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

[SouthCentralPA]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Developer revises plan for proposed Reily Street building to include more apartments, less parking

https://theburgnews.com/news/develop...s-less-parking

Interesting. I wonder why the Federal Courthouse decided not to use that proposed parking garage and where they will park instead? But more apartments is a good thing. Sucks the grocery store fell through, Midtown could use a nice, larger grocery store!

[SouthCentralPA]

Originally Posted by Baldy1

On Sunday, Catherine Hershey School for Early Learning (CHS) marked the groundbreaking of its Harrisburg location with an inaugural dig and community celebration. CHS Harrisburg, to be built at North 6th and Muench Streets, is CHS' second Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC). CHS Harrisburg, anticipated to open in 2024.

Awesome to hear! I will have to make a point of stopping by there and getting some photos as construction progresses. Great to see more development happening in that part of the city. So many empty lots there still!

[Baldy1]

SouthCentral PA give that area 10yrs and it won't be recognizable.

[SouthCentralPA]

Originally Posted by Baldy1

SouthCentral PA give that area 10yrs and it won't be recognizable.

I hope you're right!! I would love to see Harrisburg continue to grow and maybe even see some taller buildings too.

[SouthCentralPA]

https://theburgnews.com/news/long-di...ome-apartments

On a hillside in Harrisburg, a long-forgotten, historic building has received a huge makeover.

Officials cut the ribbon on Tuesday at the Donaldson Mansion, a four-story building at 2005 N. 3rd St., that was recently restored after years of neglect and dilapidation.

Developer Justin Heinly, owner of Harrisburg-based Midtown Property management, purchased the over 5,000-square-foot building in 2018 and began construction and restoration work last year. The building will house six market-rate apartment units.

While crews are still putting the finishing touches on the property, Heinly expects a substantial completion by the weekend.

Awesome to see a beautiful, historic building saved and turned into apartments!

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Baldy1

SouthCentral PA give that area 10yrs and it won't be recognizable.

I agree. SouthCentralPA is going to play a pivotal role in getting PA as a whole out of the economic duldrums.

With the coming cuts to (state) corporate income taxes, Shapiro's strategic plan to focus on stem and high tech manufacturing, and hopefully, a long overdue increase in the state's minimum wage...I think all of the second tier cities within a 90 mile radius of Philly are going to boom.

If there were a focus to make a concerted effort to land bigger manufacturing plants in PA, they'd land in those counties (Lancaster, York, Lebanon, Berks, Dauphin, Cumberland, Lehigh, etc).

Super excited for the future of this region.

[SouthCentralPA]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I agree. SouthCentralPA is going to play a pivotal role in getting PA as a whole out of the economic duldrums.

With the coming cuts to (state) corporate income taxes, Shapiro's strategic plan to focus on stem and high tech manufacturing, and hopefully, a long overdue increase in the state's minimum wage...I think all of the second tier cities within a 90 mile radius of Philly are going to boom.

If there were a focus to make a concerted effort to land bigger manufacturing plants in PA, they'd land in those counties (Lancaster, York, Lebanon, Berks, Dauphin, Cumberland, Lehigh, etc).

Super excited for the future of this region.

I wish we could get some more manufacturing plants and some high tech manufacturing too. Seems like all that gets built anymore in this area is more warehouses!

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I agree. SouthCentralPA is going to play a pivotal role in getting PA as a whole out of the economic duldrums.

With the coming cuts to (state) corporate income taxes, Shapiro's strategic plan to focus on stem and high tech manufacturing, and hopefully, a long overdue increase in the state's minimum wage...I think all of the second tier cities within a 90 mile radius of Philly are going to boom.

If there were a focus to make a concerted effort to land bigger manufacturing plants in PA, they'd land in those counties (Lancaster, York, Lebanon, Berks, Dauphin, Cumberland, Lehigh, etc).

Super excited for the future of this region.

