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

[Spudmrg]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Proposed highway improvements will take truck traffic off the Penn State Harrisburg campus and provide access to Jednota Estates off Rosedale Avenue, Navarro said. That property is owned by the fraternal organization First Catholic Slovak Union. Much of it is undeveloped except for the vacant Jednota Press building.

Actually, the local transportation planning people have yet to put that truck divert road on the 12-year plan. I'm aware of at least 2 proposed plans for moving the Excel Wharehouse complex traffic away from 230....and this one here makes no.3.

Thanks for the advice EastSide....I'm actually leaving right now to show off 'Da Burg.

[EastSideHBG]

/\
So how'd it go, Mike?


Very interesting trend we have going on here:


Palmyra area provides affordable choice to Hershey

Cost-conscious from Hershey find homes near Palmyra

Sunday, April 17, 2005
BY MONICA VON DOBENECK
Of The Patriot-News

The home Anita Cassel sold near Hershey looks a lot like the home she just bought near Palmyra.

Four bedrooms, 21/2 bathrooms, stone and stucco exterior, quarter-acre lot, 2,500 square feet. The difference is that in Derry Twp., Cassel paid $7,500 in local real estate taxes each year. Near Palmyra, she'll pay $2,800.

"We loved living in Derry Twp," she said. "It was a great place for our two sons to go to school, but the taxes aren't worth it."

The price of living in Derry Twp. hasn't affected its decades of dominance in the midstate housing market. It's a place where a $1 million home with a 6,000-square-foot floor plan isn't out of the ordinary or where a 40-year-old home with a carport and an updated kitchen can sell for $140,000.

It's the power of the address.

No place else in the midstate has that kind of drawing power -- because of the school district, the amusement park, the theater, the library, the stadium, the medical center and the buzz for being the "it" location. Hershey is the hottest post office in the region.

For years, though, the draw of Derry Twp. ended where Dauphin County stopped and Lebanon County began. Palmyra always drew more working-class people to its neighborhoods. Its school district's reputation didn't compare to Derry Twp.'s SAT scores.

Despite Palmyra's physical closeness, it just wasn't the same ZIP code.

In the last few years, people such as Anita Cassel have found that "close enough" is fine with them -- and it's easier on their wallets.

Taxes are higher in Derry Twp. The cost of homes is higher. Space for new homes is vanishing, making what is available even more costly.

Anne Bond searched the Internet for the best place to live when she and her family decided two years ago to move out of San Francisco.

They homed in on Hershey.

"It had concerts, outlet malls, a park, a theater, all those big-city things that we could do in a small area," she said. "It's also not far from big cities and the ocean."

Looking at homes in the Hershey and Palmyra areas, they found they could buy a new home in the Stone Knoll development in South Londonderry Twp., Lebanon County, for the price of a home needing remodeling in Hershey.

As the western edge of Lebanon County has become more attractive to people looking for homes, it has spurred a surge in housing developments.

In the past decade, 926 lots have been approved or are in the approval process in South Londonderry Twp., according to the county planning commission. In North Londonderry Twp., it has been more than 1,000. Last year alone, about 200 new residential housing permits were issued in those two townships and Palmyra.

It's like Derry Twp. -- just cheaper.

Home sizes growing:

A few years ago, houses in western Lebanon County tended to be more modest in size, layout and price than those in Derry Twp.

That's not the case any longer.

"There are more higher-class, more upscale properties," said Doug Foltz, office manager for the Realty Select office in Hershey. He recently sold a home in Olde Stone Way, North Londonderry Twp., for $300,000.

In the wooded Forest Ridge development in South Londonderry Twp., the asking price for one home is nearly $600,000.

"Five to eight years ago, you wouldn't think of starting a development in that price range" in Lebanon County, said Don Lechleitner, the owner of Brownstone Realty.

It comes from the "close enough" theory -- homes are close to all of Hershey's amenities but at a portion of the price.

It costs at least $20 more per square foot to build in Derry Twp., or $50,000 more for a 2,500-square-foot house, primarily because of the cost of land, Lechleitner said.

Within the past year, a new four-bedroom, 3,100-square-foot home in the Stone Creek development of Derry Twp. sold for $455,000, with real estate taxes of $6,570.

Across the Lebanon County line, in South Londonderry Twp., a new four-bedroom, 3,300-square-foot home in the Stone Knoll development sold for $296,000, with taxes of $3,990.

Moving close to home:

A recent Brownstone Realty survey in western Lebanon County showed that half the buyers of new homes already live in the Palmyra School District.

Another 30 percent live less than 10 miles away, including people moving from Derry Twp. Only 20 percent come from out of the area.

People staying within the school district are generally taking advantage of low interest rates to move into bigger homes.

The Byrd family lived on Main Street in Palmyra before moving to Springbrook Farms in South Londonderry Twp. to make room for several generations.

