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

[Spudmrg]

I also agree with you re: The Residence project. From the various press releases and such, I suspect that the Harrisburg Post Office will end up part of HU, once HU needs more room. On the bright side, that empty 4th & Market lot is finally getting filled, and a new University is going into the CBD.

Would I have prefered a new tower on the site and HU at the post office, yeah. Do I have the 110+ Million bucks it would cost to do that....no.

[wrightchr]

hey we're at 700+ posts...WOOHOO!

now a few questions for those of you back home:

1. has anyone seen the plans for the new Commonwealth Judicial Center? it was supposed to be 9 floors with adjacent parking.

2. has anyone seen the plans for this new HU building at 4th and Market? i'm thinking that it will be 15+ range, with parking on lower levels.

3. what is the status of the 7th street garage? what will it look like when complete?

4. any new updates on the Southern and Northern gateways projects?

5. what is the status of new construction at Commerce Bank Park? will this help Harrisburg get a AAA team?

future planning:

6. do you think the possibility of merging the City of Harrisburg and Dauphin County gov'ts is feasible? statistically, it would make Harrisburg the third largest city in the state (265,000). would voters accept such a proposal? what are the benefits and disavantages?

7. Forum Place at 5th and Walnut streets is capable of being expanded to 41 floors, with a height of around 250+ m. could such a project being undertaken? could the city lure a major corporate sponsor to lease a sizeable amount of space in the new building? with improvements in mass transit (commuter rail, enlarging the HBG trans center, I-83 widening), could HBG support such a building? it would dominate the skyline for sure!

8. will the creation of a HBG/York CSA occur by the 2010 census? much of northern York County is becomming commuter suburbs for Harrisburg. the two cities have many ties and only 25 miles apart. if this would occur, it would create a new CSA of over 1+ million people.

i would like to know your thoughts guys. please share.

[Spudmrg]

Hmmmm....some of these questions I've been thinking as well, so I'll give you the answers that I've found so far:

1. My understanding is that the Court center will be two buildings, and that no design has been selected yet (There should be a model somewhere, but I have not been able to find it on public display).

2. I've been looking, no design released yet. I agree with you on the size, see my thoughts on the matter on page 27.

3. I have no information on that.

4. Both "Gateway" projects are mainly waiting on the final form of the US Transportation (21-LEA) Bill. The bill is still stuck in conference.

5. I thought you were the baseball expert on here . My understanding of the project is that the funds have been approved for the rebuilding/expansion, but they can not do much work during the season.

6. No comment.

7. My feelings are that any company large enough to anchor that much space would be unlikely to move into a downtown location. I think a homegrown company would be more likely to move into downtown (but without the scale for a project of that size) than a larger company.

8. I'm not sure how the calculations are done, so I really cannot answer that question.

I hope I helped you with your questions, and thanks for checking in as often as you do.

[EastSideHBG]

Chris, I will get to your questions when I have a little more time.

Btw I was just at HIA dropping my g/f off for a flight and it was my first visit to the new terminal. WOW is all I have to say!! You can tell they definitely planned for the future with that one.


HIA request drawing criticism

Middletown officials wary of allowing sewage plant near houses

Sunday, June 05, 2005
BY DIANA STRICKER
For The Patriot-News

Middletown officials say they have problems with a request by Harrisburg International Airport to build a sewage plant near a residential area of the borough.

Most said they will not approve the airport's plan.

Mayor Robert Reid said he opposes the plan because the facility would be too close to houses on Grant Street.

"At the next meeting, vote and let them know we don't want it," Reid told the Borough Council last week.

It comes as the council is working on a proposal with Lower Swatara Twp. -- home to HIA -- that could culminate 15 years of contract negotiations. The township uses Middletown's sewer system.

Borough manager Jeffrey Stonehill said the airport wants to build a sewage treatment plant in the borough's first ward, adjacent to HIA's long-term parking lot. He said the plant would replace the airport's current treatment facility, which is located near National Guard property.

"Is there one person in the public who wants another plant in the first ward?" asked councilman Michael Culp, who represents that area. The borough's treatment plant is also in the first ward.

Stonehill said airport officials cannot seek approval from the Department of Environmental Protection unless Middletown consents.

"You have every right to say you're not happy with it," Stonehill said.

The proposal with Lower Swatara updates a plan drafted in 2003, Stonehill said. No one at the workshop meeting voiced opposition to the plan.

