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FORMER SCHOOL BUILDING TO BE CONVERTED INTO 22-UNIT RESIDENTIAL, OFFICE COMPLEX IN CITY’S MIDTOWN
Mayor Stephen R. Reed today announced that the former Boas School building will be completely renovated and transformed into a 22-unit executive-style apartment complex with 6,000 square feet of ground-level commercial office space. The $3.7 million "Lofts @ 909" project has now commenced and is slated for completion in late summer.
Reed said the 33,000 square foot complex at 909 Green Street was built as a school house in 1921. It was later converted to office space and then back into a school. The property was purchased by TKP Schoolhouse Associates in 2008 after the building sat vacant for several years.
Reed said when completed, the complex will include 22 executive-style apartments. Each of the apartments, which range in size from about 550 sq. feet to 720 sq. feet, will be fully furnished with state-of-the-art amenities and furniture and ready for immediate occupancy. He said the apartments are ideal for executives who are visiting Harrisburg for business and anyone who needs a residence in the downtown.
Reed said interior demolition work and roof repairs have already been completed. He said crews are currently working on the interior construction. Work is being completed by city-based general contractor JEM Group, a woman-owned construction business. Architectural work is being done by city-based Office of Planning and Architecture (OPA).
"We are delighted to be adding additional quality residential and office space in Harrisburg" said Reed. "Once completed, this anchor building will further enhance both the downtown area and the Midtown neighborhood and provide activity at a once-vacant site."
"As long time city property owners, my partners and I are excited to be developing a unique project within a beautiful historic city building," said Mayur Patel. "We view this project as an ideal residential complement to the ongoing downtown and midtown development".
The Lofts @ 909 provide an upscale, urban living environment. Flexible lease terms are available.
Link: The City of Harrisburg Pennsylvania's Current City News (http://www.harrisburgpa.gov/General/News_Summary.php?fn_mode=fullnews&fn_incl=1&fn_id= 154 - broken link)
I am thinking about attending Widener Law School in Harrisburg. I visited the campus once, and was very disappointed with it's location, but I think this is mostly because I didn't have a chance to go into the city of Harrisburg. I am from Philadelphia, and I know that I will not be a happy camper in a city any less diverse and large than Philly, BUT for the sake of law school, I am willing to compromise on this for 3 years. I am planning to take a trip to Harrisburg soon, and I want to explore the city and what it has to offer. I am 23 years old, very fun-loving and outgoing. I like to dance, try new and different kinds of food, shop, meet new people, explore, go out and just have a good time, and I will be looking to see if Harrisburg can offer these things to me. I am preparing myself for the fact that Harrisburg will not likely be as diverse and large as Philly, but hopefully it won't be too much of a let down also.
Anyway, with that said, what do you suggest I see and visit while I'm in the city? What are some of the hottest spots in harrisburg and most worth the visit? What are your favorite areas of the city?
Any information will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Hey, I'm 23 and live in Midtown Harrisburg (above downtown between Forster and Maclay). Yes, Widener Law is in a really boring spot...no idea why they didn't place it downtown. But that doesn't mean you can't live in the city. As a matter of fact, I know a Widener Law student who lives a few blocks from me and also organized several neighborhood cleanups (visit About Us - Harrisburg Clean Streets Project). He was able to get several other volunteers from the school.
While you are here you should definetely check out 2nd street in downtown. It's a strip full of restaurants, bars, night clubs and shops. There is quite a diverse array of restaurants ranging from upscale to your typical pizza place and Latin to Irish. Also downtown is the Whitaker Center which has a museum and IMAX theater. Riverfront Park and City Island are both beautiful, you should take a stroll through both. Just walk all over downtown (it's very walkable) and you should get a good feel. My hood, Midtown, is within walking distance to downtown and has some great little restaurants and an independent cinema.
If you are looking for Center City Philadelphia this is not going to be it. But you have to take it for what it is... A small city with a pretty good amount of amenities, decent nightlife, culture and restaurants.
Lots of news today! I tried this place out and it is amazing:
NEW ‘AREPA CITY LATIN EATERY’ RESTAURANT OPENS IN THE DOWNTOWN
Mayor Stephen R. Reed today cut the ribbon to officially dedicate the new Arepa City Latin Eatery, a Venezuelan-style cuisine restaurant located at 316 N. 2nd Street in the downtown.
Reed said the Arepa City Latin Eatery is owned and operated by Daniel Farias. Farias is a business owner of Venezuelan descent who has long had a passion for Venezuelan cuisine and who is now bringing that style of food to Harrisburg.