Larry Byrd and his wife work in Hershey, but they never considered moving there because of the taxes, he said.

"Palmyra has the best tax rate around," he said.

If people are moving to the Palmyra area primarily for the low taxes, "it could be a sign of trouble to come," said John Logan, a Brown University sociology professor.

"You can't have a growing school population and low taxes," he said. When an area is seen as desirable, "there tends to be a spillover," which eventually increases home prices.

Derry Twp.'s allure:

Derry Twp. saw its greatest period of growth in the late 1980s.

While plenty of people still prefer Derry Twp., there isn't much room for development because the Hershey Trust Co. owns much of the available land. That makes Derry properties more marketable.

The Cassels sold their Derry Twp. home after 12 days on the market.

Schools are the big draw for people in Derry Twp., according to real estate agents. Their reputation is sterling, and their students usually score at the top of standardized tests. The Cassels waited until their sons graduated before moving to the Palmyra area.

The schools are why Saima and Nubashir Mumtaz, relocating from Cleveland, are confining their search to Derry Twp. He took a job as a physician at Harrisburg Hospital.

"Our first priority is the schools," said Saima Mumtaz, as the couple toured an open house in the Stone Creek development with their 5-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter. "After that, we want a decent house in a nice, friendly neighborhood with kids."

Palmyra is close enough:

"Derry Twp. is right on the other side of the road there," said Nancy Fuschetti, as she finished signing papers for her new home in Windsor Crossing, North Londonderry Twp.

She was actually moving across that road. When she left New Jersey, she initially lived in Derry Twp., then found a home in Windsor Crossing. Compared to New Jersey, Derry and North Londonderry townships have low taxes, she said.

The Mellinger family moved from Derry Twp. to Windsor Crossing even though they have five school-age children. They paid $284,000 for a 2,500-square-foot home that would have cost more than $350,000 in Derry, they said.

"We had heard complaints about the schools, but now that I'm in Palmyra, I find the schools very satisfactory," Nancy Mellinger said.

In some ways, they like it better. There is less social pressure in the Palmyra area for kids to drive new cars or wear the latest fashions, Ron Mellinger said.

Population, demands grow:

As developments push eastward from Derry Twp. and the homes in western Lebanon County become more numerous and more expensive, the pressure could mean that North and South Londonderry townships will become more Hershey-like.

Rose Mary Kays, manager of South Londonderry Twp., said people moving in expect more services.

"We get complaints about yard waste, burning leaves. There are more roads to fix, more sewer lines," she said. "When I started here [in 1989], most people had lived here a long time. It was more laid-back."

Traffic is also becoming more intense. Routes 422 and 322 often back up during rush hour, and municipal officials wring their hands over what to do about it.

The schools feel the pressure of population growth, with students in the high school this year taking some of their classes in trailers.

Foltz said it is only a matter of time before there is increased pressure on the school district to compete with Derry Twp. Eventually home prices and taxes will also creep up. "You will start to see the same characteristics you see in Hershey."

Changing from a small town:

Cindy Risser grew up in Campbelltown, a village in South Londonderry Twp., and said she misses what was once a small-town atmosphere.

"I always knew the guy up the street," she said. "Now people come from bigger places and want to instill their values. We say, wait a minute, we live in a small town for a reason. ... When I grew up there was constantly someone looking out for you. If we were away on vacation, the guy three doors down would know that. Now I could probably be gone for months and no one would know."

Also, she said, "more children means more schools and more money. ... I'd like to see more empty land."

A survey a couple of years ago in South Londonderry Twp. showed residents overwhelmingly want their community to remain rural.

Growth can be managed, but it can't be stopped, said Earl Meyer, director of the Lebanon County Planning Department. To help, the county is starting to develop a countywide comprehensive plan.

Bill Pauza, chairman of the South Londonderry Twp. Planning Commission and an advocate of controlled growth, likes the idea of impact fees. These would be fees -- in other states it ranges from $500 to several thousand dollars -- for every occupancy permit.

They would also require a study to predict how much new residents will add to the cost of schools, police services and the like. Homes cost more in services than they generate in taxes, Meyers said.

"Most people who want to stop growth feel that way right after their own house is built, and then say, 'Let's close the door behind me.'"

[Spudmrg]

Remind me where all of these people are commuting to everyday?

[Spudmrg]

According to one of those dubious "housing bubble" studies, the Harrisburg metro (Whatever it is now) is 10 percent undervalued . To get that number, usually some sort of calculation of rental vs. home-ownership prices is used, which means the calculation is more: "Are rental prices too high, or are home prices too low"? What does everyone think? Rental prices too high or home prices too low?

EastSide, my friend was somewhat impressed by Da Burg, but he said we're a 4th rate nightscene (After places like NYC, places like Philly, and places like State College), I disagree with him. We ended up on 2nd street until about midnight. He's thinking about moving down here...in 3 years or so.

