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
27 Nov 2007

 

CITY ISSUES REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PURCHASE AND REHABILITATION OF HISTORIC FURLOW BUILDING

 

Mayor Stephen R. Reed today announced that the City of Harrisburg has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the purchase and rehabilitation of the historic Furlow Building located at 1218-1224 N. 3rd Street. It can be used for retail, office or residential purposes or a mix of these uses.

Reed said the Furlow Building is located across the street from the Broad Street Market and two blocks from Harrisburg Area Community College’s (HACC) newly-expanded Midtown Center. The building offers 19,000 square feet of space in the Midtown and is zoned Commercial General.

The Furlow Building’s 1st floor (3,045 square feet) is currently configured as retail space. The 2nd through 6th floors are currently apartments with each floor totaling 2,200 square feet.

Reed said the City is offering certain developer incentives for those interested in purchasing the Furlow Building, including a 10-year tax abatement plan for any improvement adding over $50,000.00 to pre-construction assessment. Reed noted that the Furlow Building is also available for federal Historic Tax Credits.

The Furlow Building is the former Commercial Bank Building and was originally constructed in 1908 by noted Harrisburg architect Charles Howard Lloyd. The building is a mid-rise adaptation of the Second Renaissance Revival style and features a high-ceilinged first floor with arch-headed doorways. The upper floors of the building enjoy brilliant views of both the City of Harrisburg and the Susquehanna River. The building has been mostly vacant since the early-1980s and is currently owned by the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority.

Reed said proposals must indicate proposed purchase price, expected costs of building rehabilitation and upgrade, intended building use, the timetable for work to commence and be completed, and proof of the proposer’s financial capacity to undertake the project. The proposal offering the highest and best use will be the one selected and purchase price alone will not determine developer selection.

The structure is located within the Midtown National Historical District and its exterior façade restoration will therefore use historic preservation standards to enhance its appearance.

For more information on the Furlow Building or for information on submitting a proposal for redevelopment, contact Kelly Whitman in the City’s Department of Building and Housing Development at 255-6480 or kwhitman@cityofhbg.com.