The Middletown Sewer Authority has been trying for years to negotiate an agreement that would specify the township's capacity needs and outline a financial commitment to upgrade the plant.

Last spring, the council placed a moratorium on sewer connections, fearing the plant was nearing capacity. The ban was temporarily lifted during the summer to allow tap-ins for the new middle school and for a limited number of proposed homes in the Woodland Hills section of Middletown.

To reduce demand on Middletown's plant, Lower Swatara officials last year suggested diverting some of the township's sewage to HIA's plant.

Middletown Councilman David Rhen, who also serves on the borough's sewer authority, said an agreement with Lower Swatara has been "in limbo" for too many years.

Any plan would also be subject to approval by Middletown's sewer authority and by Lower Swatara officials.

Franklin Linn, president of Lower Swatara's board of commissioners, said he has not seen the revised proposal.

He said he is pushing for a resolution because the township needs sewer connections for commercial construction projects, such as one planned for the former Jamesway Plaza on Route 230. The plans call for a hotel, three restaurants, four retail buildings and an office building.

[EastSideHBG]

Are we on the bubble?

Sunday, June 05, 2005
BY ELLEN LYON
Of The Patriot-News

People looking for houses will find prices have been going up in the midstate, except in Lebanon County, where the average price has gone down from what it was a year ago.

In the Harrisburg area, the average price was $7,840 higher in the first quarter of this year compared with the first quarter of 2004.

The average home price was $162,602, compared with $154,762 in the same three-month period last year, according to statistics compiled by the Central Penn Multi-List. The multi-list is a listing of homes for sale by Realtors in Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry and northern York counties.

A look at the first quarter of each of the last five years shows a steady rise in average sale price from 2002 on, after a dip in 2001.

"The biggest difference has been the increase in sale price," said Realtor Bernie Campanella of Fine Line Homes. "We know there's two reasons for that."

First of all, on the new construction side, the cost of building materials has "gone out the roof, no pun intended," Campanella said.

Secondly, as the price of new homes rises so does the value of existing homes.

"You get a bump in assessments. You get a bump in appraisals," he said.

In Lebanon County, the average sale price dropped from $138,929 in the first quarter of 2004 to $132,582 in the first quarter of 2005, according to the Keystone Multi-List Network. The network lists homes for sale by Realtors in that county. The average number of days on the market dropped from 83 to 74.

"I think some people are coming into the market and buying in the city [Lebanon]," where home prices are lower, said Mary Rakow, executive officer of the Lebanon County Realtors Association.

Another factor might be the shortage of construction. "My guess is there aren't as many new home developments on the market as there were last spring," said Paul Graham, president of the association.

[Spudmrg]

Because of the way that the property tax works in this state, once you start having a drop in real estate prices, all of the big properties will be able to get lower values while the smaller homeowners will be stuck paying the bill. Look at Pittsburgh for an example of what happens when people feel that property taxes are wrong.

BTW, I can't believe that people would pay so much money for these cookie-cutter units I see all over the place. Heck, I'd demand to be paid to live in some of those things.

[EastSideHBG]

So they began working on Rt. 22/Walnut St./Progress Ave. I HIGHLY recommend you avoid this area at night when they are doing the construction. It's an interesting maze to say the least. :nuts:


Harrisburg wireless growth connects with study

Area moves higher on top 100 unwired list

Tuesday, June 07, 2005
BY DAVID DeKOK
Of The Patriot-News

The Harrisburg region is among metropolitan areas in the country that are adopting wireless Internet access at a fast pace.

The city and its suburbs jumped 33 places on this year's list of the 100 Most Unwired Cities, from 80 to 47, according to an annual study released today by Intel Corp. That put Harrisburg on the list of top 10 gainers.

The rankings look at the number of WiFi hot spots -- where someone with a laptop or handheld computer can access the Internet wirelessly -- and the number of people with wireless networks at home.

"Last year, Harrisburg had 2.2 hot spots per 100,000 people," said Ralph Bond, Intel's manager of consumer education, referring to commercial hot spots. "Now, it's 8.6 hot spots per 100,000."

Many laptop computers sold today come equipped with wireless cards, such as the Intel Centrino or Apple Airport, that enable them to connect wirelessly to the Internet if in the proper location. Owners of desktop computers that don't come with wireless cards can add them without too much trouble if they want to create a home network.