[wrightchr]

^ 2nd street kills State College...i don't know what he is thinking about. i don't think rental prices are too high at all. the cost of living, including rental agreements, is much more affordable in the HBG area, than in other parts of the state. i get BAH, basic allowance for housing through the military. i would get more money if i lived in reading, the lehigh valley, scranton, pottsville...and almost twice as much if i lived in philly or pittsburgh. it seems that the harrisburg area is cheap, compared to the rest of the state. i'm not really sure why?

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by wrightchr

^ 2nd street kills State College...i don't know what he is thinking about.

I totally agree. I'm not into the scene at State College...at all. But I readily admit that I am somewhat biased against places that are strictly college towns (I get bored w/ that really fast) and I am not a fan of bars (I like clubs).

And you can't really compare NYC to HBG, so...

*Not trying to start shit, Mike, and I totally respect his opinion. Just giving my $.02.

i don't think rental prices are too high at all. the cost of living, including rental agreements, is much more affordable in the HBG area, than in other parts of the state. i get BAH, basic allowance for housing through the military. i would get more money if i lived in reading, the lehigh valley, scranton, pottsville...and almost twice as much if i lived in philly or pittsburgh. it seems that the harrisburg area is cheap, compared to the rest of the state. i'm not really sure why?

I disagree, and think the rents around here are pretty high these days for what you are getting anymore. Like any place, yes you can find some deals if you look hard enough. But the avg. 1 BR crappy place is well over $600 anymore I am finding. Also, I have seen the rents shoot up dramatically over the last few years (my grandmother's not so great place went up from $575 to over $700 now in just a few years). In many cases it's a lot cheaper to have a mortgage than rent...by a long shot.

As far as this area being cheaper than other parts of the state, in some ways yes, in some ways no. As for why exactly this is, again, it all goes back to my "Sunbelt of PA" theory. Don't worry folks, I am not going to get into that again.

[EastSideHBG]

Some VERY interesting ideas here. And I really wish Smith would quit with the negative campaigning; it is making him look really bad and I think he is losing supporters (he is quickly losing me, that's for sure):

*And the museum is technically in Susquehanna Twp. WHAT?!? I worked there, and we paid local taxes to the city, had the city PD respond to incidents, etc. Maybe the City and the Twp. worked out some sort of an agreement?!? If so, this is news to me.


Challengers label Reed's museum as a lost cause

This is the first in a series of four stories on issues in the

Harrisburg mayor's race. Other stories -- on taxes, residential and commercial development, and education -- will appear each Monday.

Monday, April 18, 2005
BY JOHN LUCIEW
Of The Patriot-News

Harrisburg never saw fighting in the Civil War, but America's bloodiest war, more than 140 years ago, has become a factor in this year's race for mayor.

This time, the battle is over the city's National Civil War Museum and Mayor Stephen R. Reed's plan to create a critical mass of at least five city-owned museums to drive tourism in Harrisburg.

Reed's opponents -- former city policeman Ernie Napoli and design-firm owner Jason Smith -- have other ideas for the sprawling museum atop Reservoir Park.

Reed and his two challengers are vying for the Democratic nomination in the May 17 primary, and the Civil War's long shadow could play a role in the outcome.

Smith has suggested closing the museum, selling its artifacts and relocating City Hall and Harrisburg's police, fire and public safety offices -- now based downtown -- to the museum site.

Since he announced the idea in February, Smith said, it has become a centerpiece of his campaign.

"For many years, the people of Harrisburg have scratched their heads over the Civil War museum," Smith said. "My idea has caught on like wildfire. Everywhere I go, in every neighborhood, people tell me they like the concept."

Napoli also is in favor of shuttering the museum. But he'd like to see it become the clubhouse for a public golf course at the park, or even a casino. He said he'd also entertain offers to sell the building for a corporate headquarters.

"It's a beautiful building," Napoli said. "It's gorgeous, but it's not bringing in any money. It should be in Gettysburg."

When the museum opened in February 2001 at a cost of $39 million, including $17 million in artifacts, it was one of the proudest moments of Reed's 19 years in office. (Now in his sixth term, Reed has served 23 years as mayor.)

Then Sept. 11 terrorism struck, the economy crashed and the bottom fell out of the travel and tourism market.

Reed is blunt about the museum's struggles in its first several years. But he's also optimistic about its future, saying the operation is leaner and nearly breaking even. He predicts a better year in 2005.

While conceding that the museum is an "easy target," Reed rules out as "ridiculous" any suggestion of closing it.

For starters, Reed said, the moment the building is closed for another use, the city would be on the hook for $17 million that the state kicked in for the project.

Selling the artifacts isn't the answer, either, he said, because those purchases served as the city's match for the state funds.