Reed said the Arepa City restaurant specializes in arepas, a Venezuelan flat bread made of corn. The arepas at the restaurant are filled with typical South American fare such as cheese, ground beef, chicken, pork, chorizo, flank steak, beans, or grilled vegetables, depending on the dish. The Arepa City restaurant also serves soups, empanadas, and a host of entrees. Desserts are also available which include flan, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, and cheesecake. Prices at the restaurant range from $3.50 to $10.95.
Reed said the owner privately invested $20,000 into the new restaurant. Four new jobs were created as a result of the restaurant’s opening.
"We are delighted that this new Venezuelan-style restaurant has opened its doors in the downtown," said Reed. "The Arepa City restaurant serves unique food that you can’t find at any other establishment in the area, and we believe it will be a huge success."
"The people of Harrisburg have embraced our new restaurant with open arms," said Farias. "We are excited to be located downtown and look forward to continuing to grow our business."
The Arepa City Latin Eatery is open on Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.
For more information on the Arepa City Latin Eatery, call (717) 233-3332.
FIRST-EVER GREEN CENTER ESTABLISHED TO LEAD IN GREEN TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
Mayor Stephen R. Reed and HACC President Edna V. Baehre today announced the establishment of a first-ever institute for the development, teaching and application of green technologies.
Reed said the joint venture will help position the city in the vanguard of places in the nation for 21st Century jobs and information related to environmental advances focused on sustainability, alternative energy, energy conservation, and green practices and policies.
The innovative initiative, to be known as the Green Center of Central Pennsylvania, will be housed in the new Campus Square Building at N. Third and Reily Streets, now under construction, and will also provide green services and information for businesses and for consumers.
The Center is the result of a unique public-private partnership consisting of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, the City of Harrisburg, and GreenWorks Development. The Mayor and President Baehre were joined by State Senator Jeffrey Piccola, , Dauphin County Commissioners Nick DiFrancesco, and George Hartwick, Tracey Vernon, Acting Deputy Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection Office of Community Revitalization and Local Government Support, along with a host of other midstate academic, environmental, civic and business leaders for the formal announcement of the project.
"The Green Center of Central Pennsylvania is intended to provide a multi-disciplinary approach to alternative energies and sustainable technologies," said Mayor Reed. "The Center will become a hub for education, training and information related to the application of green technologies and practices in the region. The Center will receive a share of the city’s federal stimulus conservation funds, and the city will assist both the Green Center and the college in obtaining additional federal grant funds," the Mayor noted.
"This is one of the most innovative and substantive steps toward the integration of alternative energy technologies into our economy as exists in the Commonwealth today," said Tracey Vernon. Acting Deputy Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection Office of Community Revitalization and Local Government Support. "We are delighted with the concept and the planned educational, business and public elements of the Green Center, and think it will be a model institution for colleges, the private sector, and government."
‘HACC is very pleased to partner with the city and GreenWorks Development in establishing the Green Center," said HACC President Edna V. Baehre. "HACC will be developing both credit and workforce training curriculum in an array of green technologies that will be housed and taught at the Center, including solar, wind, geothermal, hydro and conservation disciplines, with enrollees either earning Associate Degrees or related certifications."
Baehre said HACC will begin offering courses in green and sustainable technologies and alternative energies this year, along with the basic course work required. The curriculum will be expanded in 2010 to include Solar and Wind Installation, Maintenance and Repair, Green Building Management, Home Energy Installation, Recycling and Reclamation, Water Treatment and Auto Conversion. The initial course will accept up to 300 students.
Baehre said the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the environmental sector is expected to become a $27 billion market by 2020, and more than 250,000 newly trained workers will need to be recruited and trained to meet the growing demand for green construction workers. Other research indicates that approximately 2.7 million workers will be needed for the wind and solar industries alone over the next decade.
Reed said, "There is now a long overdue understanding and focus on our nation rapidly moving forward to a new economy with alternative energy and green technologies interwoven into the daily lives of citizens and businesses.
"The places where these technologies are developed and where the workforce is trained in them will be the places that attract the research, investment and jobs of this new economy. Harrisburg will be one of these places as a result of this and related initiatives," the Mayor stated.
The new Green Center of Central Pennsylvania will be headed by Jill A. Gaito, former Deputy Secretary of the state Deptartment of Environmental Protection for Community Revitalization and Local Government Support. Prior to public service, Ms. Gaito worked in the private sector as a consultant in a variety of technical, economic development, and management roles.
Funding for the new Center is being provided by it’s partners, with additional funding support coming from federal, state and local grants. The City of Harrisburg is providing a portion of its economic stimulus funding for energy conservation to the project.