Commercial wireless hot spots in the area can be found at Starbucks coffee shops, Barnes & Noble Bookstores, and other locations. St. Stephen's Episcopal School in downtown Harrisburg uses wireless for Internet access in the school. So do any number of downtown businesses. They are easy to set up, cheap to operate, and valued by users.

Home wireless networks, which allow a person to use his or her laptop anywhere in the house, also are popular in the midstate. The area around Front and Conoy streets in Harrisburg's Shipoke neighborhood, for example, has more than seven home networks operating on any given night.

"Small places like Laundromats, coffee shops, marinas, and RV parks are all using wi-fi," Bond said. "It's really unbelievably cheap."

Commercial wireless networks serving a broad area have had mixed success in Harrisburg.

Wireless Infotech, founded with help from the city in 2003 in downtown Harrisburg by Todd Snyder, went out of business a year later.

Martin Schoffstall's network, begun last December in Harrisburg's East Shore suburbs, appears to be still operating, but no one at the company could be reached for comment yesterday.

Bert Sperling, who was lead researcher on the Intel study, called WiFi "the hope for the future."

WIRELESS MOVERS Here's a look at the cities that jumped the greatest number of places on the top 100 unwired cities list. Unwired is a good thing, meaning that people are moving to wireless connections.
1. Baton Rouge, La., up 67 to No. 19
2. Toledo, Ohio, up 59 to No. 5
3. Melbourne, Fla., up 44 to No. 29
4. Greensboro, N.C., up 42 to No. 48
5. Nashville, Tenn., up 41 to No. 27
6. Knoxville, Tenn., up 41 to No. 52
7. Charlotte, N.C., up 41 to No. 17
8. HARRISBURG, UP 33 TO NO. 47
9. Little Rock, Ark., up 32 to No. 59
10. New Orleans, up 31 to No. 38

SOURCE: Intel Corp.

[Spudmrg]

I thought PennDot was'nt doing any "major" construction this year....I guess that maze (a good description) does'nt count as "major".

[wrightchr]

^ have they released any designs for the 22/walnut st/progess ave construction?

[EastSideHBG]

Not that I know of. And what's odd about all of this is they are tearing up and resurfacing the road. But do all of that again at a later date when they do the whole big project? Or is this the big project?!? Who knows...


Law firm moves to larger offices

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Post & Schell, a Philadelphia-based law firm, has nearly doubled the size of its Harrisburg office space with a move from its previous quarters on the West Shore to the Market Square Plaza building downtown.

The firm is one of the new tenants at Market Square Plaza next to the Hilton Harrisburg & Towers.

The new space on the 12th floor, where the firm will hold an open house for clients and other guests on Friday, includes facilities with video conferencing and streaming video links to the firm's other offices.

In recent years, its midstate office has increased from seven to 13 attorneys.

Other tenants at Market Square Plaza include the Hilton, other law firms, Mid Penn Bank and a new restaurant to open on the first floor called Max's.

The $32 million, 18-story building also has eight floors of parking.

The federal government is negotiating to lease some remaining space on the 16th floor, according to the developer, Tony Pascotti of Phoenix Development Group.

That leaves the 15,634-square-foot 14th floor and about 8,000 square feet on the 13th floor still available for leasing, Pascotti said.

[Spudmrg]

Hot off the (Electron) Press.....I'm looking for the full study right now.

http://www.pennlive.com/newslogs/pat...06.html#064089

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Studies support efficiencies of rail
By Frank Cozzoli
Of The Patriot-News
An independent study shows rail transit proposed for the Harrisburg area would be a better investment than rapid bus transit, both in cost and maintenance. In a separate survey, nearly 10% of respondents said they would be likely to commute by train.

The study by the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute at the Pennsylvania State University was to be unveiled this afternoon at a press conference on City Island.

Essentially, it says everything that has been done the past 10 years to recreate regional rail across the midstate has been done correctly. Both the research and the studies involved were appropriate for the corridor and compliant with federal requirements, says Dr. Evelyn Thomchick, an associate professor of chain management at Penn State.

Supporters of the CorridorOne project, which eventually link Lancaster, Harrisburg and Carlisle by passenger rail, also released findings of a public perception survey by students at Shippensburg University and Messiah College that suggests potential ridership is consistent with earlier projections.

In that survey, which was not scientific but involved 525 respondents across Cumberland County, 9.9% of respondents said they would ride the train for daily commutes.

