in Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg.

“At this time last year, we had no idea we would be doing this,” Principal Tim Wendling said.

CASA formerly leased classroom space from Temple University, which is also in Strawberry Square. However, last November, Wendling found out that would no longer be an option.

“We love being in Strawberry Square so much, and we wanted to stay here,” he said.

For a school focused on multi-disciplinary arts and academics, the downtown location allows the students to use the city as their classroom, Wendling said.

He added that the school had wanted to find their own space, but that was always a three- to five-year plan. Now, they had to tackle this within a matter of months.

Luckily, there was a third-floor area available where Gamut Theatre previously resided before relocating across 4th Street into their own building a few years ago.

“It was a tough situation, but I think it turned out great, and I’m glad Strawberry Square had the space,” Wendling said.

One of the new classrooms from the “Classroom Expansion” project.

The new part of campus offers 10 classrooms, two offices and a faculty room. There’s even a student lounge area overlooking the Strawberry Square atrium.

While the rooms in their first-floor space are dedicated to art, dance, music and theater classes, the third-floor rooms are primarily for general academic courses. Wendling is especially excited about the new science lab, the school’s first.

“Having our own space gives a whole other dynamic to what we can offer our kids,” Wendling said. “It was really great to have them come back and see it. They were really excited.”

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, CASA operates a hybrid in-person and virtual class schedule. On Mondays and Tuesdays, ninth- and 10th-graders attend in-person classes. On Thursdays and Fridays, 11th- and 12th-grade students go in. On the days they don’t go in, students learn online.

Now in their larger classrooms, provided by the expansion, students can more easily social distance. CASA usually has around 200 students enrolled each year.

The total cost for the expansion is $1.7 million. CASA is still campaigning to raise funds to cover the project.

“It was so worth it,” Wendling said. “I’m glad we found our permanent home.”

For more information on Capital Area School for the Arts Charter School, visit https://www.casa-arts.org/.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

July 10, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley

LeRon McCoy and Ryan Sanders, developers behind the Jackson Square project on N. 6th Street.

Making Harrisburg a better place to live was a common thread running through the news this week. Residents spoke up for change, the city introduced new initiatives, and some people took on important projects themselves. In case you missed any of our coverage, we have it all listed and linked below.

African American developers in Harrisburg are highlighted in our magazine article. Find out what inspires these men to give back to their community through revitalization projects.

Bob took a trip to Paxtang this past weekend and has all the must-see spots for art lovers. Read about the quirky Tiger Eye Coffee Co. and the beach-inspired gallery in his online art blog.

At the Broad Street Market, Gov. Tom Wolf announced a new grant program for food providers struggling from the COVID crisis. The initiative is meant to help small farmers markets, corner stores and other shops provide fresh food to low and moderate-income areas across the state. Check out our story here.

Choose Harrisburg campaign will launch in August to encourage people to buy local. Read more about how the city hopes to support small businesses that took a hit from the COVID crisis.

Compost waste from Harrisburg has found a temporary home after a long, frustrating search. Read our online story for more information about the new agreement with the Swatara Township Yard Waste Composting Facility.

COVID-19 cases rose again this week, we reported in our weekly coverage. The state reported an average of over 700 new diagnoses daily over the last seven days.

Electric bikes soon will roll out in Strawberry Square. Our online story tells about the city resident who is bringing Pedego Electric Bikes to our area.

Harrisburg Urban Growers is helping city residents start their own gardens. Our magazine story reveals why they believe gardening is good for the body and mind.

Harrisburg City Council will interrupt their summer hiatus to hold public hearings on the proposed citizen’s policing advisory board. Our reporting found that many residents are not pleased with the proposed bill as it stands and want the board to have more power.

Harrisburg University had planned to conduct classes fully online, but had to make a major change when new guidelines were imposed by the federal government. Our online story tells how the school shifted to include in-person instruction to avoid the risk of losing its international students.

Paper Moon Flowers has opened in Midtown for all your floral and décor needs. In our magazine story, owner Shawn Durborow-Bowersox described how he started his successful business in Hershey before opening a storefront in Harrisburg.

TheBurg Podcast this month focuses on maintaining a sense of community throughout strange times. Hear from guests Blake Lynch of the Harrisburg Bureau of Police, writer Deb Schell who talks about community gardening and 3rd in the Burg coordinator Kelsey Tatge.

Sara Bozich has everything from flower picking to art therapy on her to-do list for this weekend. Check out all the summer fun in store for Harrisburg in her weekly blog.

