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Tag: Harrisburg

UPMC and Harrisburg University to open new Harrisburg-based nursing school 

UPMC is set to bring its Pittsburgh-based UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing to Harrisburg through a partnership with Harrisburg University. 

The two entities announced on Monday that registrations are now open for the UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing at UPMC Harrisburg—a 16-month accelerated diploma program for registered nurses. 

The new school is an effort by UPMC and Harrisburg University to bring more nurses to the midstate while giving area residents the chance to pursue a career in nursing, UPMC wrote in a press release. 

“There is a critical shortage of nurses in our region, and we are happy to partner with Harrisburg University to help fill that need,” said Philip Guarneschelli, president of UPMC in Central Pa. “It’s an ideal program for students who want to start an exciting career in nursing as soon as possible.” 

The school expects to welcome up to 200 students for its inaugural class, beginning in August at Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg. 

First-year students will take non-nursing courses at Harrisburg University, nursing courses from UPMC faculty and complete over 900 hours of clinical rotations at UPMC Harrisburg and other UPMC facilities. 

“I look forward to advancing opportunities for new nurses in this region,” said Dr. Penny Lenig-Zerby, director of nursing for the new program. “The collaboration between Harrisburg University and UPMC comes at a crucial time — the nursing profession is expected to grow exponentially in the next few years as demand for health care services increases. This program will pave the way for hundreds of new nurses to begin their careers.” 

Once students graduate and pass the RN licensing examination, they will positioned to earn their bachelor’s degree in nursing from Harrisburg University while maintaining full-time employment. 

Homes sales in Harrisburg region slow as inventory shrinks  

Harrisburg-area home sales fell slightly in January from the year before, but that’s not because demand is waning. 

“It’s still just a lack of inventory,” said Sylvia Hess, 2022 president of the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors. 

And that shortage is dictating prices, as competitively priced properties continue to receive multiple offers, she said. 

In Cumberland County, the 215 sales in January were 2.7% less than the year before, the median sales price rose from $224,950 to $235,000, and average days on market were 15. 

A balanced market should have between five and six months of inventory, Hess said. At the end of 2021 in Cumberland, the supply was 0.8 months. 

Dauphin County settlements were down 1.7% in January, to 244. January’s median sales price was $200,000, up 14.4% from January 2021, and average days on market was 23. 

In Perry County, the least populous of the association’s coverage area, the 29 home sales in January were identical to the prior year. The median sales price rose from $174,900 to $184,500, and average days on market was 17. 

Hess said offers are still being made at $20,000, $30,000 and $40,000 over asking price, with some buyers waiving inspections, for example. 

An increased number of sellers are also making the sale of their home contingent on their finding a suitable house to move into, she said. 

Median sale prices seemed to stabilize somewhat from the third to the fourth quarter of 2021, but active listings went down substantially, Hess said. 

In certain price points, it can be very difficult finding inventory, she said. That includes single-family, detached houses under $350,000 in Cumberland County, which go under contract almost immediately. 

“It’s a very frustrating market for buyers,” Hess said. “There’s a lot of buyer fatigue.” 

She said interest rates are the wild card. 

An increase in mortgage rates could slow down demand, Hess said, or it could galvanize buyers to act before rates go any higher. 

 

UPMC opens Harrisburg walk-in orthopaedic injury clinic 

UPMC Orthopaedic Care has opened a new Walk-In Orthopaedic Injury Clinic in Harrisburg. 

The new clinic offers access to expert evaluation by orthopaedic specialists and care for acute, non-life-threatening orthopaedic injuries. 

The clinic is located at Arlington Orthopedics-UPMC at 820 Sir Thomas Court, Harrisburg. It is equipped with diagnostic technology to provide immediate care for bone, joint and muscle injuries, acute back or neck pain, broken bones and sports-related injuries. 

“UPMC Walk-In Orthopaedic Injury Clinic is staffed with well-trained certified providers to treat orthopaedic injuries. The clinic enables us to respond to orthopaedic health concerns more quickly, resulting in not only exceptional patient care but also help with any capacity issues faced at the hospitals, particularly the emergency rooms, given the pandemic”, said John Grandrimo, orthopaedic surgeon with Arlington Orthopedics-UPMC. 

Piedmont Airlines to open crew base at HIA 

Piedmont Airlines announced that it’s adding a crew base at Harrisburg International Airport. 