"If you asked that same question across the U.S., you would get one half of one percent saying they would use it," says John Ward, president of the midstate’s Modern Transit Partnership, a group advocating construction of the CorridorOne.

Ward also said 87% of the respondents also felt that reducing traffic congestion should be a priority for elected officials.

A team of five researchers at the transportation institute studied each step of the rail effort, which dates to the early 1990s.The study, which cost about $20,000, showed the project was based on sound methodology and followed all state and federal requirements, Ward said.

The analysis shows the project has the potential to slow the increase in congestion on highways, make them safer and cutting auto emissions.

It also indicates the project could improve overall mobility and promote "transit-oriented" development to make the region more attractive to business.

Capital Area Transit is moving ahead with a system that would run between Lancaster and Harrisburg before being expanded, first to Hampden Twp. and then west to Carilsle.

Assuming similar support in Dauphin and Lancaster counties, Ward says the system has the potential to take a lot of cars off the highways.

"If you take 10% of our catchment area and take them off the highways during the morning and afternoon peaks, we’ve impacted congestion significantly," Ward says.

Ward said the perception survey adds more vailidity to the project. "...It shows that people are aware of it, people want it, and people will use it," Ward says.

The current Cumberland County commissioners have been critical of the project, questioning ridership estimates and demanding that service be tested on the East Shore before trains are extended to the West Shore.

Commissioners along with the Cumberland County Transportation Authority are exploring the bus rapid-transit option, which has a preliminary pricetag of $50 million.

With the existing infrastructure, Thomchick says, the corridor from Harrisburg to Carlisle could be developed much more quickly for trains than as a bus route.

The analysis also said trains would be more cost-effective.

"Bus rapid transit is not more economical," Ward said. "Our studies showed it was not.

"Now, to have an independent party say that, which specializes in looking at transportation projects, that helps bring validity to the project," Ward said.


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Statewide funding gridlock slows transit project
By Frank Cozzoli
Of The Patriot-News
Supporters of the $87 million CorridorOne rail project expect preliminary engineering to be done by mid-August. From that point, Capital Area Transit and the Modern Transit Partnership have some greased track to travel. The estimated yearly cost to run the 11-station system is $35 million, which has to come from the state. However, CAT won’t see it until the Legislature ends its current stalemate on transit funding and reworks the formula for distributing the money.

Until that funding is secured, MTP President John Ward says, the Federal Transit Administration won’t allow final design and construction to start.

"Right now, it’s almost impossible for new kids on the block to get into that funding stream," Ward said. "For every year the state delays in developing a (new) public transportation program, it just pushes our project back."

Ward says, service might begin between Lancaster and Harrisburg is in the last quarter of 2008, and west to Hampden Twp. toward the end of 2009. CorridorOne would be extended west to Carlisle by 2012 at the earliest.

The Harrisburg region remains the only area in the state with traffic volumes over 100,000 vehicles per day where commuters don’t have the option of local train service.

According to the most recent numbers available, 122,349 vehicles a day used the South Bridge of I-83. That was in 2002. By 2030, that volume is expected to have grown by 70,000 vehicles.

Regional rail is not the cure-all for the region’s growing congestion. But it is part of the overall solution by providing commuters an option.

More than $2.5 billion in expansion work has been identified for Interstate 83 around Harrisburg, and along Interstate 81 from the Maryland line north to Interstate 78

On I-83 alone, it could take 15 to 20 years for all the widening work to be completed. "Easily," says Greg Penny, a spokesman for the District 8 office of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

"The department is really stymied right now in terms of how to afford a lot of this expansion work," Penny says.

[wrightchr]

well i'm glad this independent study controdicts the cumberland commissioners. i can't stand those joe's. especially since my wife used to work for the county, i know first hand how dicked up they are. dave, i know you have commented along the same lines. personally i'd like to see light rail and regional rail take over south central pa. this is a very important first step to modernizing our region's infrastructure and building a commuter system that will improve economic development along it's corridors. it's really the smartest thing we can do.