Reed added that the building isn't big enough to house all city operations, meaning a City Hall switch would require a multimillion-dollar overhaul and expansion of the building. Moving costs, including rewiring the building for voice and electronic communications, could total nearly $3 million.

Beyond that, switching the building to a City Hall or a corporate headquarters would change the placid nature of Reservoir Park, Reed said.

"We're a 24/7 operation," he said of the city. "There would be traffic going in and out of there day and night."

But perhaps the major reason against change is that the museum is in Susquehanna Twp., Reed said.

"The prospect of moving the city government center to Susquehanna Twp. would not be in the city's interests," he said.

While split on the past, the candidates appear to be more in agreement about shaping Harrisburg's future as a tourist destination.

Smith rose to prominence by successfully fighting Reed's plan for a Wild West museum. He and Reed reached an agreement in February 2004 under which Reed would sell $500,000 of the $4.5 million in Western artifacts he'd acquired.

The money would go to fund a study that would guide the city's efforts at boosting tourism and creating attractions.

Smith played a lead role in refining the concept for a planned African-American Heritage Center in Harrisburg. Reed supported the concept, and it's now on the fast track to becoming the city's next museum.

However, Smith said he now disagrees with the museum's proposed midtown location, even though he selected it.

Reed said he would be bound by the $192,000 tourism study, which is under way by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

But Reed has also acknowledged buying the occasional Civil War or African artifact, even after the storm of criticism over his millions of dollars in Wild West purchases, uncovered in July 2003.

These latest purchases were made the same way as Reed's Western artifact purchases. The nontax money came from funds held by the Harrisburg Authority, which earns fees for floating bonds and making other financial deals for municipalities.

However, Reed's most recent purchases have been in the tens of thousands of dollars, not millions, and they are for museums already built or well into the planning stages.

Even Smith said his agreement with the mayor involved halting purchases of only Western artifacts, not items for other museums.

[EastSideHBG]

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: HARRISBURG TOURISM

Monday, April 18, 2005

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: HARRISBURG TOURISM

Q: With all the choices for vacations and attractions, how do you get people to want to spend a night or stay a weekend in Harrisburg?

ERNIE NAPOLI:

There are reasons to spend a weekend in Harrisburg at the downtown hotels. Visitors can see a ballgame on the island, visit the art building at Third and Market streets, eat out at the restaurants in the city, visit The State Museum, the state Capitol, or The Forum if there's any entertainment.

MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED:

Having an array of diverse attractions is key. Stay-over visitors need multiple reasons to want to be here. The prospect of tourism in Harrisburg was easily dismissed earlier. No longer. It is a part of the city economy today. This did not happen by accident. It took the creation of sports, recreational, arts and cultural facilities, parks upgrades, new hotels, history museums, waterfront development and extensive special events programming. This has become the initial critical mass that attracts visitors, now numbering over 3.2 million annually, bringing jobs, investment and spin-off benefits to restaurants and retail here.

JASON SMITH:

Why seek a visitor for a weekend when we can attract residents for life? What Harrisburg needs is a commitment to making our city a safe and clean place to call home, a place filled with convenience, culture, beauty, and economic opportunity -- and served by a government committed to customer service. My plan will build our tax base, provide opportunities to reinvest our money close to home, and attract visitors--visitors who support small businesses and create jobs.

Q: Is Harrisburg's current plan for five museums the right way to go to increase tourism?

NAPOLI:

The Civil War Museum cost the taxpayer approximately $17 million. It closed (temporarily) in the winter of 2005 and cost the taxpayer another $150,000. It has lost money the past 31/2 years. As mayor of Harrisburg, I will sell the museum and take the money and reduce the property taxes. If it can't be sold, I would try to make it a clubhouse for a golf course. The other option would be to try to get the governor to approve a casino for slot machines there, generating revenue for the city and state.

REED:

Whether five museums occur remains to be seen. It takes inter-related facilities, events and activities to give reason for visitors to come, which includes the festivals, arts events, concerts, park settings, professional-level sports, historic districts, sites and museums, good restaurants, and day and evening entertainment for varying age groups that have been spawned in this period. We are now moving to the next level by having engaged a nationally recognized study team to help craft the next long-range plan for tourism, which will answer the question of what additional facilities, including museums, will make the most sense.

SMITH:

Creating more of the wrong thing doesn't make it right. We should invest in cleaning our filthy streets, adequately supporting our police, reducing taxes, educating our kids, and attracting thousands of residents. When I am mayor, I will never put my personal fetishes ahead of the basic needs of our citizens. I will make the people's priorities my own, and we will deliver the services (and the courtesy) that every citizen deserves.

[wrightchr]

smith is trying to play to the masses by telling the media and public exactly what they want to hear. it's easy to be negative and criticize other's ideas and say you can do better. it's entirely different to develop ideas and initiatives to better a city, region, and culture of people. even though the museum concept isn't winning money, it's winning prestige and attention nationally. i've had comments in the past from family members in new england when they heard about the new national civil war museum. it was published in last year's Rand Mcnally's US atlas, as a key attraction to visit in the NE. spending money to preserve local history, improve parks, develop and spur tourism, and add attractions such as museums, have other far reaching cost effective benefits.

