TheBurg

NEWS | All stories by eBurg staff Robert Lawson is the newest member of Harrisburg City Council, as he was appointed in late January to fill a vacant seat on the seven-member legislative body. Lawson's appointment capped a four-hour meeting that started with a large field of 16 hopefuls and involved multiple interviews throughout the night. "City Council has been a goal of mine because it's one of the most visible ways that I can serve my fellow citizens," said Lawson, who was raised in Harrisburg, following the vote. "I'm nearly speechless." During his interview with council, Lawson stressed that he's especially interested in helping to grow and strengthen the city's small business environment, find solutions to affordable housing and encourage young people to stay in the city. "My heart is with making this a city that thrives and making this a city where people can come here and improve their life situations," said Lawson, a salesperson for Keystone Custom Homes and president of Lawson Group Insurance Agency. e council seat was open following the resignation of former council member Dave Madsen, who was elected to the state House of Representatives. Lawson, 50, will serve the remainder of Madsen's term, which expires in January 2024. Sales declined but prices jumped for previously owned houses in the Harrisburg area, according to the January sales report. In the three-county region, 389 homes sold in January, compared to 499 in January 2022, but the median sales price rose to $245,000 from $211,900 the prior year, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR). In Dauphin County, home sales totaled 186 units versus 240 the prior January, as the median price increased to $204,000 from $200,000, GHAR said. Cumberland County also experienced a sales decline, to 174 houses versus 215 a year ago, but the median sales price leapt to $290,000 from $235,000 in January 2022, according to GHAR. In Perry County, 27 homes sold, a decline of two, as the median price rose to $191,000 versus $184,500 the previous January, stated GHAR. A new apartment building may be coming to Uptown Harrisburg, as a New Jersey-based developer is proposing a 21-unit structure along the riverfront. Last month, the city's Planning Commission heard the proposal by EI Realty of Cedar Knolls, N.J., which wants to raze two mid-century office buildings and build "Dauphin House Apartments," a modern-style, glass-and-masonry apartment building in their place. "We believe we're really going to improve the lot and really it'll be an asset to the neighborhood," said Christine Hunter, project manager for the site designers, Harrisburg-based H. Edward Black and Associates. e building plan consists of six, two-bedroom and 15, one-bedroom units located at 2709 and 2717 N. Front St., according to Adam Kerr, vice president of the Harrisburg-based architect EI Associates, an entity affiliated with the developer. e units would rent at market rate. e project also features 44 parking spaces. ese include sheltered parking beneath the three-story building, which would be elevated due to the flooding risk. e site currently features two small, mid-century office buildings. According to the city's Planning Bureau, the existing, "nondescript" buildings were constructed in 1956 and 1965 and do not contribute to the city's historic or architectural character. e apartment project still would need to go through the city's land development process before it could break ground. CITY COUNCIL FILLS OPEN SEAT HOME SALES DOWN, PRICES UP RIVERFRONT APARTMENT BUILDING PROPOSED A Harrisburg-based historic preservation group has released its annual list of endangered and threatened area landmarks, and, this year, a century-old bridge tops the list. For 2023, Historic Harrisburg Association's top "preservation priority" is the Market Street Bridge, a 95-year-old stone arch structure that spans the Susquehanna River. Last year, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation unveiled a multi-year plan to restore the bridge, which includes constructing a separate utility bridge along the bridge's southern façade. Sara Sweeney, chair of HHA's preservation committee, said that the organization has been in discussions with PennDOT regarding this proposal. "We continue to applaud PennDOT for its plan to restore the bridge and hope that, in the process, the original design and features are maintained," said Sweeney." "We will continue to monitor progress as the design progresses." is is the first year that the Market Street Bridge has been a top priority for HHA. In 2022, Balsley House, one of the oldest structures in Harrisburg, topped the list. is year, it ranks second. e remaining three "preservation priorities" also made last year's top-five list. ey are: • e former William Penn High School at Italian Lake • e former Harrisburg State Hospital complex • Prospect Hill Cemetery Gatehouse near the city line In the presentation, Sweeney also noted several recent preservation "successes" and two preservation "losses." HISTORIC HARRISBURG OUTLINES "PRESERVATION PRIORITIES" Two new development proposals aim to bring additional affordable housing to Uptown Harrisburg. At a Planning Commission meeting last month, developers with Harrisburg-based Vice Capital shared their plans to construct lower-income housing on the 2200- and 2300-blocks of N. 6th Street. "e Uptown Harrisburg area hasn't had their fair share of new construction and affordable housing," said Ryan Sanders, vice president of development for Vice Capital. e project, named JMB Gardens, would include the construction of five rowhome-style buildings on several currently vacant lots along the corridor. In total, they would feature 41 affordable units, a community center and 21 off-street parking spaces. According to the proposal, units would include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Vice Capital expects the project to cost about $15.7 million, and they hope to break ground in September, according to Sanders. Vice Capital, which is owned by former NFL player LeSean McCoy, plans to purchase the properties from the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority and the Harrisburg Housing Authority. e Planning Commission voted to approve a zoning variance and special exception for the project, which still needs to go through the city's land development process. Additionally, last month, the commission approved a zoning variance and special exception and land development plan for a proposed affordable housing project on an overgrown lot on the 2100-block of N. 4th Street. Harrisburg-based nonprofit Tri-County HDC shared their proposal to construct five, single-family townhomes. According to Executive Director Gary Lenker, the homes would be sold to lower-income families for around $100,000 each. Each 1,500-square-foot home would include three bedrooms and one-and-a-half baths. Tri-County plans to purchase the land from the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority. Lenker expects the $1.3 million project to break ground in 2024, assuming it receives final approval from City Council. AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS PLANNED e successes include: • e former Lemoyne Middle School, which has been renovated and converted into an apartment building • e former Gerber's Department Store, also known as the "Carpets and Draperies building," which was renovated into a mixed-used structure in Midtown Harrisburg • e former Milestone Inn, which now serves as headquarters for Dilks Properties in Uptown Harrisburg • e Harrisburg History Project, a series of historical markers in Harrisburg that needed replacement and updating Sweeney also noted two recent "preservation losses": • Beidleman House, an Allison Hill structure on Market Street that was razed last year • e Jackson Hotel on N. 6th Street in Harrisburg, which collapsed in early 2021 Moreover, HHA put about 30 structures in and around Harrisburg on its "watch list," meaning that they're historic properties of concern. ese range widely, but include such landmark buildings as the Broad Street Market, the former Coca-Cola bottling works on Allison Hill, the Riverside firehouse and even HHA's own Historic Harrisburg Resource Center.

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