HARRISBURG-LANCASTER-LEBANON-YORK | South Central, PA | Regional Development Thread - Page 140

photoLith · #**2781** Posted **Jun 19, 2014, 10:25 PM**

I just went to Harrisburg for the first time a few weeks ago, lots of beautiful well preserved buildings but damn, I would hate to live there.

mville1 · #**2782** Posted **Jun 19, 2014, 11:11 PM**

Harrisburg has the bones to be a great little city. It has a nice central location close to Philly, NYC, DC, Baltimore, the mountains etc. It has a large but underutilized waterfront, a decent collection of architecturally interesting buildings that are fairly well preserved, and a fairly stable economy in large part because of the plethora of state jobs, but it also has its fair share of problems: blight, poorly performing schools, and perhaps the biggest issue the budget woes. The real vs perceived crime problem also is not helping to attract the crowds that are flocking to other cities for the urban living experience. Hopefully with new leadership and the sale of the incinerator, the worst offender when it came to generating debt in conjunction with the school and city financial recovery plans the city can get back on its feet.

Harrisburg is not a terrible city, but it is definitely under performing in new investment and development compared to its regional peers Lancaster and to a lesser extent York.

EastSideHBG · #**2783** Posted **Jun 20, 2014, 2:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

I just went to Harrisburg for the first time a few weeks ago, lots of beautiful well preserved buildings but damn, I would hate to live there.

What are the reasons you say this? I'm curious to hear your take on it.

Very good summary, mville1. I know Harrisburg inside and out from my many years there but if I had to sum it up it would be this: lots and lots of potential that it just never quite reaches due to the mentality there. The "movers and shakers" who can make a huge impact usually leave for other areas and greener pastures, and the ones left behind usually aren't too interested in any sort of change. In fact because the area has basically stood still for so long now, it could be argued that it has actually gone backwards in many ways. So many great projects that would have really pushed the area ahead went nowhere (and not only went nowhere but in many cases, were resisted with such ferocity) that I think it will always be one of those places that is just stuck in time.

shakman · #**2784** Posted **Jun 20, 2014, 2:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

I just went to Harrisburg for the first time a few weeks ago, lots of beautiful well preserved buildings but damn, I would hate to live there.

First and foremost, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Therefore this post is not an attack on your opinion. Since Harrisburg is less than an hour away from where I live, I have had the honor of visiting on a number of occassions. My experience has been very pleasant. Just curious to know about your experience.

photoLith · #**2785** Posted **Jun 20, 2014, 2:44 PM**

I dont know, the downtown didnt have much going on and it was full of d bag frat type people it seemed. I just felt like the whole downtown, while good looking is severely underutilized. It just seemed like a place Id get bored of really quick if I lived there.

EastSideHBG · #**2786** Posted **Jun 21, 2014, 3:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

I dont know, the downtown didnt have much going on and it was full of d bag frat type people it seemed. I just felt like the whole downtown, while good looking is severely underutilized. It just seemed like a place Id get bored of really quick if I lived there.

The clientele has changed a lot over the years and as far as the nightlife goes yes, your assessment is correct. It does seem to be diversifying a bit again now, though, so in a few years the pendulum may swing the other way.

Yes, I would agree that the DT is completely underutilized and the stupid decisions made by city government will see to it that this continues. For example, they just raised the metered parking rates dramatically and this is already having a negative effect. DT Harrisburg is not CC Philly, and people can easily just choose to go elsewhere, as there are not enough essential services in DT Harrisburg as it is; Harrisburg is a dwarf compared to the rest of the metro and they need to do everything in their power to get people to go there, not chase them away.

It's not all doom and gloom and there are some great things about Harrisburg, and in my last years living there in downtown, I had a blast. But...there are too many negatives for me to want to consider the area again and an awful lot would have to change for me to want to go back, and I just don't see that happening in my lifetime.

Evergrey · #**2787** Posted **Jul 1, 2014, 7:24 PM**

I also felt like there was a lot of dbag fratty people walking around DT Harrisburg last time I was there... weird.

H-burg's biggest problem... why it will never evolve... is because it is ridiculously underbounded... something like 8 square miles in its borders? A city of like 45k as the hub of a metro of over 500k??? It's a Pennsylvania problem... where we have all of these tiny incorporated fiefdoms... and nothing ever changes to reflect modern reality... Harrisburg is one of the worst cases of municipal fragmentation.

mville1 · #**2788** Posted **Jul 1, 2014, 8:02 PM**

Harrisburg city actually has an area of 11.4 sq miles but of which only 8.1 is land and the other 3.3 sq miles is water, but who is counting

Lancaster city is even worse. 60k in only 7.39 sq miles while Lancaster Township, which borders the city directly mostly on the west, southwest, and south, sends its students to city schools and contracts out its police provider from neighboring municipalities

??? From a financial stand point consolidation would seem to make sense and the biggest hurdle to municipal consolidation....the school problem...is already taken care of.