Unity Festival is taking over Reservoir Park on Saturday. Local activist Kevin Maxson and his group Voices for the Voiceless will host the day of fun, featuring free food and games. Find out more information in our online story.

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Electric bike shop set to cruise into Strawberry Square

July 10, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

This storefront, part of Strawberry Square, soon will house Pedego Harrisburg.

You lose a bike, you get a bike.

Recently, Harrisburg lost its three-year-old bicycle-sharing program, but it’s now poised to gain another two-wheel operation—an electric bike shop.

In early September, city resident Andrew Soisson plans to open Pedego Harrisburg, a local dealership of the Irvine, Calif.-based Pedego Electric Bikes. He, along with his parents, will open in the 3^rd Street retail space in Strawberry Square last occupied by the Provisions grocery store.

“My parent were the inspiration for this,” Soisson explained. “They traveled to France and got into electric biking there.”

Pedego is the largest electric bike retailer in the United States with more than 125 stores in the country and more worldwide. It also manufactures its bikes.

According to Soisson, Pedego bikes come in two basic formats, one that also can be used as a regular pedal bike and one that is exclusively motorized. Pedego’s e-bike line consists of 18 different styles that come in a variety of colors.

The bicycles, which can travel at speeds up to 20 mph, recharge through a standard wall outlet, Soisson said.

Soisson said he selected Harrisburg, and, specifically Strawberry Square, for its central location in the metropolitan area, in addition to its proximity to bike routes and the Capital Area Greenbelt.

“This is a tremendous new business for downtown Harrisburg,” said Brad Jones, president and CEO of Harristown Enterprises, which owns Strawberry Square. “Electric bikes are exploding in popularity nationwide, and this location in Strawberry Square is ideally suited for this use.”

This will be the first Pedego retailer in Pennsylvania, Soisson said. The next-closest locations are in Maryland and Virginia, he said.

“We’re excited to be here in Harrisburg,” he said. “We think there’s a niche in this market, a gap in this market, that we want to fill.”

In addition to bike sales, the shop will rent out bikes, give bike tours and have a repair and maintenance component.

Soisson, who’s also a realtor, said he planned to spend most of his work time in the new store.

“I’ve been looking for something to do with my parents,” he said. “The timing was just right.”

To learn more about Pedego Electric Bikes, visit their website.

Dawson’s Peak: Local architect sets his vision on Harrisburg.

March 31, 2020 | by Diane White McNaughton

There’s a reason that Chris Dawson gets up at 4 a.m. every day.

Call it “passion.” Call it “curiosity.” Call it the attainment of “critical mass” in a historic city he has not only embraced but started to reshape.

Dawson is the reason that many buildings in the Burg, from apartments to eateries to offices, now feature just the right blend of lighting, space, materials and effective solutions to the challenges of modern living.

He is the founder of CDA, headquartered in the heart of downtown Harrisburg. Founded 11 years ago, his firm now has a staff of nine, with four certified architects who share his focus on creative problem solving.

Dawson, tall and graceful, sits in his office high above 2nd Street as classical music plays softly, pendant lighting hovers over large desks and a royal blue accent wall injects color into the room. He has a contemplative way of speaking about his craft.

”For every project, we look at it as a unique condition that we are trying to develop a solution for,” he said.

Artistic Side
Dawson’s guiding philosophy shapes every design: architecture is art. That belief was solidified when a former employer had a difference of creative vision and argued, “Look, Chris, this is not an art.”

He disagreed, so much so that his own firm’s motto became, “Art is architecture.”

Dawson credits early childhood experiences for his choice of profession—from his Lego obsession to bike trips around the neighborhood to study interesting buildings. Ultimately, he attended Syracuse University for architecture, with additional training at Harvard and Cornell.

He graduated college in 1993 and found himself thrown into a slow job market. He bartended briefly before a Lancaster architectural firm picked him up. He went on to work for a firm in York before opting to open an office in Harrisburg. He and his wife Tracie hope to move downtown someday, after their two children finish school.

“Harrisburg has a lot of potential,” he said. “The Capitol complex is stunningly beautiful.”

Few places take you from a bustling urban center to the heart of rural America so rapidly, he noted. He also saw the “need for more contemporary design” in the capital city.

“There’s a hunger for it,” he said.

When he talks, the names of his favorite architects and buildings fall like rain: Philadelphia legend Louis Kahn, Italy’s Carlo Scarpa (“as good as it gets”).

Dawson’s work includes a list of notable local projects from the last few years: the Hershey Library, Elementary Coffee Co., the West Shore Theatre, the King Mansion, WebFX and Milton Hershey School. He hosted an exhibit in the Susquehanna Art Museum titled, “Towards a New/Old Architecture,” which spotlighted the challenge of meshing contemporary touches with aging buildings.

