TheBurg

12 | theburgnews.com | 04.18 suPeRintenDent seaRcH BeGins e Harrisburg School District is putting up a help wanted sign, but there won't necessarily be a personnel change in its highest office. In a 5-4 vote, the Harrisburg School Board decided last month to accept applications for the position of superintendent. e vote means that if current Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney wishes to stay in her post, she must apply for her job and beat out other candidates. e vote came after more than an hour of spirited public comment at last month's school board meeting, as near-equal numbers of district residents encouraged the board to vote for or against a resolution to initiate the hiring process. Residents who supported renewing Knight-Burney's contract emphasized the importance of consistent leadership during the district's recovery process. ose who called for an open hiring process said that the district deserved to consider candidates who might make more dramatic gains in student achievement. Knight-Burney became Harrisburg's superintendent in 2011. Since 2013, she's been responsible for implementing the actions in a state-crafted recovery plan, which outlined almost 100 initiatives to improve the district's academics and operations. Her current contract, which was renewed in 2014, expires on June 30. Asked if she would reapply for her job, Knight-Burney declined to comment. RePoRts ReleaseD FoR tRain station, Paxton cReek A restaurant and café in Harrisburg's train station, a pedestrian bridge over the train tracks, a flood-controlled Paxton Creek. ose are a few of the ambitious goals laid out in two reports released last month by the state Department of Transportation, which is taking the lead on rehabilitating the blighted Market Street corridor just east of the Harrisburg Transportation Center, roughly from the train station to Cameron Street. "ese studies serve as a road map to help the city continue to develop as an attractive place to work and play," said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards. PennDOT's first priority is rehabilitation of the train/ bus station itself, set out in a report titled, "Harrisburg Transportation Center Transit Oriented Development Master Plan." at project includes removal of the large office space in the main lobby, the addition of an "open-concept café" in the lobby, new seating in the station concourse, the addition of a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, a new entry plaza from the lower-level Market Street entrance and the addition of office space on the upper floors. According to Richards, work is expected to begin relatively soon, as the department has completed 90 percent of the design for the $15 million renovation and is now working with Amtrak on a construction schedule. e next priority is a massive flood control project designed to restrain, improve and restore Paxton Creek, as delineated in the "Paxton Creek Master Plan." e plan outlines steps to modify the channel size and make other improvements that would take 133 acres out of the 100- year flood plan and partially remove another 275 acres, making the area far more attractive for redevelopment. e plan also envisions enhancing the creek area with recreational paths and restoring it to a more natural environment. PennDOT anticipates four to five years of preliminary work before construction on the project could begin. e estimated cost of the creek improvements is $60 to $90 million, with potential grants coming from the state's Multimodal Fund, the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. e transportation master plan envisions other projects, which include: • Streetscaping and façade enhancement, including new sidewalks, landscaping, street furniture, signage and utility and lighting poles. • A pedestrian bridge that would extend the station concourse over the railroad tracks, through the former Harrisburg central post office and into the redevelopment area. • Relocation of the intercity bus terminal from Market Street to the redevelopment area and expansion of the facility. • Development of the area near an east entrance to the station. • A new plaza on Market Street. "ese projects will provide exciting opportunities for development in the city of Harrisburg, and for enhancing the quality of life for our residents," Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with PennDOT on projects that will benefit not only Harrisburg residents but the entire region." act 47 status consiDeReD "e clock is ticking" on the next step in Harrisburg's path to financial recovery. at's the message that a state official had for Harrisburg's administration and City Council last month, as both bodies were briefed on the timeline for the city's remaining six months in the state's Act 47 program for distressed municipalities. Marita Kelley, Harrisburg's Act 47 coordinator, appeared at a council work session to explain the city's duties before Act 47 status expires on Sept. 23. Here's what lies ahead, according to Kelley. e mayor and the city clerk will receive a financial condition report, prepared by Kelley and the Pennsylvania Economy League. A public meeting on its contents should take place this month. After the meeting, she and the Pennsylvania Economy League will have 90 days to prepare a final exit plan for the city. In that plan, they'll make a formal recommendation for what the city should do in September: extend its Act 47 status, exit the program or enter the oversight of a state-appointed receiver. e exit plan should arrive before city officials in mid-July. After another round of commenting and a public meeting, Kelley will finalize the exit plan in time for the Sept. 23 expiration deadline. Kelley thinks it's highly unlikely that Harrisburg will enter receivership in September. She was hesitant to recommend an action to the city last month, but said during a budget meeting in December that Harrisburg will likely spend another three years in the program, at least. MoRe DoWntoWn aPaRtMents More apartments appear headed for downtown Harrisburg, though it may be awhile before you'll be able to move into one. Harrisburg City Council last month introduced a resolution that would allow Harristown Enterprises to convert a circa-1952 office building to a 25-unit apartment building with commercial space on the first floor. e building, at 124 Pine St., currently houses Keystone Human Services, which would seek new space following a sale, said Harristown CEO Brad Jones. Keystone currently has the six-story, 30,000-square-foot building on the market for $1.5 million. Over the past few years, Harristown has converted several downtown office buildings to higher-end apartments, most recently at the corner of N. 2nd and Cranberry streets. at 12-unit building, Jones said, has been renamed "e Bogg on Cranberry." e Pine Street project, he said, would consist of 18 one- bedroom and seven two-bedroom units that would range from about 700 to 850 square feet in size. Jones said that he expects rents to be about $1,095 to $1,395 a month. e project includes 19 off-street parking spaces, which would be rented separately. If Harristown gets City Council approval, the company hopes to close on a building purchase in May. Jones, however, expects that Keystone will then lease the building back until it can find a new home, meaning that renovation work probably won't begin until early 2019. loan FunD launcHes Whether you're a shop owner looking to expand your storefront or an aspiring entrepreneur with a business dream, you may benefit from a new loan fund that launched last month in Harrisburg. Impact Harrisburg is partnering with the Community First Fund and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency to launch the Harrisburg Business Opportunity Fund (HBOF) with $1 million in seed money, according to Sheila Dow Ford, executive director of Impact Harrisburg. Impact Harrisburg, which was founded with proceeds from the sale of Harrisburg's incinerator, will contribute $350,000 to the fund. e Pennsylvania Housing and Financing Authority has pledged $650,000 through its nonprofit subsidiary, the Commonwealth Cornerstone Group. Loans will be available to small, for-profit business owners or aspiring business owners in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $100,000. According to Dow Ford, the goal of the fund is to encourage economic development, job creation and a diverse workforce in the city of Harrisburg. "We're providing for a segment of the population that has, for various reasons, been overlooked by traditional lending institutions," she said. Any for-profit business or startup in Harrisburg can apply for a loan, Dow Ford said, though real estate trusts or businesses that buy and sell property will not be eligible. e new fund bears some resemblance to Harrisburg's old revolving loan fund, which was launched in 1984 and languished in the 2000s as many borrowers became delinquent. Dow Ford acknowledged that some HBOF loans might be considered risky by traditional lending standards, since they will be issued to people and ventures that might be denied by traditional lenders. However, she hopes that the partnership with Community First Fund will prevent the same mismanagement and delinquency that plagued the city's revolving loan fund.

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