Harrisburg leaders celebrate two new grants for downtown revitalization efforts

State and local leaders gathered at Harrisburg’s Strawberry Square complex on Tuesday to celebrate two new state grants that will support ongoing downtown revitalization efforts, including by bolstering local safety patrols and aiding in the development of a downtown revitalization plan. 

Joined by Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Deputy Secretary Rick Vilello, state Sen. Patty Kim and state Rep. Dave Madsen announced more than $400,000 in grant funding from the state aimed at helping breathe new life into the city’s downtown, which has seen a number of businesses close in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Kim noted that the health of downtown Harrisburg is vital to the broader region. 

“It is not an exaggeration that as goes our downtown, so goes our region,” she said. “As Pennsylvania’s capital, a center for commercial, business and professional activity, and a destination for visitors, Harrisburg’s downtown and its health directly impacts whether people choose to visit our area, whether families decide to move here, and whether employers choose to do business here.”

Madsen acknowledged that while Harrisburg’s local economy has struggled in recent years, a turnaround is just around the corner. “While we’ve seen better days, we know now that better days are to come, and this is just the beginning of a series of wins that we are going to announce,” he said.  

The grants announced include a $350,000 planning grant for the Capital Region Economic Development Corporation to assist with the development of a “unified, inclusive and actionable” revitalization plan, as well as a $75,000 grant for the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District to expand existing safety patrols that monitor the city’s downtown district during weekends and evening hours. 

With a reference to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s “Get Stuff Done” mantra, Vilello joked that Shapiro is “isn’t the most patient person, so we have to start delivering quickly and get stuff done.”

Todd Vander Woude, the Downtown Improvement District’s executive director, said the safety patrols also help pedestrians who need directions and offer recommendations. 

“It’s a community policing effort, and the purpose of this is really a police presence and visibility for downtown Harrisburg, the downtown district,” he said. “With this grant, now we can extend hours and days of the patrol.”

Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC President and CEO Ryan Unger said the development of a downtown plan is already underway, noting that stakeholder interviews are underway and focus groups are being scheduled. He also said the community will be able to offer input at a future public workshop that will be scheduled in the coming months.

Others in attendance at Tuesday’s press conference included Harrisburg City Council President Danielle Hill and Mischelle Moyer, the communications director for Mayor Wanda Williams. 

Kim said Pittsburgh can serve as a model for how to successfully revitalize downtown Harrisburg. “We’ve seen firsthand in Pittsburgh how true collaboration and unified planning can lead to transformative investments,” she said. “We are just getting started.”

As part of ongoing revitalization efforts, city residents, business owners and people who work in downtown Harrisburg are able to offer input and opinions on the city’s downtown area through a Downtown Harrisburg Perception Survey, available at HBGSurvey.com. 

The survey, which focuses on an area stretching from Front Street to 7th Street and from Mulberry Street to Forster Street, is designed to gather feedback on how people feel about the city’s downtown and to guide local leaders and organizations in their revitalization strategies.