Based in Salisbury, Maryland, Piedmont is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines and operates a fleet of Embraer-145 aircraft out of hubs in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Philadelphia. 

A release from Piedmont noted that was it one of few airlines to protect its pilots and flight attendants from COVID-19 layoffs. “Because we were able to keep our crews trained and flying, we could take on new opportunities for American,” said Piedmont’s vice president of flight operations, Steve Keefer. “And that good work is paying off.” 

“We are excited to add another crew base location: first for the quality of life it offers for our pilots and flight attendants who choose to live or commute there, and second for the value it adds to our operation,” he added. “Piedmont took on many new challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, including expanded routes out of Chicago, and our crews performed flawlessly.” 

Piedmont plans to hire 400 pilots and 190 flight attendants this year, the release said. According to its website, the airline runs nearly 400 flights daily to more than 55 cities in the eastern U.S. 

Harrisburg City and Dauphin County Commissioners to fund disparity study on Harrisburg’s diverse businesses

The City of Harrisburg and the Dauphin County Commissioners announced that they will be entering a funding partnership to launch a new disparity study. 

The study is aimed at presenting more work opportunities for the city’s diverse business vendors and contractors. Harrisburg-based non-profit Impact Harrisburg will steer the contract and study. 

It will focus on minority-owned businesses and businesses owned by women, veterans, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer (LGBTQ), and people with disabilities. 

Dauphin County Commissioners, the City of Harrisburg and Impact Harrisburg will each pay a one-third share of $83,333 to Econsult Solutions, LLC to perform the study at a total cost of $250,000. 

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams emphasized the importance of the city partnering with local entities on projects like the study. 

“Partnering is going to be a cornerstone to how we operate a different City Hall in Harrisburg,” said Williams. 

Dauphin County recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to fund the study, which is expected to begin this year. 

“We welcome Mayor Williams and her administration and look forward to a new day of partner projects and initiatives that will help the residents and business owners we serve,” Dauphin County Commissioner Chairman Mike Pries said. 

“This worthwhile project fortifies our commitment to doing what it takes to accommodate hard-working entrepreneurs,” County Commissioner Chad Saylor said. 

“Access to opportunities in regard to resources is huge” for business owners, said Karl Singleton, chief equity and compliance officer and a board member of Impact Harrisburg. 

Sports bike shop gets SBA 504 loan to purchase building 

Karns Performance, a sports bike shop, has closed on an SBA 504 loan to buy 5203 E. Trindle Road, Hampden Township, a building it had rented since December 2010. 

The news was announced by the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. Established in January 2000 by brothers Dan and Jason Karns, the business specializes in engine building and dyno services. 

“When this building was being sold, we knew we wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase it,” Owner Dan Karns said in a release. “By owning this building, we are able to keep control of our expenses and stay in the location that our customers have grown to know us in.” 

Through the $273,000 loan, completed with the assistance of M&T Bank, “we can give Karns Performance a sense of stability and security by owning their own building,” added Melissa Stone, vice president of economic development with the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. 

The loan took second mortgage position behind M&T’s first mortgage of $331,425. The borrower’s equity requirements were 10% of the total project. 

CREDC works with SeedCo PA to help businesses in the region access the program. A certified development company, SeedCo PA is recognized as a top SBA 504 lender in the area. 

SBA 504 loans provide up to $5 million in long-term, fixed-rate financing to eligible and qualified small businesses for major fixed assets that promote business growth and job creation, the release explained 

Central Pennsylvania Surgical Associates in Harrisburg joins UPMC 

Harrisburg-based Central Pennsylvania Surgical Associates has joined UPMC as UPMC Central Pennsylvania Surgical Associates. 

The practice, located at 875 South Arlington Ave., Harrisburg, has provided surgical interventions in the greater Harrisburg community since 1996. 

“We are pleased to advance this relationship with Central Pennsylvania Surgical Associates as they officially join UPMC,” said Philip Guarneschelli, president of UPMC in Central Pa. “This growth in our network will positively affect our patients’ access, care, and satisfaction. It will allow us to support their care in an even more coordinated, efficient manner. Together we will offer the greater Harrisburg community personalized care of a regional hospital with the advanced technology and support of a large health system.” 

The board-certified surgeons of Central Pennsylvania Surgical Associates that see patients at the Harrisburg provider include doctors Luciano DiMarco, Robert Carman Jr., Matthew Robinson and Justin Rosenberger. All four providers will remain with the new UPMC Central Pennsylvania Surgical Associates. 