"This is as cutting edge as it gets," said Mayor Stephen Reed, "and we know it is going to be successful." Reed said the purpose of the Center is really fourfold:
Education – Degree and non-degree classes in green subjects ranging from solar photovoltaic installation to green building design
Training –Customized training, workforce development, and consulting on the implementation of green technologies
Application – "Green" related firms in the midstate will be recruited to work with each other and the Center on green community projects and buildings in the area and to participate in the Center’s educational mission.
Information – The Center will serve as a public resource for accurate, up-to-date information about green technologies and sustainability, including costs, practicality and availability. The Center will host regular public information seminars and sessions on green technologies and practices.
GreenWorks Development Chief Executive Officer Doug Neidich said he was thrilled to be able to play a part in the founding of the Center, and noted that it was "very appropriate for the new Green Center to be housed in one of the ‘greenest’ buildings in Central Pennsylvania." The host Campus Square Building is heated and cooled by forty-eight 400 foot deep geothermal wells, and a portion of the building’s electric demand will be provided by one of the largest rooftop electrical generating solar panel arrays in the mid-state. The building is designed to attain Gold LEED certification upon completion.
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Good news for the local job market: Maximus opens new facility in Harrisburg area
By Paula Holzman
A Virginia-based company is in the process of hiring 60 workers to staff its new location in Dauphin County, thanks to a new contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW).
Maximus Inc. provides support and administration of government health and human services programs.
The company in April began three-year, $22 million contract with DPW to provide managed-care enrollment services for the state's Medical Assistance Program, said Lisa Miles, Maximus' vice president of investor relations.
Good news: We stand strong in recession
A study ranks the Harrisburg region in the nation's top 20 areas. Its co-author says the downturn is hitting "much more lightly" here.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
BY KIRA L. SCHLECHTER kschlechter@patriot-news.com
Compared with most areas of the country, the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area is holding its own.
The Brookings Institution, a venerable think tank, did a study of the 100 largest metropolitan areas of the country to see how they're coping with the worst recession in decades.
The Capital Region ranks among the nation's top 20 strongest-performing areas.
The study took into account the region's overall performance on change in employment, the unemployment rate, wages and housing prices.
Exactly where the area placed on the list was not determined -- the metro areas were ranked in fifths, from strongest to weakest.
"The Harrisburg area did not experience the big housing boom, so it has not suffered from the big housing bust," said Howard Wial, a Brookings fellow and a co-author of the study. "And foreclosures are almost nonexistent."
"You're doing pretty well overall, considering," Wial said. "You're still in recession -- employment is still down from the peak, [and] it has been going down even during the last quarter, which says the region is not recovering yet.
"But the recession is hitting much more lightly in Harrisburg than in many other places."
The ranking was no surprise to David E. Black, president and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC.
"We would rank well in any economy, but in this economy, we'd probably rank a little higher because we do have a little more stability," Black said.
Ryan Horner, industry and business analyst for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, also pointed out the area's variety of jobs in service-providing industries that "help prop us up."
"Substantial employment in health care, in education -- certainly state government is a stable employment base as well," Horner said.
But the Harrisburg area's unemployment rate is 7 percent, the highest in nearly 25 years. It trails the state (7.8 percent) and nation (8.9 percent), but the area has lost 9,800 jobs over the year.
"There are obviously more people out of work than we've seen in a while, and it has ripple effects," Horner said.
"We're reading more stories about homes being foreclosed, the very personal downsides of the economy. State government is on a hiring freeze; a lot of companies have either frozen salaries or aren't hiring anybody, or in some cases are laying off. Overall, we're probably stable, but there's not a lot of growth going on anywhere."
Still, Black thinks the area is through the worst of the economic downturn. He says what happens during the holiday season -- as much of the economy is based on consumer spending and confidence -- will help determine whether we're out of the woods.
Melissa Etshied, director of communications for the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, said people are increasingly in need of its services.
"We have seen anywhere from a 30 percent to 50 percent increase [in food assistance] over a year ago," Etshied said.
Soup kitchens and food pantries are seeing new faces.
"Right now, there are a lot of first-timers saying [they] never thought [they'd] be in this situation, but due to loss of job or income cuts or health problems, they find themselves having to ask for food assistance," she said.
However, donations of money by folks in the community have held steady.
"Even though we lost out on some of the larger corporate donations, the individual financial donations have actually been fairly strong," she said. "Those who are able to give have actually given more."