As a testament to his art, CDA was the first firm in Harrisburg to be awarded a Pennsylvania Design Excellence Award from the American Institute of Architects.

“It’s more than engineering,” he said. “It’s the artistic side.”

Thoughtful
So, is there a trademark Dawson style?

He hopes not.

While he may have a contemporary flair, he emphasizes that the end product should be the client’s vision—a “collaboration” that “stands the test of time.”

“Budgets are a big driver in Pennsylvania,” he acknowledged. “A simpler, more streamlined aesthetic helps the budget as a whole.”

Going forward, Dawson has lined up a series of significant projects, among them Harrisburg’s MLK City Government Center. That project includes the renovation of City Council chambers, restrooms and elevators to make them more inviting and more accessible, with the first phase slated for completion by the end of 2020.

City officials lamented the lack of a true King presence there, other than his name and a small bust. So, plans include installation of a large image of King in the atrium, with an enlarged quote, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

CDA also is collaborating with Harristown Development Corp. on a proposed 10-story tower for the 300-block of Market Street, on the site of the former Rite Aid store. That building, still in the planning phase, will feature street-level retail, midlevel office and upper-level residential.

Dawson has already worked extensively with Harristown, including for the 2016 conversion of office space above El Sol on S. 3rd Street into residential units—Fifteen at 22, aka F@TT.

“We use Chris a lot,” Harristown CEO Brad Jones said. “Chris is very good with architectural imagery and schematic designs. He’s a very creative guy and a thoughtful problem-solver.”

Dawson also has completed projects in places like Ohio, Oklahoma and Europe. His staff includes Sara Sweeney, Jim White, Molly Mank and Allison Krichman.

Dawson, who just turned 50, notes that young people today expect good design, like they have in their high-tech iPhones.

“Good design should be built into their environment,” he said. “It’s not just what you put in your pocket.”

He laments buildings that are not “thoughtful.” Buildings that are slapped together “have no soul in them,” he said. So, he pours his soul into every space he envisions.

“Creating a beautiful space to live, work, eat and drink coffee has a tangible effect on people,” he said.

Chris Dawson Architect (CDA) is located at 300 N. 2nd St., Suite 701, Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-805-5090 or visit www.chrisdawsonarchitect.com.

February News Digest

February 28, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Gaming Grants Awarded

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

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

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

Jackson Rooming House and Swallow Mansion: $75,000 to Vice Capital for renovating the buildings on the 1000-block of N. 6th Street
Midtown Cinema: $50,000 for a major lobby and façade renovation
Open Stage: $50,000 for phase three of its renovation project
com: $60,000 for demolition of two blighted buildings on the 1400-block of N. 3rd Street
Whitaker Center: $100,000 for updates and improvements to its STEM learning gallery
The Nativity School: $50,000 for new school facility renovation
Homeland Center: $24,000 for security infrastructure improvements
Stephen’s Episcopal School: $20,000 for school safety and security improvements

Harrisburg city will receive two grants:

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

Other Harrisburg-based projects include:

Capital Area Transit: $96,500 for transportation services for veterans
The Salvation Army: $25,000 for a new generator
Dauphin County Library System: $40,000 for patron computer upgrades
Keystone Service Systems: $43,000 for Capital Area Head Start outdoor education space
Harrisburg University: $75,000 for HUE Invitational security services and technology
Downtown Daily Bread: $10,000 for installation of air conditioning in day shelter
Midtown Action Council: $5,000 for historic marker revitalization expansion project
National Civil War Museum: $16,000 for reduction of debt
Sankofa 21 Institute: $6,000 for student technology initiative
Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority: $100,000 to administer the Foundation for Enhancing Communities/IIPT Harrisburg Peace Promenade Commonwealth Monument Project

Each year, the commissioners make these awards based upon the recommendation of the county’s five-member Gaming Advisory Board. Last year, the county awarded $6.4 million in grants to about 60 projects.

More Downtown Apartments OK’d

More apartments are headed to downtown Harrisburg, as a split City Council has approved Harristown’s latest building plan.

By a 4-3 vote, council approved a proposal to convert a Market Square office building to residential use.

South Second Associates LLC, a development group led by Harristown Enterprises, plans to build out 30 one- and two-bedroom units from the former home of the Skarlatos Zonarich law firm, which has relocated to Strawberry Square. Rents are expected to range from $1,100 to $1,400 a month, depending on square footage and the numbers of bedrooms and bathrooms.

