From the sounds of it, Chris, they aren't going to be replacing the parking that will be lost. I would imagine another parking garage is going to be popping up in/near DT soon; one almost has to at this point...
LOL Tom. You know your buddy Dave, I wouldn't let you wind up in a bad 'hood. I will have the red carpet rolled out for you if/when you come back through.
This is pretty interesting (read both articles).
Developer plans to move 3 mansions
Thursday, March 10, 2005
BY JOHN LUCIEW
Of The Patriot-News
Three threatened North Front Street mansions could be moved.
Mary Knackstedt, owner of the brick-and-stone manors between 2901 and 2917 N. Front St., applied yesterday for a demolition permit from Harrisburg for all three.
The move comes a week after Knackstedt, an interior designer, withdrew plans to build a 32-unit condominium building on the site after city officials said the project would be rejected.
The new plans drew another outcry from neighboring residents and city preservationists, who said Knackstedt's project is a threat to Front Street's historic charm.
Knackstedt said she doesn't want to demolish the buildings, merely move them to clear the way for luxury condos. She said seeking a demolition permit was the only avenue available to obtain approval for moving the mansions.
"The objective is to go forward with the project," said Knackstedt, owner of Mary K Interiors Inc. at 2901 N. Front St.
City spokesman Randy King said yesterday that Mayor Stephen R. Reed remains against removing old mansions from Front Street, fearing it could set a precedent.
But King said the city has "limited legal guidelines" regarding demolition permits for buildings not in an historic zone. Knackstedt's houses, built between 1916 and 1925, lack a historic designation.
"The city strongly opposes this," King said. "We will do whatever we can to prevent this from happening."
Knackstedt said she's already lined up a buyer and new locations for all three mansions. And she said an engineering study has determined that the mansions can be moved intact without damage.
"It's relatively simple," she said, adding the houses would remain in the area, but not necessarily in the city. She said the buyer is local, with other real estate interests.
Preservationists said losing the mansions, either to the wrecking ball or the moving truck, would mar Front Street.
"It would be a shame for the state capital and all the people of Pennsylvania, not just residents of Harrisburg," said Paul Blust, owner of two 19th-century mansions on Front Street.
Historic Harrisburg President Diane McCormick acknowledged an uphill fight in trying to stop Knackstedt.
Without historic designations, it might be relatively easy to obtain a city demolition permit -- a process that doesn't involve public hearings, an oversight board or avenues for appeal, McCormick said.
Her group is exploring all options, including expanding the city's historic district.
Blust said historic districts are merely lines on a map and should have always protected more of Front Street. "All of Front Street is historic," he said, adding it isn't too late to fix the mistake.
McCormick said she can't understand why Knackstedt keeps pressing ahead in the face of so much opposition.
"All I can figure is, she [Knackstedt] thinks 'it's my property, I can do what I want,'" she said.
Knackstedt said she's not deaf to the uproar but that critics miss the big picture. "They haven't seen the drawings. They don't know what the project is about," she said.
"I'm extremely excited because I really feel this is going to be one of the great things to happen to Harrisburg in a long, long time."
Knackstedt's $30 million building would feature 32 units with terraces, balconies and views of the Susquehanna River. Some of the condos could approach 4,000 square feet and sell for $1 million.
"This will raise the level of the whole area," she said.
**********************
NEWS INFORMATION FROM THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
March 8 2005
Statement by Mayor Stephen R. Reed Regarding Demolition Permit Applications Filed to Raze Three North 2nd and Division Streets; Mansions
“The demolition permit applications were not expected, as the developer had withdrawn the project from further consideration by the city Planning Commission. The demolition applications were neither encouraged nor welcomed.
“The city believes two significant problems exist with the project proposal for the site: it violates provisions of the Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Code, which prohibits a large multi-unit residential complex in this category of residential development area; and demolition there creates a precedent that opens the door to others seeking to demolish other Front Street mansions.
“The city’s view has not changed. The project is a splendid proposal but it needs to be located at an alternate site that does not involve these two critical issues.”
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