[Spudmrg]

This study answers most of my concerns with CorridorOne (namely, the cost of rail vs. bus-only, ridership, etc.), leaving only the "Where will the operating subsidy come from?". That's the question that the Cumberland County Commisioners are claiming will "derail" the whole project. They claim that the county will be forced to put county tax funds into operating CorridorOne. The more likely outcome is that the state will end up paying an operating subsidy much like the other mass transit programs in the state. In fact, they might end up using part of AMTRAK's state subsidy (yes, the state pays for part of AMTRAK's routes) to pay for CorridorOne after AMTRAK pulls out of the Harrisburg-Philly corridor (Which I think they want to...it's not cost-effective for them).

Now the project (and Harrisburg's two "gateway" projects) are waiting on the Federal Transportation Bill.....

[EastSideHBG]

Yeah, I have moronic stories for days about the Cumberland County Commisioners. Definitely a thorn in the side of preogress in this area.

More retail news. This area is beginning to burst at the seams with this stuff. I guess it's not that bad, though, as it is mostly stuff we've neevr had before...


High-end retail center eyed for Vartan site

Friday, June 10, 2005
BY JACK SHERZER
Of The Patriot-News

The former Vartan Supply site in Susquehanna Twp. may be the area's next high-end shopping center.

The proposed center would be a few minutes from the Shoppes at Susquehanna, the area's first shopping center targeting affluent consumers.

But the demographics show there is plenty of demand for this kind of retail use, said Robert J. DeSousa, CEO of the Vartan Group Inc. He said the Linglestown Road corridor -- and nearby highways -- make the site easily accessible.

"We have just begun this process and what we have tried to do is identify the higher-end merchants," DeSousa said, adding that the goal is to also construct perhaps four other retail/commercial buildings on the 34-acre tract.

"Our primary goal right now is to put the appropriate type of first-class tenants in that 80,000-square-foot building," he said.

The Shoppes at Susquehanna has 109,000 square feet of space.

Clothing stores, banks, restaurants and a health club are just some of the possibilities the Vartan Group is hoping to attract at what will be called Clock Tower Grove, a nod to the recently built clock tower -- with its backwards clock -- at the property's entrance.

While the existing large building was used as a building supply company, DeSousa said the structure can easily be refitted to accommodate retailers. Even the "skin" of the building can be changed to whatever look a retailer wants, he said.

Helping the Vartan Group market the site is the Harrisburg office of CB Richard Ellis commercial real estate services, which has just started approaching prospective tenants.

William Aiello, senior vice president with the firm, said he is hopeful that shopping would be available in the existing building by the middle to end of next year.

The tract's highway commercial zoning allows retail use. DeSousa said the parking area and entrance to Linglestown Road is sufficient for the existing building.

Road improvements, including a traffic light on Linglestown, would likely be needed as the rest of the site is developed, he said.

Frank Kessler, the township's zoning and codes enforcement officer, said the impact on traffic, whether there is sufficient parking and other considerations would be reviewed during the building permit process.

A land development plan would be needed when the company seeks to construct additional buildings, he said.

Last fall the township became the site of the area's first high-end retail center, the Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace off Interstate 81 and Progress Avenue.

Recently, owners of the 26-store development announced they had attracted the area's first Banana Republic. Other retailers in the center include Ann Taylor Loft, Chico's, Coldwater Creek, Jos. A. Bank, Bombay, Williams-Sonoma, Plum Bottom, J. Jill and Talbots.

Earlier this year the Vartan Group closed the supply company and Vartan Studios, which did mill work, after reaching a tentative deal to sell the front 24 acres for $13 million.

The deal fell through after the prospective tenant for the site, Giant Food Stores, opted not to relocate.

But DeSousa said the Vartan Group realized the best use of the property is retail.

DeSousa said John O. Vartan, who died in December, had envisioned a variety of uses for the land, which is why he built the supply building in a way that makes it easy to transform.

Closing the supply company and using the land for retail was planned even before the offer to sell the land appeared, because the demographics showed it made sense, DeSousa said.

"There is clearly a demand," he said. "Why should people from our area have to travel to Philadelphia or to Lancaster or somewhere else?"

Aiello, who is marketing the property with another vice president at the firm, George Lulos, said the site has regional appeal because of nearby I-81 and Route 322.

"We are very excited about this; we're talking to medium and big-box retailers" to fill the existing building, Aiello said. "The site is a high-profile and strong site, and we are very hopeful that sooner, rather than later, in the next few months, we will be negotiating deals."

[EastSideHBG]

This is VERY interesting and I like what I am seeing:


West Shore council to vote on expansion

East Shore municipalities seek to save money by sharing services

Sunday, June 12, 2005
BY MARY KLAUS
Of The Patriot-News

The West Shore Council of Governments is paving the way for membership by East Shore municipalities.