The developers originally planned to retain the building for offices, but couldn’t find an anchor tenant, which led to a change to residential use.

Council President Wanda Williams objected to the project and voted against it, joined by council members Ausha Green and Danielle Bowers.

Williams said she that, for years, she has urged Harristown to meet with the city or with such entities as the Harrisburg Housing Authority to include units that would meet some undefined standard of affordable housing.

“I informed you three or fours years ago that I want to see a percentage for inclusionary or affordable housing,” Williams said.

Council member Shamaine Daniels, however, said that the city shouldn’t expect a specific developer to provide affordable housing when the city itself lacks an affordable housing statute. In fact, she placed blame on council itself for inaction.

“The leadership really comes from council or the mayor,” she said. “I think it’s unfair to hold individuals responsible for lack of leadership on our own part.”

Williams has said that she expects to introduce an affordable housing ordinance later this year.

Over the past several years, Harristown has invested tens of millions of dollars to convert substandard, often vacant, downtown office space into new, market-rate apartments. It currently is signing leases for two newly renovated apartment buildings on Pine Street.

Jones said that he expects the renovation of the Market Square building, located at 17 S. 2nd St., to begin this spring and be completed early next year.

Arcade Debated

Harrisburg City Council last month introduced a resolution that would transfer ownership of the Strawberry Square arcade.

Harristown Development Corp. is asking council to transfer the arcade—the elevated walkway that connects Strawberry Square to the Hilton Harrisburg—to the Strawberry Square Condominium Association.

Neal West, Harristown senior vice president and president of the condominium association, said that they would like a permanent solution for the 66-foot-long enclosed pedestrian pathway. The city is supposed to pay for maintenance of the arcade, estimated at $70,000 per year, but Harristown has been footing that cost for decades.

Moreover, Harristown has invested some $500,000 over the years to reconstruct and upgrade portions of the arcade, and more costly improvements are needed now, West said.

In 2015, Strawberry Square became a condominium, co-owned by Harristown and the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority, which has transferred its board seats to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as state workers occupy the majority of office space in Strawberry Square.

If council approves the transfer, ongoing expenses would be split between Harristown and the commonwealth, West said. Because the arcade generates no revenue, yet has expenses, its value is negative, he said.

Currently, Harristown has a month-to-month agreement with the city to maintain the arcade, so could exit it at any time.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that his administration believes it’s in the city’s interest to be relieved of potential maintenance and upgrade expenses.

“The liabilities associated with maintaining the arcade properly are more than the city is in a financial position to want to bear,” Papenfuse said.

Several council members wanted assurance that the arcade would remain open to the public if the city no longer owned it.

“The public use would remain in place,” West said. “People would continue to have full use and benefit of the arcade.”

CASA Expansion Ahead

The Capital Area School for the Arts is moving on up—to the third floor of Strawberry Square.

Starting next academic year, CASA will expand by one floor, into space once occupied by Gamut Theatre.

“The move is exciting for us,” said CEO and Principal Tim Wendling. “The improvements will allow CASA to support additional STEAM learning opportunities as well as sustain our academic needs well into the future.”

More than four years ago, Gamut relocated from its long-time home in Strawberry Square to the former First Church of God across N. 4th Street in downtown Harrisburg. Strawberry Square owner Harristown Enterprises has been searching since for a tenant for that third-floor space.

“It’s an ideal space for CASA to cement their future in Strawberry Square,” said Brad Jones, Harristown president and CEO. “Over time, they’ve really grown to find this to be a unique and opportune space for their campus.”

A public charter school, CASA offers full-day high school education for 200 students from 30 central Pennsylvania school districts.

According to CASA, the new, third-floor space above the food court will add classrooms, a science lab and several other academic spaces, bringing the school’s footprint to about 25,000 square feet over the first and third floors of Strawberry Square.

For the past several years, CASA has been leasing additional classroom space from Temple University Harrisburg, which is located on the other end of the office, residential and retail complex. The expansion should eliminate the need for that space.

Work on the new space, totaling about 10,000 square feet, is expected to start soon, with completion in time for the 2020-21 school year. To pay for the lease and the build-out, the CASA Charter School Foundation has begun a campaign to raise $1.6 million.

To contribute to the CASA Charter School Foundation’s capital campaign, visit www.CASAFound.org.

Monument Receives Funds

A monument honoring voting rights and Harrisburg history is a step closer to reality, as the project last month received more than $100,000 in new funding.

At a city hall press conference, the Commonwealth Monument Project received several large checks and pledges that will enable work to begin on critical aspects of the multi-part statue.

