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Lebanon VA Med Center to add jobs
Thursday, January 15, 2009
BY BARBARA MILLER
Of Our Palmyra Bureau
About 450 new jobs will be added to the Lebanon VA Medical Center by 2011, officials said Wednesday.
Officials are waiting until a Friday news conference to give more details about the jobs, but said they are being added because Lebanon was selected to serve as a consolidated patient-account center serving VA locations in the Northeast from Maine to Delaware.
"This will just be a tremendous shot in the arm for the local economy," said Larry Bowman, president of Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce.
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"This is absolutely great news for this area," Bowman said. "Four hundred fifty good jobs obviously speaks well to the location for the VA in Lebanon County and also to the officials that are leading the organization."
The South Lebanon Twp.-based center, which opened in 1947, serves about 41,000 veterans a year and has about 1,350 workers.
Norm Faas, VA spokesman, said the vast majority of jobs will be new hires, although workers will have the opportunity to relocate. The new patient account center will provide traditional hospital business office functions, he said.
The jobs will help cement the federal government as the No. 1 employer in the county.
According to Lebanon County Economic Development Corp., the first place spot includes the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Army and the Postal Service.
The jobs come to a county with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state, Bowman said. Lebanon County's unemployment rate rose from 4.6 percent in October to 4.8 percent in November, he said.
Charles Blankenship, executive director of Lebanon Valley Economic Development Corp., said it could be the largest one-time influx of jobs the county has seen.
"In my three years here it's the most jobs, certainly within recent history," Blankenship said, adding that the positions fit well with the county's economic strategy of luring more white collar positions to the area.
Larry Stohler, chairman of Lebanon County commissioners, also welcomed the news.
"The VA's been a good employer here, besides providing a good service in the community for years," he said.
Midtown aiming for pre-sprawl character
Buildings being recycled with heavy emphasis on the environment
Monday, January 26, 2009
BY JOHN LUCIEW
Of The Patriot-News
Can you recycle a neighborhood?
The ambitious, environmentally conscious development firm formerly known as Powers & Associates is trying to do just that in Harrisburg's midtown.
Already, the Harrisburg-based firm, which recently changed its name to GreenWorks Development to project its environmentally friendly mission, has converted a vacant printing plant at North Third and Reily streets into the Harrisburg Area Community College's Midtown Campus.
Across Reily street, construction is well under way on a 75,000-square-foot retail and office building that will be powered by solar panels on the roof and heated and cooled with a geothermal system.
And that's just the beginning.
GreenWorks CEO Doug Neidich said he envisions building an integrated community in midtown where residents can live, work, play and learn, all without having to get into a car.
"You want a situation where people can get out from behind the wheel of their cars," Neidich said. "You want a sustainable lifestyle."
In many ways, the 1 million square feet of residential, retail and office space the company intends to build or rehabilitate are a throwback to the town-centered American lifestyle that existed before suburban sprawl.
If GreenWorks manages to pull off a truly integrated, self-sufficient community, it will have succeeded where previous plans, such as Vartan Village, fell short.
The late John O. Vartan hoped to transform 22 blocks just north of the GreenWorks project area into a no-automobile utopia of affordable housing and neighborhood shops.
Instead, the project came to naught. The city re-acquired the land, and another developer eventually turned a smaller section into town homes known as Capitol Heights.
The one constant is the appeal of the neighborhood.
Neidich said he hand-picked Harrisburg's midtown for his pro-environment experiment because it already boasted a tight-knit community of residents and retailers, along with plenty of vacant space where more could be built.
If all goes according to plan, Neidich said, this type of green urban renewal could be a blueprint for how future development can thrive without increasing the size of a community's carbon footprint.
"It's just a great canvas for this kind of development," said Neidich, whose company controls about 12 acres in the neighborhood.
The city's midtown, bounded by Forster, Front, Maclay and Sixth streets, also has a desirable location. It's just five blocks north of the state capital complex, close enough for residents to walk to work, or to attractions of downtown, but far enough away to feel like a real residential neighborhood.
Those charms have lured others well before Neidich and GreenWorks came along. For the most part, existing residents and businesses are generally welcoming the company and its grand plans.
"We're really lucky to have business people who have come in here with a real vision," said C.J. Elder, the president of the residents' group Friends of Midtown.
Elder, an eight-year resident, said the appeal of midtown comes down to a few seemingly basic qualities -- accessibility, openness and old-fashioned friendliness.
"I work downtown and I wanted to be able to walk to work," she said. "And I wanted to know my neighbors."
GreenWorks' heavy investment in the area -- already about $30 million and as much as $100 million planned over the next 10 years -- is attracting new businesses, such as Breads 'n Spreads, at 1419 N. Third St., and spurring existing ones, such as the Midtown Scholar Bookstore, to expand.