[Spudmrg]

LOL, I said I disagreed with the guy. I think 2nd street is fine...even If I can only stand in a crowded club for so long.

As for tourism in the city...well, there are only so many things one can do to promote tourism in any given city. Sports Team, done (owned by the city I might add). Convention Center/Farm Show, done. Hotels, ehhhhh, getting there. Nightlife, done. If you want to boost tourism, the only way to do that is to build/get an attraction.

Hershey has the local hockey team, Basketball really does'nt have a farm system (do they?), Reed already wants to boost the AA team in Harrisburg to a AAA team, Soccer is a joke in this country, and the only way to go up in football is to get an arena football team.

To sum it up....tourism is not the easiest indrustry to build up, usually it's more of a freak event or long hard work than anything else. Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio) was built over 80 years if memory serves, Orlando was nothing before Walt moved in, and Las Vegas was a gas station town before it became "sin city". A 3rd tier city like Harrisburg will obviously not have the traffic of a major city like Philly or NYC without something additional. What that would be, I don't know.

[EastSideHBG]

/\
The nation's tallest observation tower...PA's tallest building... I dunno, something big and gawdy....something that will stick out on the skyline like a sore thumb.


Let the transformation of Allison Hill continue!!!

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
April 18 2005

SORRENTO PIZZERIA ADDITION PROJECT COMPLETED; EXPANDED MENU NOW OFFERED AT POPULAR DERRY ST. SITE

Mayor Stephen R. Reed today cut the ribbon to officially open an expanded Sorrento Pizzeria Restaurant at 1845 Derry Street in the city’s Allison Hill. The expansion project included a new kitchen and a 40-seat dining room for what is now the oldest pizza shop in Central Pennsylvania.

Reed said Sorrento Pizzeria is owned and operated by longtime city res- taurateur Joe Neve. The eatery first opened in 1966 and was purchased by Neve in 1976. Neve added nearly 1600 square feet of new space, including the new 40-seat dining room and modern new kitchen facilities at a cost in excess of $250,000. Sorrento’s current workforce of 7 full and parttime employees will be nearly doubled to accommodate the new facilities.

The Mayor said Sorrento’s existing pizza and sub menu is also being expanded to include pasta dishes such as lasagna and fettuccini, as well as wings, fries and other American convenience foods.

“Joe Neve’s Sorrento Pizzeria is a distinctive city eatery,” said Mayor Reed, “where delectable pizza and sub dishes have been served for nearly 40 years. No other city pizza shop can claim such an enduring history of continuous operations, and with today’s expansion project this landmark city eatery will continue that illustrious record of service to the midstate.”

Reed said Sorrento Pizzeria is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to Midnight, and Sundays from Noon to 10:00 p.m. They can be reached at 233.5935.

[EastSideHBG]

HIA

Land sought for airport's growth

Tuesday, April 19, 2005
BY ELLEN LYON
Of The Patriot-News

Ever since officials at Harrisburg International Airport said they want to buy a nearby parking lot, they have been fielding calls from businesses and homeowners along Route 230 who want to sell their land.

But Aviation Director Fred Testa said HIA is only interested in property adjacent to the airport that can be developed for aviation-related businesses.

HIA's plans came to the forefront recently when the airport authority decided to condemn Cramer's Airport Parking, which is a privately owned parking lot next to the airport. The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority voted in March to pay landowner Stanford Cramer $1.56 million, based on an appraisal by Noone & Associates, for the 17.6 acres. The authority owns and operates HIA.

Cramer has been meeting with his attorney and isn't saying much, other than that he doesn't want to sell and wants to continue operating his business.

This is not the first time the authority has used its power of eminent domain against Cramer. In 2001, it took 5.5 acres he owned, also adjacent to the airport, and paid him $180,000. Cramer appealed the taking, and the matter remains in court.

Testa said he had no choice but to use eminent domain to force a sale. Airports can use that power if the land will be used for the greater public good.

"It's the only place we can expand," Testa said. "My job is to try to fit a self-sufficient operation on this postage stamp."

The airport is more of a triangle than a postage stamp, with the Susquehanna River and railroad tracks comprising the longer legs of the triangle and a Middletown residential neighborhood along the shorter leg. Cramer's parking lot is between the railroad tracks and Route 230.

HIA is one of the smallest of the nation's 430 commercial airports, with 764 acres, although it has been ranked 92nd in terms of traffic.

"We are truly out on an island, which means we must make enough money to operate the airport. There is no one we can turn to for help," Testa said, noting that HIA is not a municipally owned and financed airport. "We have to be extremely self-sufficient."