The city, the Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC) and philanthropist Peggy Grove all announced additional support for the monument planned for the lawn of the Capitol’s Irvis office building at N. 4th and Walnut streets.

“It’s a wonderful and incredibly important day,” said Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “The monument, which has been a vision for so long, will become a reality.”

In its 2020 budget, the city pledged $25,000 to help build the base of the monument if organizers could raise a $25,000 matching grant. TFEC now has provided that match.

The $360,000 monument, called “A Gathering at the Crossroads,” consists of three distinct aspects, all crafted by Lancaster-based A.R.T. Enterprises.

The first, the orator’s pedestal, depicts scenes of Harrisburg’s old 8th Ward, which was demolished to expand the Capitol complex. It already has been completed.

The second consists of life-sized figures of four important figures in Harrisburg history: civil rights activist William Howard Day, journalist and lawyer Thomas Morris Chester, musician and restaurateur Jacob T. Compton and abolitionist and suffragist Francis Ellen Walker Harper.

In addition to honoring the demolished 8th Ward, the monument is a tribute to voting rights—specifically, the U.S. Constitution’s 15th and 19th amendments, which secured the vote for African Americans and for women, respectively.

The project’s third aspect is the base of the monument, which the $50,000 donation will fund.

Grove, who had already helped fund the monument’s pedestal, then announced additional support by the Grove Family Fund for two of the four statues.

Besides raising money, the monument’s executive committee has succeeded in receiving legislative approval to site the monument on the grounds of the Capitol complex.

Festivals on Tap for March

Two celebrations, just weeks apart, will mean a busy March around downtown Harrisburg.

First up, on March 7, the city will host its third annual Ice and Fire Festival. The one-day event closes down a portion of N. 2nd Street for free ice skating in the street, children’s activities, music, food trucks, fire dancers and other fun events, capped off by a dozen or so ice sculptures.

Two weeks later, on March 21, downtown again will spring to life with a number of St. Patrick’s Day events.

Activities begin at noon for what’s become the start of the long race season in Harrisburg, with the Lucky Charm 5K/10K. At 2 p.m., the run becomes a slow walk as the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade begins to wind its way through the downtown.

The parade will feature six Irish pipe and drum bands, fire trucks, floats, Irish dance groups and other entertainers, in addition to numerous food trucks.

“We are pleased to be hosting this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade and are excited to show off more of our downtown business community,” said Todd Vander Woude, executive director of the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District. “We invite you and your family to join us for a great day downtown.”

Several downtown streets will close for the Ice and Fire Festival and St. Patrick’s Day events, which both occur on Saturdays. Four hours of free parking are available in downtown metered spots by using the Parkmobile app with code “LUVHBG.”

Home Sales, Prices Up

Harrisburg area home sales and prices rose significantly in January, with strong sales data from both Dauphin and Cumberland counties.

Overall, housing sales in the three-county region climbed to 494 units versus 350 in January 2019, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR). The median sales price increased to $182,000, up by 7.1 percent year-over-year.

In Dauphin County, sales surged to 240 housing units compared to 179 in the year-ago period, while the median sales price rose to $171,000 versus $152,500, said GHAR.

Cumberland County also had a strong month, with sales rising to 229 units versus 154 in January 2019, according to GHAR. The median sales price increased to $196,900 from $182,500 in the year-ago period.

In Perry County, sales also were up, totaling 25 units versus 17 a year ago, but the median sales price decreased to $138,000 from $170,000, GHAR said.

According to GHAR, average days on the market in its coverage area dropped substantially, standing at 42 days in January, down 28.8 percent from the year-ago period.

So Noted

Downtown Harrisburg last month was hit by a substantial water main break. About 200 customers were either without water or had to boil their water for several days after a large crack developed in an 82-year-old pipe.

Harrisburg University has announced two more major outdoor concerts in Riverfront Park. Alt-rockers Cage the Elephant are slated to play on June 18 and DJs Steve Aoki and Deorro on June 26. In January, HU said that Riverfront Park also will be the site of a June 4 concert by the Icelandic band, Of Monsters and Men.

Just Baked Cakes & Pies held its grand opening last month inside of Midtown Scholar Bookstore in the former space of P&R Bakery. Owner Tammy Worthy-Jones heads up the eatery, which specializes in cheesecakes and also offers cookies, puddings, pies, sandwiches, soups and breakfast items.

Matthew Herren last month was named the new executive director of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. Herren, originally from Lancaster, will replace Jeff Woodruff, who is retiring after 17 years in the position. Most recently, Herren served as executive director of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas.