"There is a ripple effect, but somebody has to be the leader," said Midtown Scholar owner Eric Papenfuse, who estimated that he's investing nearly $1 million to expand in the former Fissel & Co. antiques store at 1302 N. Third St.
"There's no question that midtown always had plenty of potential, but [GreenWorks] came in and took the risk to do some bold things," Papenfuse said. "They deserve much of the credit."
The neighborhood also boasts the Broad Street Market, Harrisburg's farmers market, which also houses mom-and-pop grocers, bakers and restaurateurs.
Neidich said he'd like to build on the market's green appeal by working with the city and the market's nonprofit board to upgrade the facility.
"It's all part of an integrated community," Neidich said. "That's the local market."
Highlights of GreenWorks plans for Harrisburg's midtown:
# A $14 million renovation project at Third and Reily streets turned a blighted building into a home for Harrisburg Area Community College's building and trade programs.
# An $11 million office-and- retail complex at 1426 N. Third St. to be known as Campus Square is under construction across from the HACC building, and is scheduled to open this summer.
# A $1 million renovation of three structures at 1425, 1427 and 1429 N. Third St., will transform them into an 8,400-square-foot complex, including a new Fulton Bank branch. It's scheduled to open this summer.
# Upgrading the Midtown Cinema at its current location, 250 Reily St. No date has been set.
Local Jobs Picture Not Completely Bleak
posted 03/09/09 9:21 pm
Camp Hill - The unemployment rate has increased across the mid-state. The State Labor Department says the mid-state jobless rate was 6.4% in January--up more than a half-point from December. But there are some silver linings in that dark cloud.
The local jobless numbers are still below Pennsylvania and the nation. Cumberland County has the state's third lowest rate of unemployment. And there are several local companies that are opening up or growing.
The Lancaster County Convention Center and Lancaster Marriott is slated to open April 21st. Management is looking to hire more than 100 people.
They are not alone. Prudential in Camp Hill is looking to hire several Financial Services Associates along with three sales managers. "We train them. We develop them," said Michael Chiha of Prudential. "They do not require any sales experience whatsoever."
Just a few weeks ago the Arcelor-Mittal Steel USA plant in Steelton said it plans to add 200 new jobs. The former Bethlehem Steel plant currently employs about 700. Healthcare companies continue to do well. Back in January, Highmark Medicare Services in Camp Hill said it was adding 480 jobs after winning a big contract for processing claims from Ohio and Kentucky.
They are not alone. Prudential in Camp Hill is looking to hire several Financial Services Associates along with three sales managers. "We train them. We develop them," said Michael Chiha of Prudential. "They do not require any sales experience whatsoever."
Just a few weeks ago the Arcelor-Mittal Steel USA plant in Steelton said it plans to add 200 new jobs. The former Bethlehem Steel plant currently employs about 700. Healthcare companies continue to do well. Back in January, Highmark Medicare Services in Camp Hill said it was adding 480 jobs after winning a big contract for processing claims from Ohio and Kentucky.
Allison Hill really isn't located as far east as 22nd Street I believe. I've always thought of that neighborhood as being centered on 13th and Market or maybe 13th and Derry.
Allison Hill really isn't located as far east as 22nd Street I believe. I've always thought of that neighborhood as being centered on 13th and Market or maybe 13th and Derry.
There are a lot of different boundaries used for Allison Hill. It is generally considered by the media and populace now as anything "up there" beyond 13th street. The area around 13th and Derry is technically Mount Pleasant, actually (hence the name Mount Pleasant square).
Asian Mall to open in Harrisburg
by SUE GLEITER, Of The Patriot-News
Wednesday March 11, 2009, 9:35 AM
An Asian market, K-H Super Market, will open as early as next week at a new strip mall in the 1000 block of South 13th Street in Harrisburg.
Construction is to be completed next week at the Asian Mall, an indoor/outdoor shopping center that will house Asian businesses including a restaurant, video store, gift shop, travel agency, nail salon and a coffee shop and bakery.
General contractor Tom Nguyen of Geo Technology in York likened the strip mall to a "little Chinatown" and said it will cater mostly to the Asian community. He said all of the spaces in the mall have been leased, although not all of the businesses will be open by next week.
A Philadelphia-based group of investors purchased the property, which used to house Schaedler Yesco Distribution Inc. Crews have been renovating the warehouse space into the strip mall.
The K-H Super Market will be operated by the same owner who ran the 88 Supermarket on Cameron Street in Harrisburg, known for its selection of Asian ingredients such as fresh fish and seafood, vegetables and dry goods.
Residents of rural Londonderry Twp. are already looking at a proposed 966-home development. Now an even larger one is waiting in the wings.
A developer is working on plans to build up to 2,000 homes, including a retirement community, on the Lytle farm property that straddles Route 230 along Swatara Creek.
