TheBurg

03.20 | theburgnews.com | 7 news All stories by eBurg staff | 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. e 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. "e 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. casa expanDs in stRaWBeRRy squaRe e 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 eatre. "e move is exciting for us," said CEO and Principal Tim Wendling. "e 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. e 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 home sales, pRices up in haRRisBuRg aRea 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). e 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. e 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. 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. e 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. Several council members wanted assurance that the arcade would remain open to the public if the city no longer owned it. "e public use would remain in place," West said. "People would continue to have full use and benefit of the arcade." moRe DoWntoWn apaRtments ok'D 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. ese 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 • ModernRugs.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 • e Nativity School: $50,000 for new school facility renovation • Homeland Center: $24,000 for security infrastructure improvements • St. 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 • e 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. gaming gRants aWaRDeD

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