Changing Hands

Boas St., 221: R. Sabo to S. Hart, $119,000

Briggs St., 221: G. Dori to D. Thomas, $187,000

Chestnut St., 2015: A. & G. Griffith to SPG Capital LLC, $45,000

Chestnut St., 2312: P. & J. Vander Kraats to A. & L. Myers, $140,000

Croyden Rd., 2968: A. Snyder to M. Cabrera & R. Gonzalez, $70,000

Derry St., 2345: Charles A. Sterret Investments & W. Klinger to SNB Real Estate Solutions LLC, $42,000

Derry St., 2503: S. & A. Cornick to J. Cornwall, $50,000

Division St., 507: H. Fox Jr. to A. McKonly, $44,500

Duke St., 2435: J. Smith & Genesis Opportunity Development Corp. to Genesis Opportunity Development Corp., $45,000

Emerald St., 231: Federal National Mortgage Association to H. & B. Reyes, $72,000

Forster St., 1927 & 1929: R. Mosley to K. Santamaria, $75,000

Girard St., 745: American Escrow & Closing Co. to SPG Capital LLC, $47,500

Green St., 910: J. Foreman to D. & L. Williams, $197,000

Green St., 1615: J. Scott to B. Kerstetter, $150,000

Green St., 1910: C. Reinhold & K. Hurst to D. Greenstein & M. Feldman, $219,900

Green St., 1928: J. Hardie & T. Craven to M. Stilegman, $225,000

Hale Ave., 453: KDW Real Estate Holdings LLC to Z. Garba, $31,000

Harris St., 236: Hari Group LLP to K. Kinyua, $135,000

Herr St., 1408: L. Proctor to E. Canchani, $45,000

Kensington St., 2357: J. Liddick to J. & M. Ranck, $58,700

Linden St., 109, 111, 113, 115, 117, 117½, 119, 119½ and 100 & 112 N. 13th St.: CPenn Patriot Properties Midtown LLC to G. Radon, $135,000

Lewis St., 210: T. Keller to Smith Della Porta Investments LLC, $72,500

Logan St., 2247: D. Mitchell to CR Property Group LLC, $30,000

North St., 2022: FBTB Group to D. Watson, $60,000

N. 2nd St., 817: HCH Investments LP to N&R Group LLC, $180,000

N. 2nd St., 1013: M. Weiss & M. Marsico to V. French, $105,000

N. 2nd St., 1503: J&S Estates LLC to C. Carlsen, $184,000

N. 2nd St., 1622: J. & M. Quigley to Three Bridges Holdings LLC, $67,500

N. 2nd St., 1624: J. & M. Quigley to Three Bridges Holdings LLC, $67,500

N. 3rd St., 1116: Tang & Perkins Property Management LLC to Capozzi & Ehring Realty LLC, $330,000

N. 3rd St., 2317 & 2319: Sam Hill Properties to DAG EKG Properties LLC, $187,000

N. 3rd St., 2333: 2333 N. 3rd Street LLC to S. Linder, $133,000

N. 3rd St., 3115: M. Bhatti to Equitable Rentals LLC, $97,000

N. 3rd St., 3200: Riverside Methodist Church to Kesher Israel Congregation of Harrisburg Pennsylvania, $176,000

N. 5th St., 2630: CitiMortgage Inc. to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $45,600

N. 13st St., 116: C. Castagneto to T. Gilmore, $35,000

N. 18th St., 73: B. Boyer & J. Hoover to E. Morris & C. Perez, $38,000

Norwood St., 919: H. Greene to D. De Jesus, $85,000

Park St., 1939: K. Lewis to L. Long Jr., $60,000

Paxton St., 1621: E. & Q. Rivera to L. & L. Morales, $35,000

Penn St., 1707: M. Carson to J. Becker & K. Talada, $126,900

Penn St., 2231: O. & N. Banting to T. Astuto, $105,000

Radnor St., 403: BJ Cvetko to T. Brown, $110,000

Radnor St., 630: 630 Radnor Street PA LLC to T. Gassert, $30,000

Radnor St., 631: H. Yellets Jr. to J. Fernandez, $32,000

Rudy Rd., 2130: Derry Street Evangelical Church to G. Brown, $100,000

S. 15th St., 922: PA Deals LLC to S. Chatman, $118,000

S. 19th St., 231: P. Trustey to HBK Properties 1 LLC, $41,000

S. 24th St., 608: D. & A. Hoyt to S. Welch, $160,000

S. 25th St., 438: CR Property Group LLC to M. Anwar & B. Sakina, $82,500

S. 25th St., 640: D. Hoffman to J. Regalado, $42,000

S. 27th St., 661: R. Bowser to SPG Capital LLC, $85,000

Susquehanna St., 1330: Frog Hollow Associates LLC to Green Scapes Investments LLC, $55,000