Young Gun · #**2789** Posted **Sep 30, 2014, 2:18 PM**

This week in the news they are once again talking of Act 47 changes, but they still haven't addressed the cause of the issues being the balkanized municipalities in PA. mville. I would love to see consolidation.

Young Gun · #**2790** Posted **Sep 30, 2014, 2:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Whatever happened to the Aloft project

Or this one, did either get built?

neither got built. Aloft became a low rise 5 story tower. Sorry I don't have a pic at the moment.

210 N. 2nd got launched during the economic collapse and went nowhere.

Young Gun · #**2791** Posted **Sep 30, 2014, 3:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Also, I can't believe the city came this close to building a 40 story tower that would've put Harrisburg on the map (high rise speaking). The Forum Place, only to end up a mid rise building.

Also, we technically didn't not get this building. Just not the entire building. IF there was demand to justify the construction this building was constructed in such a way that the actual office tower could be built on top of the parking structure. Technically what is standing today is the parking structure with some of the parking decks configured for office space. A real bastard of a building, but the reality of the situation is that if the building had been constructed to completion it would consume the entire office space demand for the downtown.

Gerdman · #**2792** Posted **Jun 28, 2017, 1:54 PM**

I haven't seen many updates to this Thread in a while. So here is something that might pick up some development in the City.. Hopefully...

http://www.cpbj.com/article/20170614...m-hotel-at-hia

Gerdman · #**2793** Posted **Jun 29, 2017, 2:27 PM**

Also, related, They are looking to Expand the Harrisburg International Airport.

All they need now is a train station close to the airport and an indoor walkway from the Airport to the train station.

http://abc27.com/2017/06/07/hia-cons...ows-expansion/

EastSideHBG · #**2794** Posted **Jun 30, 2017, 2:29 PM**

Whoa yeah, this thread is a blast from the past!

RE: HIA (MDT) yep they are planning a lot, I know people in Middletown along the river whose houses were bought out a few years ago due to expansion and/or upcoming "noise pollution" from new and lower flight patterns so I assume we will be seeing a lot of changes in the coming years.

Due to some unfortunate circumstances I had to spend a lot of time in Harrisburg again April through May and the area is definitely changing. It's still a weird animal to me but it doesn't seem to be as "stuck" as it was prior to now and there seems to be some good momentum going.

Gerdman · #**2795** Posted **Jul 6, 2017, 4:19 PM**

This is actually an article from June 28th. The Harrisburg Skyline could use more crowding.

Harrisburg's skyline is about to get a little more crowded

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/06...s_about_t.html

EastSideHBG · #**2796** Posted **Jul 8, 2017, 1:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerdman

This is actually an article from June 28th. The Harrisburg Skyline could use more crowding.

Harrisburg's skyline is about to get a little more crowded

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/06...s_about_t.html

Neat addition. And yes I agree, the skyline could use some new blood.

photoLith · #**2797** Posted **Jul 9, 2017, 5:30 PM**

Harrisburg needs a good 40 story tower or something. Maybe someday.

shakman · #**2798** Posted **Jul 9, 2017, 7:33 PM**

Is there is a height restriction forbidding any structure to be taller than the State Capital dome?

EastSideHBG · #**2799** Posted **Jul 12, 2017, 6:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakman

Is there is a height restriction forbidding any structure to be taller than the State Capital dome?

No thankfully, but the area immediately around the Capitol kind of developed that way.

Big news, DT having a grocery store is a huge selling point:

Grocery store 'similar to Trader Joe's' to open in Strawberry Square
http://www.pennlive.com/food/index.s...rt_river_index

This is unfortunate:

Monthly Harrisburg food truck feast is relocating to the West Shore
http://www.pennlive.com/food/index.s...art_most-read_

Gerdman · #**2800** Posted **Jul 21, 2017, 5:06 PM**

This is older news, But I didn't see it on the thread (that I noticed). Anyone hear anything about this? Posted in May

Harrisburg, partners prepare to pour $20 million into Allison Hill neighborhood

Article here:
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/05/post_119.html