Harrisburg University’s plan to construct a 17-story school building and hotel in downtown Harrisburg received unanimous approval from members of city council Tuesday evening.
But that was not before university officials were grilled about how they will contract construction of the $135 million project, specifically whether they have done enough to create employment opportunities for local individuals and companies.
“Short of almost walking along the street, we’ve tried to do everything to reach those who are interested,” said Diane Tokarsky, an attorney representing the university.
Earlier this year, university officials released drawings of the proposed building, showing a 17-story tower reaching skyward at the corner of Chestnut and South Third streets.
The building — which is to included academic space, as well as a 197-room hotel, a conference center and a restaurant — is expected to cost the school around $100 million.
That’s according to an announcement from school officials, who said a “hospitality partner” is expected to spend an additional $30 million to $35 million for the hotel portion of the building.
“There is no public money going into this project. All of the debt will be paid by Harrisburg University,” Tokarsky said, with university officials earlier announcing that “no tax-exempt bonds will pay for the hotel or the restaurant inside the tower."
Harrisburg-based HHM will own the estimated $33.5 million hotel, and a prospective $1.5 million restaurant also is expected to be separately owned, according to The Burg.
The goal is to start building the 17-story tower at the corner of Chestnut and South Third streets by late July and open it by summer 2021.
Baltimore-based Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. is the main contractor on the project, Tokarsky said, after the Tuesday meeting.
At the same time, she continued to stress that there will be opportunity for local employment.
For Councilman Westburn Majors, there was one pressing question, which he asked multiple times: “What is the definition of local?”
“Our first focus is on Harrisburg, OK,” Tokarsky said, but that doesn’t mean local contractors will be able to fill all the needs of the project.
That’s especially true when it comes to specialized labor and larger line items, such as steel packages and crane operation, Tokarsky said.
“There is a very, very high shortage of skilled trades in this area,” she said.
Still, smaller parts of the project — sidewalk construction, painting, drywall work — could easily be pieced out to local subcontractors and individuals, Tokarsky said.
Tokarsky expressed a willingness to share bid documents and other project-related information — electronically or hard copies — with anyone interested in the work.
“This is going to be ongoing for months,” she said.
Council members voted unanimously to approve the preliminary/final land development plan, with the exception of council Vice President Ben Allatt, who recused himself from the vote as well as discussion of the project, because he is an employee of the university.
Councilwoman Shamaine Daniels voted in favor of the project while also criticizing its design.
“I really have issues with the aesthetics and architecture of that building,” she said.
Seven floors of the tower are to be dedicated solely to the university, officials said, adding that other 10 floors would be shared between the school and hotel.
Educational space in the the 386,200-square-foot tower is expected to accommodate at least 1,000 students in heath- and science-related programs.
Early talks surrounding building construction centered on a 36-story tower, but in September, university President Eric Darr said an evolving vision of the school led to the tower’s size being reduced.
The school’s current academic tower at 326 Market St. opened in 2009 with a price tag of $73 million. That building has 16 floors.