Verbeke St., 208: C. Malloy & K. Sica to J. & J. Weaver, $99,900

Vernon St., 1409: Tang & Perkins Property Management LLC to Green Book Enterprise LLC, $107,999

Woodbine St., 222: I. Sweets to K. Robinson, $36,000

Woodlawn St., 2201: Harrisburg Lodge 12 Order of Elks Assoc. to Full Circle Music Inc., $230,000

Harrisburg property sales for January 2020, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

Harrisburg, Harristown ponder the future of the Strawberry Square arcade

February 14, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg is considering transferring ownership of the Strawberry Square arcade.

If you live in the Harrisburg area, there’s a good chance you’ve strolled through the Strawberry Square arcade at least once—maybe hundreds of times.

Have you ever wondered: Who owns this thing?

It turns out that the city owns it, though that may not be the case for long.

At a recent City Council work session, Harristown Development Corp. made a pitch to transfer the arcade—the elevated walkway that connects Strawberry Square to the Hilton Harrisburg—to the Strawberry Square Condominium Association.

“The public use would remain in place,” said Neal West, Harristown senior vice president and legal counsel. “People would continue to have full use and benefit of the arcade.”

West, who is also president of the condominium association, told council members that Harristown has absorbed the cost of maintaining the city-owned property for decades, but would like a permanent solution for the 66-foot-long enclosed pedestrian pathway.

West explained that the arcade was built in two parts—the first part in 1979 and the second in 1989, with Harristown footing the bill for construction.

The city, as owner, was supposed to pay for the maintenance, estimated at about $70,000 per year, but the city stopped reimbursing Harristown for that expense in the early 1990s, accumulating a debt of $404,000 by 1998. Subsequent agreements relieved the city of that debt and of additional maintenance payments through today.

Moreover, Harristown has invested some $500,000 over the years to reconstruct and upgrade portions of the arcade, West said. And, he said, more improvements are needed now, including HVAC and structural work to even out the temperature in the arcade, which can fluctuate wildly from one area to the next.

“There is a need for upgrades,” he said. “We have estimates anywhere from $250,000 to $500,000.”

The arcade extends over N. 3rd Street in downtown Harrisburg.

City council member Ausha Green asked what the city would get from the arcade transfer.

“The benefit to the city would be that they don’t have to pay the operating expenses going forward,” West replied.

Currently, Harristown has a month-to-month agreement with the city to maintain the arcade, so could exit it at any time.

Council President Wanda Williams asked why the city wanted to transfer the arcade at this time.

“What’s the urgency now?” she said. “I’d like more time to delve into this. We just got this tonight.”

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that Harrisburg’s facilities manager examined the situation, and the administration believes it’s in the city’s interest to be relieved of potential maintenance and upgrade expenses.

“The liabilities associated with maintaining the arcade properly are more than the city is in a financial position to want to bear,” Papenfuse said. “Harristown has the resources and the ability to properly maintain the arcade, and that is a benefit to our residents.”

He added that the city has much better use for its capital improvement funds, such as repairing city hall or the decrepit public safety building next door.

“We have a lot of assets in the city and limited resources,” he said. “We don’t need to be spending it on an arcade, which we are not getting any benefit from at all.”

Several council members wanted assurance that the arcade would remain open to the public if the city no longer owned it.

“It would be treated just like the common areas of Strawberry Square,” West said.

Councilman Dave Madsen said he would collect questions from fellow council members for any additional information they want before putting the issue to a vote.

Council has the option of voting at its next legislative session, which is slated for Feb. 25. If it doesn’t do so, the city and Harristown presumably would extend their month-to-month agreement into March.

CASA to expand presence, take more space in Strawberry Square

February 12, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

The CASA sign outside of Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg.

The Capital Area School for the Arts is moving on up—to the third floor of Strawberry Square.

Starting next academic year, CASA will expand by one floor, into space once occupied by Gamut Theatre.

More than four years ago, Gamut relocated from its long-time home in Strawberry Square to the former First Church of God across N. 4^th Street in downtown Harrisburg. Strawberry Square owner Harristown Enterprises has been searching since for a tenant for that third-floor space.

A public charter school, CASA offers full-day high school education for 200 students from 30 central Pennsylvania school districts.