The airport generates revenues through leases with businesses that use airport land and terminal space. It also charges airlines landing and ramp fees. And it charges fees for parking and use of its road system.

Testa said an airline has expressed interest in locating a maintenance base at HIA. And someone else made a "serious inquiry" about building a cargo-transfer facility that would take advantage of the airport's air and rail service and its proximity to major highways, he said. Cramer's property would be ideal for both ventures, Testa said.

"They're all good-paying jobs," Testa said. "The new development will bring in 10 to 20 times what Cramer's paying now" in taxes.

Cramer's son, Solomon, who is involved in his father's business, said they paid about $21,500 in real estate taxes last year on the parking lot, which includes a large building.

Testa said no one is willing to make a deal on either project until the airport has the land. Financially struggling airlines don't have the money to buy the land from Cramer, and even if they could, that would mean the airport wouldn't make any leasing revenue from it, he said.

HIA land is tax-exempt except when improvements, such as a corporate hangar, are made for private use. Then the entity using the improvements pays taxes.

************

Officials consider area development

Tuesday, April 19, 2005
BY ELLEN LYON
Of The Patriot-News

Over the years, the officials who run Harrisburg International Airport have bought several properties with an eye toward developing the area around HIA.

The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority, which owns and operates HIA, struck a deal in 1999 to pay Bethlehem Steel Corp. $1.9 million for a 2-mile strip of land. Much of it remains undeveloped, but three companies have located there.

Gancom, a direct-mail and printing operation, Spectrum Recycling and 84 Lumber have all bought land and opened facilities.

"We've got three businesses that weren't here before," HIA spokesman Scott Miller said.

The authority bought the Sunburst Restaurant along Route 230 for $440,000 last year. Airport officials hope to lure a low-rate motel to the site where the empty restaurant still stands.

HIA also is working to redevelop land already within the airport's boundaries. The authority is in the process of demolishing and doing environmental cleanup on the old Crawford Station power plant site, at the airport's eastern edge bordering Middletown.

About half of the approximately 40-acre site will be used for an expansion of the 193rd Special Operations Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, which is based at HIA, said Fred Testa, aviation director at HIA.

Airport officials hope to market the rest of the land for cargo facilities.

"We need to develop cargo. Cargo is going to be the big thing," said Cliff Jones, an airport authority board member.

The authority also intends to redevelop the old terminal building, which was replaced by a larger terminal last August as part of a $240 million expansion project at HIA.

The Sheward Partnership of Philadelphia has lined up three or four potential tenants for the old terminal and should have leases to present to the authority by late summer, Testa said.

Jones said, "I would visualize that the old terminal building would become an office hub."

It can't be used for cargo because it doesn't have rail access or a place for trucks to pull up, Testa noted.

HIA also hopes to lease part of the parking lot in front of the old terminal and next to the new parking garage for a business-class hotel.

The authority is awaiting federal and state funding to come through for a new Amtrak train station it wants to build on part of its reserve parking lot along Route 230.

As for future purchases, anything is possible.

It is "highly likely sometime between now and 30 years out we'll have to acquire more property," said Eric Clancy, a member of the airport authority.

[wrightchr]

^ this is great news. maybe i'll see some of the new things when i come home on leave in july. expanding HIA is a good sign of more progress to come. with the construction of a large hotel, amtrak/regional rail station, expansion and renovation of the old terminal, addition of a cargo hub, and major airline maintenence shop....traffic volume at HIA will skyrocket. all they really need to do now is complete the process for FTZ corridor approval and it will help spur more economic devlopment around the airport with the spinoff of more jobs and further increasing volume at HIA.

[Spudmrg]

The cargo hub will happen, I'm not sure WHO will build/buy it, but it's too good of a location to pass up with all of the roads/rail around. I understand that all of the money has already been approved (in theory) for the rail line to be set up, if only AMTRAK and the local transit people give the final "go" order. As for the hotel plan, there are plans for TWO hotel slots on the east side of Rt. 230, not just one, but I hav'nt heard any major hotel chain step up yet. Judging from the economic/travel data these past few months, I'm not sure they are in the mood to bet on a new airport at HIA....yet.

[EastSideHBG]

I agree, guys, good stuff indeed!!!

Did anyone here about this crazy shit?!? :nuts:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...threadid=74018

And this is pretty wild too!!!


'The best takedown of a drug gang'

Friday, April 22, 2005
BY THEODORE DECKER
Of The Patriot-News

The window shade behind them is drawn, and the six young Harrisburg men sprawl around the living room, flashing gang signs and brandishing weapons.

In the photograph, five guns are visible. Two are held by a reclining juvenile, his face obscured by the federal government to protect his identity.

Standing at right, another unidentified boy holds a handgun across his chest. Prosecutors never learned his identity, but Dauphin County Senior Deputy District Attorney Kimberly A. Kelly said investigators have a good idea of his age.