Dr. Ray Gibney, assistant professor of management at Penn State Harrisburg, said the economic health of this area is bolstered by "a lot of recessionproof type industries," including colleges.
"Universities see a large influx of students when we have higher rates of unemployment," Gibney said. "Students will attempt to wait out the economy in graduate school. [And] people who don't have an undergraduate degree need to compete, so they have to go get one."
He predicted the manufacturing sector might see further problems, as might entities dependent on discretionary income, such as Hersheypark.
"People are not using their limited funds on those activities," he said.
Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center to reopen after pause
By David Dagan
The Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center at 1110 N. 3rd St. will reopen its first wing to the public on Wednesday after a two-month pause that followed its grand opening.
The Stage on Herr music venue and bar hosted a month of special events in March but closed because of a delay in obtaining a liquor license, said John Traynor, one of the developers.
Stage on Herr can comfortably hold 200 people, Traynor said. The bar will open at 4 p.m. seven days a week and Wednesdays will be open-mic nights, he said. Local band Case 150 is scheduled to perform at 9 p.m. Friday.
The redevelopment plan for the former Jewish community and recreation center and Police Athletic League building also calls for a playhouse, film office, eatery and spa. The opening of those spaces was delayed by construction-cost overruns and difficulties obtaining part of the bank financing, Traynor said. The developers pulled together private financing and plan to open the remainder of the building in the fall, he said.
Carlisle area economy faring better than nation's
by RICK SELTZER, of The Patriot-News
Wednesday June 24, 2009, 9:53 AM
The Carlisle area is weathering the economic storm better than the United States as a whole, but growth may not rebound to pre-recession rates after the downturn ends, business and political leaders heard at the Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce's state of Carlisle Breakfast this morning.
"We are going in the right direction," said Scott Ehrig, vice president and state investment manager at M&T Bank, who spoke on the state of the local economy. "When it comes time to drink from the punch bowl, we should be first in line."
Ehrig cited the region's personal income growth, which is up 1 percent when adjusted for inflation. Most regions in the rest of the country have a negative growth of 1 percent or flat income growth. He also noted that home foreclosures in the area are below the national average.
But the region may have to deal with a higher unemployment rate in the future, he predicted. While the unemployment rate typically hovered around 5.5 percent before, it could stay near 7 percent in the future.
Economic growth could be slow but steady after the recession, Ehrig said. That could put the area in greater danger from any large economic shocks like a spike in oil prices.
"There's going to be a lot less credit funding," he said. "That's going to take away the back wind that's been funding commercial growth."
Beating the recession: Attracting interest
Residential developments take hold in Harrisburg
Dan Deitchman is renovating this 82-year-old apartment building on North Front Street in Harrisburg. A month after putting Riverview Manor on the market, he had 42 reserved units. Tenants will move in next month, he said. Photo/Kathryn Morton
Dan Deitchman said he thought he would sell 40 residential units in the first year at the former Harrisburg apartment building he and his wife are renovating.
But he said he has been more than pleasantly surprised since he had 42 reserved units in the first month of putting them on the market. Construction crews finished the model unit only last week in the historic six-floor building at 1519 N. Front St.
Despite the recession, the units are attractive because of location, product and price, Deitchman said. His units start at $79,900. There are one, two and three-bedroom units ranging from 700 to 1,300 square feet available in the khaki-colored brick building. The average price for one of the 76 units is $150,000. They go up to $250,000.
“The key rules of real estate are still the same in any economy,” Deitchman said.
Riverview Manor is across the street from the Susquehanna River, yet it is outside the flood plain and within walking distance of downtown.
Deitchman bought the 82-year-old building for about $3 million in November. Work started almost immediately and he listed the units in May. Deitchman would not disclose how much his company, Riverview Manor Associates, is spending to renovate the former apartment building. Tenants will move in next month, he said.
The units feature drywall recycled from the building’s old drywall. The spaces will include Wi-Fi, refinished doors, decorative fireplaces and Brazilian cherry and bamboo floors. Workers installed central air, and utilities are separately metered in each space. About 400 style-appropriate windows were replaced.
Among the biggest selling points are the views, said Pete Weigher, the listing real estate agent for Riverview who manages a team of agents with Re/Max Realty Associates Inc. based in Camp Hill. From the 2,500-square-foot rooftop patio, residents will be able to see the river, City Island, downtown, midtown and uptown Harrisburg.
A mix of people, including young professionals, city workers, middle-aged empty-nesters and retirees, are reserving units in Riverview. The Deitchmans said they are getting interest from out-of-staters, too, including people from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Other city developers hope to attract the same interest.
