The Harrisburg Area Thread

[LivingMoon]

Good for Harrisburg, but...if you are standing on the bottom rung of the ladder and fall off, it's not a big deal to get back up there.

[danwxman]

Originally Posted by LivingMoon

Good for Harrisburg, but...if you are standing on the bottom rung of the ladder and fall off, it's not a big deal to get back up there.

This doesn't make any sense. The economy in the region has been very strong and suffered very little compared to the national economy. Our unemployment rate has been consistently lower then the national average and even the state average.

[danwxman]

Harrisburg has had no shortage of new businesses opening up even with the uncertainty over the future of city government and taxes. Here are a few that have opened up in the past couple months or are about to open:

Downtown:
-Scorpion Glass gallery and retail store selling hand-made glass merchandise on 200 block of 2nd street
-Java Internet Cafe & Coffee Shop on the 200 block of 2nd street (opening in January)
-Vixen Salon on 100 block of 3rd street
-Eclipse dance club has become "Reflex" 80's themed night club

Midtown:
-Blue Denim selling upscale designer jeans and accessories on 1000 block of 3rd
-Two Brother's Pizzeria and Cafe at 3rd & Reily (opening in March)
-Sprint/Nextel 1400 block of 3rd street (opening soon)

[ki0eh]

Originally Posted by danwxman

...the uncertainty over the future of city government...

Boy, if we had our own sub-forum we'd be doing a lot of talking about that, like the NEPA forum folks do about Chris Doherty in Scranton.

[danwxman]

Originally Posted by ki0eh

Boy, if we had our own sub-forum we'd be doing a lot of talking about that, like the NEPA forum folks do about Chris Doherty in Scranton.

Yea, can you imagine if all the Pennlive folks started posting here? It would probably drive just as much if not more traffic then the Northeast PA forum.

[cocaco]

We are looking at a house for sale in Lancaster County - outside Elizabethtown which my husband is in love with but I think is overpriced and may be too large to care for (but would work for a home/business in one location). We would look at others if we could find others who meet our criteria. I am looking for a large (preferably stone) house with some character. I would like information on the area, if there would be a need for a European Bakery type business (or suggestions for other types!) - anything good or bad that we should know before making a life decision to move to the area. Thanks!
When are you moving? We are ready anytime but not in a bind. Would like to be somewhere by fall.
Where are you coming from? North Eastern Colorado where we owned a 10,000 acre cattle ranch that also was a guest ranch. www.coloradocattlecompany.com
Why are you moving? We sold the business so are now homeless and unemployed but have a nice sized nest egg to relocate and live on.
Where will you be working? We will not have to work, however we have been self employed all our lives and will go insane if we are not busy. I would like to open either a European Bakery or a European Bakery with a tea room/event room attached just for fun. I have quite a bit of experience in this area, and two of our daughters are pastry chefs in Europe and would enjoy participating in a family business if life permits. My husbands business is sales/service of a special kind of backhoe attachment from Sweden that is more articulated than normal backhoes so he can be located anywhere.
Have you been here yet? Yes, we found a house for sale online just outside E-Town that my husband is in love with which is historic and beautifully restored. We have visited PA twice now, once in Lancaster County (which I thought was great) and once to the Poconos to look at a house there. I did not like the cities (Allentown, Lancaster, Harrisburg for example) to live in but I did like the area outside of town and all the little towns in between. As you can imagine it is much more urban than we are used to - I mean we are from the back of beyond - but Lancaster County is still rural enough to feel as though we have a little space yet close enough to the cities to go shopping or to explore. And we can still see cattle and horses so we don't go in to total culture shock.

Will you buy or rent? We have to invest in something or give more money to the government, so we would be purchasing a home/business or separate home and business locations
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? House for sure - I will need a little acreage to be comfortable. How much can you spend? $1,700,000.00

Are you married or single? Married Do you have children? Five grown children and three grandchildren with a huge extended family such as this we are interested in a large house that everyone can come home to - the homestead at the ranch was pretty big and we had thirty bedrooms in the compound so we are downsizing but still need some space.
Do you prefer public or private schools? N/A
Do you have pets? Yes, two dogs
Do you want or need a yard? Yes
Are you keeping a car? Yes, I have a PT Cruiser, my husband has a pickup truck and we also have a large SUV that we needed to get in and out of the ranch during the winter.
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? Calm and Quiet but close (we had to drive over a hundred miles to get to a good mall before - 70 miles to wal mart - I want to be closer)

What do you want to be closest to?

Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.) Basic Services are all we need close

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? We get along with most everyone - we ran a guest ranch - I have friends of all colors, sexual preferences, ages, races and religions, my husband is from Sweden, I have a son in law from France and we have two daughters living in Europe so we are a diverse family. We keep to ourselves somewhat and are respectful of everyones life choices - that is what makes the world so interesting.

Phillies, Pirates or Mets? I have no idea - I assume these are sports teams - we lived in the outback - I didn't even have TV.

[pman]

I'd think such a bakery would do well in one of the places you don't like (like lancaster city, maybe in the central market?) or in elizabethtown. lancaster city seems to be on the up and up. I was shocked to see so many young people on a recent visit to the lancaster brewery but it is in need of quality businesses.

[danwxman]

Once again, excellent reporting from the Central Penn Business Journal on municipal fragmentation and the issues it causes in Pennsylvania.

One for all - Central Penn Business Journal

[danwxman]

Article on the emergence of "Coffee Row" and the continued redevelopment of Midtown Harrisburg: No Jive: It's Java Time in Midtown Harrisburg

[pman]

Harrisburg planning commission Thursday will hold the first in a series of three public meetings to inform people and get input on a draft of the city's proposed new zoning code.
The draft was put together under the previous administration of former Mayor Stephen R. Reed. City officials at the time said the overhaul was the first done of the zoning code in more than 50 years.
The draft code reduces the number of zoning districts from 29 to 12, increases public notice requirements for different land use applications and would increase the requirement for open space in the city from 266 acres to 942 acres.
Thursday's meeting will be 7 p.m. in Room 118 of the Midtown campus of Harrisburg Area Community College at 1500 N. Third St.

Harrisburg planning commission Thursday starts public meetings on new draft city zoning code | Breaking Midstate News with The Patriot-News -
also of note, this beautiful space is for rent

The Quarter bar and restaurant along Harrisburg’s Restaurant Row is for sale, according to its owner, Braam Hattingh. "I want to spend time with my kids. I need more time. The restaurant business is not for someone with young kids," he said.
The 20,000-square-foot New Orleans French Quarter-theme restaurant at 321 N. Second St. remains open for business, he said. The sale price is $2.2 million, according to the Bill Gladstone Group with NAI CIR in Wormleysburg.
Hattingh opened the Quarter in 2006 with four levels, including a basement speakeasy jazz club, first floor restaurant with outdoor seating, third floor game area with pool tables and a fourth-floor dance area. The sale includes the liquor license, restaurant equipment, furniture and fixtures.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/ind...t_and_bar.html