"It was reported that he was 10 or 11," she said.

The photograph was a small but telling piece of evidence compiled by federal, state and local authorities as they sought to dismantle a drug gang that had controlled an Allison Hill neighborhood since the mid- to late-1990s.

Since their investigation began in late 2003, 13 people -- some tied to the gang -- have been sentenced in federal court on charges that range from weapons possession to heroin distribution. Four others are awaiting trial, while five others have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

The government has seized more than $600,000 in assets, including real estate as far away as Florida.

At a news conference updating the case yesterday, U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Marino called it "the best takedown of a drug gang in this area."

"We have taken kilograms and kilograms of drugs off the streets," he said.

Prosecutors said tips on the street led them up the drug-slinging food chain to the father-and-son team Francisco Marcel Sr. and Jr., accused of being the suppliers of heroin, cocaine and Ecstasy. The pair split their time between New York City and Florida, authorities said.

Joined by Marcel Jr.'s uncle, Manuel Martinez-Polanco, 41, the Marcels allegedly provided drugs to at least four separate groups in the Harrisburg area. Some were independent dealers, some middle-class businessmen peddling drugs on the side, authorities said.

One of those groups was the street gang headed by Hector Toledo Jr., 23, who made as much as $50,000 a month, said Kelly, a special assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted the group.

According to prosecutors, the gang apparently established itself in Harrisburg after a gang member in Philadelphia decided to set up shop locally. It controlled the area around 13th and Derry streets, authorities said.

Toledo's gang had an affinity for guns and a highly organized structure, with rules, identifying tattoos and secret hand signals. Ten adults and several juveniles have been tied to the gang, prosecutors said.

Martinez-Polanco has been sentenced to 8 years in federal prison; Marcel Jr. to 5 years. Marcel Sr. and Toledo are awaiting trial. Others sentenced face terms ranging from 16 months to 121/4 years.

Authorities said the dismantling of the organization shows what can be accomplished when federal, state and local agencies team up and share information.

Harrisburg Bureau of Police Chief Charles G. Kellar said his officers are limited in their reach, and the larger government agencies can aid in probes further up the drug ladder.

Federal sentences involving guns and drugs often can be more substantial than state sentences for the same crimes, Dauphin County District Attorney Edward M. Marsico Jr. said.

"The drugs go hand in hand with the guns, and the guns go hand in hand with the shootings and the killings," Marsico said.

Working together, Kellar said, authorities "took some really nasty people off the street."

[EastSideHBG]

Labor pact will save city money, mayor says

Saturday, April 23, 2005
BY JOHN LUCIEW
Of The Patriot-News

A new two-year union contract covering the city's non-uniformed workers is expected to save Harrisburg $1.5 million through late 2006.

Mayor Stephen R. Reed and representatives from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 521 signed the two-year deal yesterday.

It includes a wage freeze in 2005 for all managers and Local 521 members.

In return, the city has pledged not to lay off any bargaining unit members through 2006.

Reed said city managers and union workers began negotiating the agreement in early 2004. The union's final vote on the pact was 125-48.

The contract covers about 260 workers, including secretaries and municipal laborers.

The deal includes a 2 percent salary increase for all non-uniformed union members in October 2006.

The pact also includes reductions in the city's health care benefit, including increased co-payments and lower life insurance amounts. There also are changes in overtime and part-time benefits and policies.

All together, the changes total $1.54 million in savings for city taxpayers, Reed said.

"This was not an easy contract to reach," Reed said. "Very hard decisions had to be made by both of the negotiating teams. In the end, however, it came down to what is right for the taxpayers of Harrisburg."

Reed said the contract continues the trend of reducing the city's staffing costs, with the overall payroll declining dramatically over the years.

More than 1,200 employees were on the city's payroll in the early 1980s.

Today, just 647 remain, including all managers, AFSCME members, police and firefighters.

[Spudmrg]

The comments for this one should be interesting.....

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http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriot...3448446480.xml

Panel seeks federal funds for Carlisle-to-Lancaster rail service
Sunday, April 24, 2005
BY MATT MILLER AND FRANK COZZOLI
Of The Patriot-News
The Harrisburg Area Transportation Study put its stamp of approval Friday on a request for federal funding to bring regional rail service to Corridor One.

The group, which sets the region's transportation priorities, passed a resolution to seek federal funding for the entire 54-mile Corridor One route between Lancaster and Carlisle.

Cumberland County Commission Chairman Bruce Barclay, the county's delegate to HATS, cast the only "no" vote.

Passage of the resolution won't alter the Cumberland commissioners' opposition to the rail line.

"We have indicated that we do reserve the right to oppose, with any means we have at our disposal, bringing Corridor One at this time into Cumberland County," Cumberland Commissioner Rick Rovegno said.

Rovegno noted that the support of Dauphin and Perry counties' delegates is predicated on their counties not helping to finance the service.