The COG, established 35 years ago to foster cooperation, will decide at 7 p.m. June 20 whether to change its bylaws and let East Shore municipalities join, said Perry Albert, the organization's president and chief executive officer.

COG members share equipment, use a joint purchasing program for supplies and share a state-mandated building code appeals board.

"Central Pennsylvania municipalities have a lot in common," Albert said. "Our COG has 15 municipalities from Cumberland, Perry and York counties, all in a 20-mile radius of each other. It's natural for East Shore municipalities to be in this, too."

Several East Shore municipalities have expressed interest in joining, Albert said. He attributes that to the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, which took effect last year and spells out how structures can be designed and what materials can be used. It also requires municipalities to have appeals boards for inspection disputes.

"West Shore COG has one of the best appeal boards in the state," Albert said.

The board consists of 17 professionals specializing in such areas as electricity, plumbing and fire protection.

"We also have a codes administrator, a solicitor and a recorder of minutes. When there's a hearing, we pick five of these members, none from the municipality involved. All our member municipalities can use this board."

Additionally, Albert said, COG municipalities can save money and staff time with joint purchases of supplies.

"COG compiles a list of what the municipalities say they need, then advertises for bids, opens them and awards them," he said. "We get prices locked in for a year. Last year, we saved at least 25 percent on playground-top material put around sliding boards."

COG municipalities share 60 pieces of equipment, such as backhoes, front-end loaders, sewer cleaners, bucket trucks, flushing trucks, mowers, spreaders, street vacuums and generators, he said.

"I've met with solicitors or managers from Steelton, Highspire, Middletown, Royalton and Penbrook boroughs and Swatara, Lower Paxton and Londonderry townships," Albert said.

John McHale, Highspire borough manager, said Borough Council wants to join, partly because of the code board.

"A town our size doesn't have all the qualified people we need available for such a board," he said. "West Shore COG has an established track record in other matters. A COG is good because the bigger you are, the more leverage you have in negotiating purchases and services."

Albert said each participating municipality gets one seat and one vote on the COG board, which meets in the Hampden Twp. Municipal Building at 230 S. Sporting Hill Road. Membership costs $1,500 a year.

The current member municipalities of West Shore COG are Camp Hill, Lemoyne, Marysville, New Cumberland, Mechanicsburg, Shiremanstown and Wormleysburg boroughs and East Pennsboro, Fairview, Hampden, Lower Allen, Silver Spring, Upper Allen, Carroll and Monaghan townships.

[wrightchr]

^ i see the beginnings of a Metropolitan COG here very good news! could this be the beginning of consolidation?

[Spudmrg]

I heard today on the TV that the Feds are looking for a new building site, 3rd and Forester is the leading site, and two sites off of 6th street are also being looked at. It appears the "hold" on that project has been lifted.

[wrightchr]

^ 3rd and Forster? There's no vacant land there that I know of. Maybe they intend to raze buildings for the new one. As for 6th Street, I hope it's going to be in downtown.

[Spudmrg]

Big media day for our sort of news!

We'll start with.....

http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriot...980.xml&coll=1

3 possible courthouse sites upset residents
Federal project could displace Harrisburg apartments, old homes
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
BY DAVID DEKOK
Of The Patriot-News
The U.S. General Services Administration has selected three potential sites for a federal courthouse in Harrisburg, and some residents are organizing to save their homes and businesses.

One site would be on Third Street across from The State Museum, between North and Forster streets and back to Green Street, encompassing three gay bars as well as the St. Moritz, Roxy's Cafe and Mangia Qui restaurants, and some restored historic homes.

"It would rip out the heart of a very desirable community," said Ronn Fink, a founder of Historic Harrisburg Association and co-owner of Bare Wall Gallery at 712 Green St.

Neighborhood residents defeated city plans for a parking garage on a nearby site in 1999.

Another site is at Sixth and Basin streets, site of the Jackson-Lick Apartments. One tower of the Jackson-Lick Apartments is vacant, and about 140 mostly low-income elderly live in the other tower. City officials said the federal government would have to pay to relocate those residents.