This is going to be more complicated than it may look on paper for a few reasons:

- The mentality in SCPA is backwards and they do not like change, even if it is good change.
- It is still very sprawl-centric and they lag behind what some of the other parts of the US are doing e.g. town centers, denser infill.
- Public transit is basically non-existent.
- It is getting as expensive as much bigger, cooler cities and coming with the negatives (traffic, expensive and competitive rental/housing market) but yet getting none of the benefits a bigger place gets you.
- The brain drain is still a big problem.
- State and Hershey employment is not the draw that it once was and it is now just as, if not more, unstable than other industries.

I have been hearing, "The boom is a comin'!" my entire life and I have yet to see it actually pan out because of the above. Yeah things can change, but when you look at any place that takes off it has some of the building blocks already in place and something that made it unique (e.g. Nashville had the music scene and built off of that) but there's just nothing that unique about SCPA right now...hell, one of its big selling points used in marketing is still, "We are close to better places."

[SouthCentralPA]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

This is going to be more complicated than it may look on paper for a few reasons:

- The mentality in SCPA is backwards and they do not like change, even if it is good change.
- It is still very sprawl-centric and they lag behind what some of the other parts of the US are doing e.g. town centers, denser infill.
- Public transit is basically non-existent.
- It is getting as expensive as much bigger, cooler cities and coming with the negatives (traffic, expensive and competitive rental/housing market) but yet getting none of the benefits a bigger place gets you.
- The brain drain is still a big problem.
- State and Hershey employment is not the draw that it once was and it is now just as, if not more, unstable than other industries.

I have been hearing, "The boom is a comin'!" my entire life and I have yet to see it actually pan out because of the above. Yeah things can change, but when you look at any place that takes off it has some of the building blocks already in place and something that made it unique (e.g. Nashville had the music scene and built off of that) but there's just nothing that unique about SCPA right now...hell, one of its big selling points used in marketing is still, "We are close to better places."

Unfortunately you are spot on with all of this. The first point is the most frustrating to me as someone who lives in this area. So many people are so against any change even if it would make the area a better, more livable region. But so many people in the suburbs view it like it's some rural, small town area from the 70s when in reality Cumberland County was the fastest growing county in the state, so those days are long behind us. I just wish our region could make some real progress with some nice density, walkability, public transit, bike paths, etc. But I'm not holding my breath that any of that will ever happen.

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by SouthCentralPA

Unfortunately you are spot on with all of this. The first point is the most frustrating to me as someone who lives in this area. So many people are so against any change even if it would make the area a better, more livable region. But so many people in the suburbs view it like it's some rural, small town area from the 70s when in reality Cumberland County was the fastest growing county in the state, so those days are long behind us. I just wish our region could make some real progress with some nice density, walkability, public transit, bike paths, etc. But I'm not holding my breath that any of that will ever happen.

Amen! There is so much potential and the building blocks are there but the function to make it all happen is not because of the mentality. When I lived there I was very involved with the local politics and goings on and it was an unbelievably frustrating experience and it was very clear that most people just did not want things to change and actually fought to not be like [insert other city here] which is counterintuitive, as they were missing the successes from that. So us movers and shakers bounce and what is left behind are the folks who don't want to see any change, they keep getting what they want, and then the cycle repeats.

[SouthCentralPA]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Amen! There is so much potential and the building blocks are there but the function to make it all happen is not because of the mentality. When I lived there I was very involved with the local politics and goings on and it was an unbelievably frustrating experience and it was very clear that most people just did not want things to change and actually fought to not be like [insert other city here] which is counterintuitive, as they were missing the successes from that. So us movers and shakers bounce and what is left behind are the folks who don't want to see any change, they keep getting what they want, and then the cycle repeats.

Yeah, I've experienced the same thing. Maybe one day things will change, but it may be too late at that point with everything getting so developed.

[SouthCentralPA]

Stopped by the Harrisburg University Tower on Saturday (11/19/2022) and snapped a couple photos. I think that the lower levels look really good with the slight curves and angles!