Capital Area Transit officials could not be reached for comment.

CAT and its fund-raising arm, the Modern Transit Partnership, have been pushing forward with an $87.6 million project to create a local train service between Lancaster and Hampden Twp.

Preliminary engineering is expected to be wrapped up in September.

Should the Federal Transit Administration approve the next phase of the project, final design could begin next spring.

According to the latest timetable, construction on the leg from Lancaster to Harrisburg would begin in January 2007, with service starting in late 2007 or early 2008.

Service west from Harrisburg to Hampden Twp. would begin in early 2009, and be extended to Carlisle in 2011.

The effort got a major boost in March when the project was included in the $284 billion highway and transit bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill authorizes design work -- but doesn't pay for construction. It also allows for an alternative analysis and preliminary design to extend rail from Hampden Twp. to Carlisle.

Cumberland commissioners have been calling for a test on existing rail lines on the East Shore to determine if the service will draw enough users to be financially viable.

Corridor One proponents insist a West Shore branch is vital to ensure the line secures the ridership it needs to succeed and bring service to an area where none exists.

Rovegno contends that no commuter system in the nation operates without a local subsidy.

He reiterated that the Cumberland commissioners also will fight any efforts to channel federal money to Corridor One that would be better spent on other local transportation projects.

MATT MILLER: 249-2006 or mmiller@patriot-news.com FRANK COZZOLI: 975-9797 or fcozzoli@patriot-news.com


----------------

Last time I checked, the marginal benifit from a rail line is far more than the marginal benifit from road construction or expansion. What other transportation project is he refering to?

[EastSideHBG]

/\
It's Cumberland County, so who the fuck knows. I swear, they irritate the hell out of me sometimes. It seems as if they are difficult just for the sake of being difficult...pure NIMBYism at its finest.


I have some exciting news to report folks: EastSideHBG is now a Shipoke resident!!! That's right, my long search is now OVER and I move into my place in 2 weeks. I'm renting for now but looking to buy in the near future. So yeah, just add one more person to be involved, fight for our causes and yet another young professional who moved back into the city and will do all I can to add to the great renaissance going on around here. :carrot:

A photo tour will be one of the first things I do so stay tuned...

[EastSideHBG]

Lots and lots of great articles in the paper today...


Many people see potential in this region

Sunday, April 24, 2005

At first, I thought the blue skies and jacket weather on April 15 had made me feel optimistic. And, to be sure, the summer-like heat didn't hurt my disposition.

But even the coldest, grayest day in the middle of winter wouldn't have dampened a feeling I got after attending the Innoventure 2005 conference in Hershey: Central Pennsylvania has a bright future.

One reason I love journalism is that it allows opportunities to get out of the office to see our region and the issues facing it in a direct way.

In recent months, I have made a greater effort to do so.

Often, especially when meeting new people, the chit-chat evolves into discussions about how we ended up in this area.

The obvious answer for anyone who wasn't born here is that a job lured them. So the more interesting question is what keeps transplants here.

The conversations usually center on several anchoring thoughts: family, low cost of living, a beautiful river and countryside, great parks, decent entertainment venues and restaurants.

But none of that would keep people here if there weren't job opportunities.

A lot has been written and discussed about "brain drain," the trend of young Pennsylvanians leaving the state after high school or college. I'm not sure what can be done about that situation, other than touting what we have here and hoping that people who leave come back. The fact is, too, that migration to some areas in central Pennsylvania bucks that trend, and there has been a net gain of young adults.

But perhaps a better way to expend energy would be to encourage new people to plant deep roots. Unlike Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, the capital region has great potential to prosper, partly because the cost of living is hard to beat. That is something that will benefit this region for years to come as Maryland and New Jersey become cost-prohibitive for people with big dreams. Why spend money on rent when you can plug the cash back into your research?

And that brings me back to Innoventure.

In walking through the rows upon rows of booths at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, I was struck by my ignorance. I wasn't alone. Several people who attended acknowledged their amazement at the fascinating studies being undertaken around here away from the public eye.

"Antitumor Activity of Sulfur-Containing Anticancer Agents."

"Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration."

"The HIV Integrase Protein as a Target for Antiviral Drugs."

When you look into it a bit, you see possibilities for greatness -- medical and drug breakthroughs that could help people worldwide.

In the early to mid-1990s, I worked in North Carolina. About a generation earlier, businesses and governments pooled resources and efforts to create Research Triangle near Raleigh, the state capital. The region touted its colleges and universities, a growing airport, a low cost of living and natural beauty. It worked.

Sound familiar?

This region lacks neither imagination nor potential. We just have to harness it.

[Spudmrg]

Congrats EastSide, go tell the people who say the city is dead to go (insert rude concept here). Also, don't let that river boss you around! Quick Question: Is all of Shipoke in the flood plain or just parts?