The third site is on the other side of Sixth bounded by Verbeke, Herr and Capital streets. The site abuts the Broad Street Market and is the location of the Cumberland Court Apartments, which are privately owned, and the Friends Meeting House. The 108 apartments are filled with tenants whose rents are subsidized by the federal government. Occupancy could not be determined yesterday.

City spokesman Randy King said the owner would get fair-market value and the city would try to get relocation assistance for the residents.

GSA said it picked these three sites because they are large enough to accommodate the size and security requirements of a federal courthouse. The courthouse at Third and Walnut streets is too small and a security nightmare, federal officials said.

"We look forward to working with our partners to bring a new, state-of-the-art U.S. courthouse to the city of Harrisburg," said acting GSA Regional Administrator Jon Kvistad. "We are sensitive to the fabric of the neighborhood and hope the community will work with us to select the best of these three sites."

Plans are for a 263,000-square-foot building that will house the courtrooms, judges' chambers and offices of the U.S. attorney and related offices. Thirty parking spaces for high-ranking officials only are said to be part of the plans, which would increase parking pressure in the neighborhood.

Construction is not expected to begin before 2008 or 2009. The cost is estimated at $102 million, the GSA said. The existing courthouse would be used to consolidate nonjudicial federal offices on the East and West Shores.

Mayor Stephen R. Reed yesterday made clear his unhappiness about the sites.

"None of the three sites were the preferred locations we earlier suggested," Reed said. "All of the remaining three have contingent issues."

During a series of meetings over the past year with U.S. District Judge Yvette Kane and other federal officials, Reed favored building the courthouse along what would be South Third Street Extended as the anchor of the planned South Gateway Project. There is a parking lot at the site now.

Reed's other favored sites were on vacant parcels along North Sixth or North Seventh streets above Reilly Street to Maclay, which is the city's North Gateway Project.

The Rev. Russ Muller, pastor of St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Harrisburg, and an officer of the Capital Area Neighborhood Association, said there is concern among members about the possible demolition of their homes. Group officers planned an emergency meeting last night. The association represents the area bounded by Front, Walnut, Third and Forster streets.

"A historical community like this should not even be considered," said Muller, who owns a home on one of the potentially affected streets. "It would be a tremendous loss to the community if it is bulldozed over."

ABOUT A CHANGE

A site is sought for a new federal courthouse in Harrisburg because of security concerns at its current location, a leaking roof and a lack of space.

Public hearings on three proposed sites are scheduled for 1 and 6 p.m. July 14 at the Hilton Harrisburg &Towers.

A decision is expected this fall.

[Spudmrg]

Next, we have this story. EastSide...do you notice what's "missing" from the approval of the printing complex?

http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriot...980.xml&coll=1

HARRISBURG
Printing plant, parking garage, hotel win approval
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
BY JOHN LUCIEW
Of The Patriot-News
Harrisburg City Council last night gave final approval for a slate of projects, including a hotel across from the Farm Show Complex, a printing facility on Cameron Street and a downtown parking garage.

The newest of the projects is a 12-deck parking garage to be built at 220 South St. between Second and Third streets. The 750-space garage will be funded by a $17 million bond issue, which was also approved.

It would serve Belco Community Credit Union, which is expanding its headquarters and consolidating operations on the east side of 400 block of North Second Street.

The garage also would be open on weekends to serve churches in the area. It could open in the evenings to provide overflow parking for patrons of downtown restaurants and clubs, officials said.

"We know how important more parking is in the city of Harrisburg," Council Presi dent Richard House said before a unanimous vote.

The 92-room Comfort Inn Suites Hotel is proposed for 1017-1033 Maclay St., the site of an office building housing Barbizon modeling school. The site is across from the southern end of the Farm Show grounds.

Insite Development of Harrisburg has proposed razing the office building on Maclay Street to make way for a three-level hotel. Council approved the plan.

"It's a very impressive facility and it will add value to that area," said council Vice President Linda Thompson before a unanimous vote.

That hotel would join another by Crossgates Inc. of Harrisburg, which has announced plans to build a 150-room suite-style hotel on about 4.8 acres of Farm Show land now used as a parking lot. A third hotel is proposed nearby in Susquehanna Twp.

Interest in the Farm Show site by hotel companies seems to have been spurred by a $86 million expansion that was completed in 2003.

The printing facility, which promises to create 118 jobs, would be on an 8-acre lot at 1000 N. Cameron St.

JOHN LUCIEW: 255-8171 or jluceiw@patriot-news.com