[SouthCentralPA]

Not the best photo but I drove by the building here at 6th & Maclay the other day and there were lights on inside! I think the windows looks really good too. Photo taken 11/27/2022.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Amen! There is so much potential and the building blocks are there but the function to make it all happen is not because of the mentality. When I lived there I was very involved with the local politics and goings on and it was an unbelievably frustrating experience and it was very clear that most people just did not want things to change and actually fought to not be like [insert other city here] which is counterintuitive, as they were missing the successes from that. So us movers and shakers bounce and what is left behind are the folks who don't want to see any change, they keep getting what they want, and then the cycle repeats.

Hopefully at least Lancaster (City) and it's immediate environs buck the trend. I think it has the most potential in the area to do so.

The Lehigh Valley is a different animal. It's densifying very nicely. Maybe my wishes will come true but only in Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton.

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Hopefully at least Lancaster (City) and it's immediate environs buck the trend. I think it has the most potential in the area to do so.

Lancaster is an interesting animal. It is becoming a pretty hip city and it's proximity to Philly and MD is nice. You have the benefit of urban and then immediately a middle of nowhere feeling with beautiful countryside so you can have the best of both worlds. I am in Lancaster Co. frequently and have explored the back roads extensively and it's breathtaking in spots. My only hope is that any growth and sprawl doesn't ruin it but because of the topography I think there's a good chance that some of that stays in check by default.

SCPA really missed the boat with not following through with the CorridorONE rail project and if HBG/York/Lancaster were connected it could have been huge.

The Lehigh Valley is a different animal. It's densifying very nicely. Maybe my wishes will come true but only in Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton.

Yeah lots of NYC and Philly folks heading up that way too it seems and just the other day one of my neighbors asked me about the area, as she is considering moving up there since she works up there and is getting tired of the commute.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Yeah lots of NYC and Philly folks heading up that way too it seems and just the other day one of my neighbors asked me about the area, as she is considering moving up there since she works up there and is getting tired of the commute.

Yeah. Those North Jersey transplants want stuff to do and walkable towns. Maybe not in front of their house, but nearby for sure. Bethlehem is gonna be a knockout in a few years. Already charming and walkable (and even the schools are pretty good). Added density is just going to make it even better.

[SouthCentralPA]

https://lancasteronline.com/business...cc09af0b6.html

Not exactly Lancaster City but close...

A New Jersey developer with an agreement to buy the strugglingShops at Rockvale has unveiled a $100 million-plus plan to replace half of the Route 30 shopping center with apartments.

Fernmoor Homes President Jeffrey Fernbach said his company wants to add 416 market-rateapartments in 13 four-story buildings by tearing down 267,000-square-feet of commercial space in the middle of the 65-acre shopping center. A clubhouse with a pool would also be built at the center of the new residential area.

The existing retail tenants would be moved to the remaining commercial spaces along Route 30 and at the western and eastern edges of the shopping center, he told East Lampeter Township supervisors during a meeting Monday night.

[SouthCentralPA]

https://theburgnews.com/in-the-burg/...s-long-project

“It’s about time, don’t you think?” remarked Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams in front of a crowd of dignitaries.

Williams was referencing the new federal Sylvia H. Rambo U.S. Courthouse on N. 6th Street in Harrisburg, which cut the ribbon on Friday after decades of planning.

State and local officials, judges and those involved in the courthouse project filled the bright, sunlit lobby of the 243,000-square-foot building to celebrate its near completion.

“It’s great to see this finally come to life,” said Gov. Tom Wolf. “This new courthouse is going to be a center for justice and democracy.”

[SouthCentralPA]

Some small updates from Harrisburg. All photos taken by me on my phone on either 12/24/2022 or 12/26/2022.

The building next to Little Amps on State Street is being renovated (I believe by the owners of Little Amps) and is looking pretty good!





The State Archives building is getting closer to completion and is looking pretty good as well.





The new Catherine Hershey School has broken ground on 6th. Not much to see yet but exciting that some of the empty lots are finally being developed!





Lastly, the Harrisburg University Tower is still being finished but I think it looks nice. Better than I was expecting!





I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas and was able to spend some time with family. Here's to another year of development and improvement to the communities we live in and/or visit!

[Baldy1]

Thank you SouthCentral PA for all you do, looking forward to a great 2023 for Harrisburg and the Central PA area. Again thanks for a job well done.