Work on the new space, totaling about 10,000 square feet, is expected to start soon, with completion in time for the 2020-21 school year.

To pay for the lease and the build-out, the CASA Charter School Foundation has begun a campaign to raise $1.6 million.

The Capital Area School for the Arts (CASA) is located in Strawberry Square, downtown Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.casaarts.org. To contribute to the CASA Charter School Foundation’s capital campaign, visit www.CASAfound.org.

Head and the Heart: At Tomboys, caring comes with the cut.

December 30, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

Dani Waters. Photo by Dani Fresh.

Dani Waters tries to avoid being asked what she does for a living.

Far too many times, she’s answered that question, only to receive quizzical looks.

“I’m a barber,” she says.

“Don’t you mean a hair dresser?” replies the questioner.

Meanwhile, Waters holds back a sharp comment and an eye roll.

There are over a dozen barbershops in Harrisburg, but women barbers are harder to find. Barbers like Waters have to prove themselves over and over to show that they don’t only trim layers and touch up roots, but can work magic with a razor.

Sometimes, it takes tricks like going by Dani instead of Daniél, to get customers in the door, but even that isn’t foolproof. Men have walked into her shop thinking they were getting a male barber and were hesitant to stay when they saw a woman. One guy even walked out.

“I’ve had to prove myself,” Waters said.

Working her way up over the years hasn’t been quick or easy, but she now owns her own business, Tomboys Barbershop, in downtown Harrisburg.

Beauty School Dropout

Waters has been doing hair since she was a kid. Whether it was family members or her Barbie dolls, she made each look good.

Once she grew up, she tried her hand at beauty school, but left after making it only a third of the way.

“I didn’t feel like I fit into salon culture,” she said.

Waters went back to college while caring for three children as a single mom, but couldn’t stop doing people’s hair. It was her thing. Still feeling drawn to the profession, she decided she would go to barber school this time. Spoiler alert—she loved it.

She worked for a few years at Lords and Ladies Hair Salon and later, at a friend’s shop, before opening her first shop, Capital Shave Club, in Lemoyne. She was able to open a snug, 320-square-foot studio with $2,000 that she had raised through client donations.

That space served her well for two years, but, with her client base growing, she dreamed of a bigger place.

For years, Waters eyed a spot in downtown Harrisburg. It was four times the size of her Lemoyne shop and was situated in the heart of the city. She saved up money, wondering when the time would come that she could finally get her coveted spot on N. 3rd Street, a storefront that’s part of Strawberry Square.

In the beginning of December, she finally opened Tomboys Barbershop. There are four chairs in the shop, which resembles what she described as a “really nice, high-end, finished garage.”

“We offer salon services, but in a barbershop environment,” Waters said. “You can still get the pampering.”

Tomboys Barbershop does both men’s and women’s washes and cuts and offers manicures and pedicures for both, as well. These do not include nail polish so that men aren’t intimidated, and it eliminates the “nail shop smells.”

“It’s a place where you can hang out,” she said. “You can stop in on your lunch break and see who’s in the chair getting their hair cut. It’s really nice when you walk by and see your friends.”

An Artist

For Waters, her work isn’t just about making people look good, but about making them feel welcome and comfortable.

“I prepare people for job interviews,” she said. “I see them before their funerals, their graduations, their weddings and every major life event. I’m there for them, and I help them prepare mentally and physically.”

The relationships she has built mean more to her than the haircuts she’s given. Not only does she help her clients and talk them through rough life situations, but they are there for her, too.

She told the story of a client who would bring her meals to each appointment, knowing she was in the midst of a busy time in life.

“Dani is an artist in every respect of the word,” said David Roth, who has been a client for over four years. “Her listening skills are unparalleled. That’s what makes her largely successful.”

Roth recalled many times that they have opened up to each other about things in their personal lives, with the knowledge that whatever is shared stays in the chair. Over the years, he said, she has become a friend.

Johnny Baer is another client who Waters has seen for years. He remembers looking for a new barber and being nervous if she would cut his hair just as he likes it.

“She did a great job, and she’s been my barber ever since,” he said.

Although Baer said he and Waters have very different personalities, they can talk about anything and everything.

“She has a unique personality that is infectious,” he said.

Waters loves working with a wide range of customers and welcomes a challenge, like styling hair that is difficult to tame or helping non-English speaking and special needs clients. It all comes back to the people.

“Barbers are at the hub of their community, right at the core, right at the center you have your barbershop,” she said. “This business legitimately is my dream.”

Tomboys Barbershop is located at 3 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.capital-shave-club.business.site.

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