Harrisburg’s TKP Schoolhouse Associates is putting together The Lofts@909. Mayur Patel and his wife, Tina, are developing studio-style units at 909 Green St. in the historic Boas School built in 1921. The company has $4 million invested in the project, Mayur Patel said.
The Lofts@909 will include 22 apartments for rent on the second and third floors and 6,000 square feet of office space on the first floor. Like Riverview, the old schoolhouse is a khaki-brick building with great sight lines. The Ronald H. Brown Charter School last occupied the building.
Construction should be completed by early August and Patel said he expects tenants to move in around the middle of the month.
Deitchman and Patel said they are confident their developments won’t compete with each other. The Lofts@909 feature 13-foot ceilings, 9-foot windows and are fully furnished; utilities are included in the rent. Rents range from $1,395 to $1,795 per month for the units that are 500 to 710 square feet. The lofts include a full kitchen, bamboo floors, spacious bathrooms with tiled showers, two flat-screen plasma televisions, desk and four to five windows. The units are metered separately. That could come in handy should Patel one day choose to sell the spaces, he said.
Patel started marketing the units this week, he said, and word of mouth has sparked initial interest. The building has parking, it’s about two blocks from the state Capitol and has a central location between midtown Harrisburg and downtown, he said. Patel said he is betting these factors will help make the project a success.
Patel admitted he is taking a risk, but Harrisburg has never had a similar project, he said.
“The No. 1 thing in this project is location. Within a downtown and midtown location with parking is huge,” Patel said. “It’s a passion for me and my wife to do a rehab project.”
Deitchman and Patel said their projects are not competing with the $22 million higher-end Tracy Manor condominium, office and restaurant project York-based Susquehanna Real Estate is developing along North Front Street.
The projects also will complement the 100,000-square-foot condo project Susquehanna Township’s Vartan Group Inc. plans to start building by next year, the developers said, as did Ralph Vartan, chairman of the Vartan Group.
The more projects there are going on in Harrisburg the better it is for the city, Vartan said.
“The city is on the up and anytime you see investors trying to design and bring products to the market that people want, it demonstrates enthusiasm for investing in the city of Harrisburg,” Vartan said. “Ultimately you will see (the projects) are successful.”
Beating the recession: Attracting interest - Central Penn Business Journal (http://www.centralpennbusiness.com/weekly_article.asp?aID=62927704.4327051.935506.711 3262.967687.359&aID2=71953 - broken link)
Dan Deitchman is renovating this 82-year-old apartment building on North Front Street in Harrisburg. A month after putting Riverview Manor on the market, he had 42 reserved units. Tenants will move in next month, he said. Photo/Kathryn Morton
Dan Deitchman said he thought he would sell 40 residential units in the first year at the former Harrisburg apartment building he and his wife are renovating.
But he said he has been more than pleasantly surprised since he had 42 reserved units in the first month of putting them on the market. Construction crews finished the model unit only last week in the historic six-floor building at 1519 N. Front St.
Despite the recession, the units are attractive because of location, product and price, Deitchman said. His units start at $79,900. There are one, two and three-bedroom units ranging from 700 to 1,300 square feet available in the khaki-colored brick building. The average price for one of the 76 units is $150,000. They go up to $250,000.
...The units feature drywall recycled from the building’s old drywall. The spaces will include Wi-Fi, refinished doors, decorative fireplaces and Brazilian cherry and bamboo floors. Workers installed central air, and utilities are separately metered in each space. About 400 style-appropriate windows were replaced.
Among the biggest selling points are the views, said Pete Weigher, the listing real estate agent for Riverview who manages a team of agents with Re/Max Realty Associates Inc. based in Camp Hill. From the 2,500-square-foot rooftop patio, residents will be able to see the river, City Island, downtown, midtown and uptown Harrisburg.
...
The Lofts@909 will include 22 apartments for rent on the second and third floors and 6,000 square feet of office space on the first floor. Like Riverview, the old schoolhouse is a khaki-brick building with great sight lines. The Ronald H. Brown Charter School last occupied the building.
...Deitchman and Patel said they are confident their developments won’t compete with each other. The Lofts@909 feature 13-foot ceilings, 9-foot windows and are fully furnished; utilities are included in the rent. Rents range from $1,395 to $1,795 per month for the units that are 500 to 710 square feet. The lofts include a full kitchen, bamboo floors, spacious bathrooms with tiled showers, two flat-screen plasma televisions, desk and four to five windows. The units are metered separately. That could come in handy should Patel one day choose to sell the spaces, he said.
wow, those are some expensive rents as compared to the first project. at least it seems that way to me.
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