The first project, called School Heights Village, was unveiled before township officials last month. Set on 196 acres behind Saturday's Market on Route 230, the focal point of the village would be a 19.5-acre town center that would include stores, apartments and a village green.
Though the projects have the potential to greatly change the township -- which in the 2000 Census had just 5,200 people in 2,100 homes -- Londonderry officials said they've taken steps to retain the township's rural characteristics.
Both projects, which virtually create a small town with mix of residential, commercial and recreational uses, are in areas zoned for "traditional neighborhood developments" of 150 acres or more.
Steve Letavic, the township's manager, said rather than allowing one-acre housing plots to occur piecemeal -- "the definition of urban sprawl," he said -- the zoning saves prime farmland by steering large developments to certain areas along major roads.
"We feel a TND allows us to develop our land and still maintain our rural setting as we have had and hopefully will always have," said Daryl LeHew, the chairman of the township supervisors.
"The vast majority of the township will stay rural," LeHew said.
Letavic said the two projects will "tap out" most development land, other than a few smaller developments. The specially zoned areas also benefit taxpayers by requiring developers to provide community centers, retail and recreational facilities, he said.
The projects potentially will provide sewerage for some existing homes that need it, and they will bring bus service to the township, LeHew said.
Developer George Desmond, who purchased the Lytle farm, is working with an architect from Atlanta to finalize design plans, said Martin Dwyer, a real estate consultant working on the project.
Dwyer said that the plan application process could begin in the next two months, and that a meeting will be held with neighbors to address their concerns.
Dwyer said a goal is to include a Capital Area Transit bus station in the Lytle farm plan, so people will have transportation to the Middletown train station.
In addition to apartments, town houses and single-family homes, it will be an "aging-in-place community," Dwyer said.
The 100,000-200,000 square feet of commercial space in the plan won't be a shopping center, but a re-creation of a small downtown, he said.
Since the site is along the Swatara Creek, the plan could include a boat launch and fishing piers.
Dwyer also said the developer will set aside land for an elementary school that Sherri Smith, Lower Dauphin School District superintendent, said she requested.
Some neighbors said they have concerns about the development.
"I would much rather see the rural life. I've lived here almost 50 years. I'd like to see it stay some farms," said Mary Lingle of Roundtop Road.
Lingle said she fears the township's plan to keep the rest of the township rural will last "until the next farmer comes along and has to sell."
School Heights Village: 966 homes on 196 acres behind Saturday's Market on Route 230; 125,000 square feet of commercial space, a town center, community center, recreational areas. The plan will be presented to the Londonderry Twp. planning commission at 7 p.m. March 16 in the township building, 783 S. Geyers Church Road. Lytle farm: up to 2,000 homes on 340 acres on both sides of Route 230 along the Swatara Creek, including apartments, town houses, single-family homes, a retirement community, commercial space and recreational areas.
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It's good to see some TND (traditional neighborhood development) popping up in the Harrisburg area which has sprawled like the sunbelt the past 30 years. Also, it's nice that they plan to have public transit serve the new "village"....all too often public transit is missing from these TNDs.
I cant wait for the Asian Mall to open. They're gonna have a new vietnamese resaurant. If not, danwxman you should try Kim son, on south 21st & greenwood. theyre supposed to open a new location there soon.
ASIA MALL OPENS FOR BUSINESS IN SOUTH ALLISON HILL
Mayor Stephen R. Reed today cut the ribbon to officially dedicate the new Asia Mall, located at 1030 South 13th Street in South Allison Hill, which represents the opening of nine additional retail and food establishments in that neighborhood.
Reed said the Asia Mall is owned by Tang Van Le and Van Van Vy. The Asia Mall will be operated day-to-day by Thoa N. Vu. The 44,000 square foot indoor and outdoor complex, which used to house the Schaedler Yesco Distribution company, will house nine new Asian-owned businesses, including:
"We are delighted to welcome the new Asian Mall to the South Allison Hill neighborhood," said Reed. "The City of Harrisburg and region have a growing number of Asian residents who, along with residents of every other race, color, and creed, will benefit from the numerous new restaurants, salons, shops, and other stores which are now a central focal point of the area."
"We have a lot of investment in big cities, and we truly believe Harrisburg is a first-class city whose employees have been nothing but a pleasure to work with," said Thoa Vu, Tang Van Le, and Van Van Vy.
Reed said the total cost of the Asia Mall project is $2.5 million and nearly 70 jobs have been created. Financing was provided by Commercial Bank & Trust of PA. Construction was completed by General Contractor Tang Le General Construction of Sheltonham, PA, with other work completed by Geo Technology of York, PA.
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So awesome...and this is happening in the most depressed neighborhood in the city, so this is will certainly help revitalize the surrounding area.
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