“Central Pennsylvania Surgical Associates has had a long, positive relationship with UPMC,” said DiMarco. “Our team is looking forward to further aligning with UPMC and being able to offer our patients all of the advantages in access, technology, and research that are available as part of the UPMC system.” 

Buyer of Harrisburg’s federal courthouse details plans for luxury apartments 

The company that purchased the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse announced on Friday that it intends to develop the property into a luxury apartment building. 

The 246,000-square foot courthouse, located at 228 Walnut St., Harrisburg, was recently purchased by Global Ocean Investments for $10.01 million. 

A deed filed in Dauphin County public records late last month showed that the property sold to R.R.F Building LLC, a subsidiary of Global Ocean. 

The investment firm wrote in a press release on Friday that it plans to renovate the federal building to house 288 luxury residential one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The building would also include a penthouse only floor, two restaurants and a bar. 

The project has an estimated completion date of 2024/2025 and would be marketed toward young professionals in Harrisburg, according to Global Ocean. 

The Harrisburg courthouse was built in 1966 and sits across from the city’s Strawberry Square and the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex at 228 Walnut Street. It was initially listed at a starting bid of $3 million last September. 

“The ex-Federal building sits at the corner point of the Pennsylvania Capitol Complex in Harrisburg and offers spectacular views across the city. We aim to create the most desirable residential address in Harrisburg with cutting edge separate facilities you would normally see in an international five-star hotel,” said Justin Etzin, founder and CEO of Global Ocean. 

Global Ocean is an international real estate development company specializing in boutique developments. The company, which has a U.S. office in Las Vegas, has projects in Europe, Africa, the U.S. and the Caribbean. 

Along with its plans to develop the building, the firm has also listed the property on commercial real estate listing site LoopNet for $22 million.  

Global Ocean was not immediately available for comment on the listing. 

Senators will propose tax credits bill to address labor shortage

To address the persistent labor shortage in Pennsylvania, state Sens. Ryan Aument and John Yudichak announced that they will soon introduce a bill to create a Small Business Workforce Tax Credit. 

Aument, whose district is in Lancaster County, and Yurdichak, who serves Carbon and Luzerne counties, made their intentions known in a Senate co-sponsorship memorandum dated Feb. 10. 

The aim of the tax credit, they explained, is to incentivize hiring by small businesses for “the purpose of successfully drawing our citizenry back to work.”  

Under the proposed legislation, small businesses will reduce the amount of state taxes they owe if they’re able to boost employment numbers compared to the year before.  

They would qualify for a tax credit if they had 50 or fewer employees as of Dec. 31, 2019, and experienced at least a 25% decrease in income tax gross receipts from the second quarter of 2019 to the second quarter of 2020.  

The memorandum, addressed to Aument and Yudichak’s fellow senators, asks their colleagues to co-sponsor the bill.  

It noted that 50% of restaurant operators in the full-service, quick service and fast-casual segments expect recruiting and keeping employees to be their major challenge this year, according to the National Restaurant Association. 

Harrisburg’s federal courthouse goes back up for sale for $22 million 

The Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse at 228 Walnut Street. PHOTO PROVIDED.

After selling for $10.01 million this week, The Ronald Regan Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse is now up for sale for $22 million. 

The 11-story, 246,000-square-foot building recently sold to Delaware-based R.R.F Building, according to a deed filed in Dauphin County public records. 

The building has now been listed for $22 million on commercial real estate listing site LoopNet. The listing, naming the property “The Federal,” calls it “the most prominent building on the most important corner of CBD Harrisburg.” 

The listing goes on to say that the property presents an ideal residential development opportunity, noting that the site is eligible for a 10-year tax abatement on any improvements and is located at an Opportunity Zone. 

The Harrisburg courthouse was built in 1966 and sits across from the city’s Strawberry Square and the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex at 228 Walnut Street. 

The U.S. General Services Administration announced in September that it would be putting the federal building and courthouse up for sale, citing that the building failed to meet federal security and expansion requirements. 

The GSA provides procurement for the federal government by managing its real estate portfolio of over 370 million rentable square feet across the country. 

The courthouse’s tenants, including the Pennsylvania 3rd Circuit U.S. Courts, U.S. Courts, U.S. Marshall Service, U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Trustees, are set to leave the building this summer when the construction of a new 243,000-square-foot courthouse at 6th and Reily Streets in Harrisburg is complete.