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Banking & Finance

Studies see benefit in state-run retirement savings

State-backed retirement plans, which have been proliferating around the U.S., appear to boost savings among workers, according to a study released yesterday. Workers are 20% more likely to contribute to a retirement savings account if they work at a business in a state that has an auto IRA program, according to the study, undertaken by […]

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Mid Penn to buy flagging Philly-area bank

Mid Penn Bancorp is deepening its reach in southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey with the acquisition of a Bucks County bank that has been squeezed by high interest rates. Harrisburg-based Mid Penn has agreed to pay about $127 million for Bristol-based William Penn Bancorporation.  The all-stock deal is slated to close in the first half of 2025, […]

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State authority rolls $1M into new venture fund

A new venture fund in Central Pennsylvania is closer to its fundraising goal thanks to an investment this week from a state authority. The Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority has poured $1 million into the fund, Keystone Innovation Fund II, a joint venture between York-based White Rose Ventures and State College-based 1855 Capital.  The fund is on track to close by […]

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What led a York bank to sell

Traditions Bank earned record profits in 2020 and 2021. But when interest rates shot up between March 2022 and July 2023, the York-based bank ran into financial headwinds that called into question its ability to remain independent without cutting staff and trimming plans for growth. The resulting discussions among bank executives and directors led to the deal […]

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Retirement clouds leadership succession at regional bank

An early retirement is throwing off leadership succession plans for one of the region’s largest banks. Craig Kauffman, who was in line to take the top job at Orrstown Financial Services next year, retired as of Sept. 30, according to a Sept. 25 securities filing from the bank. Kauffman, Orrstown’s COO, decided to retire due to personal reasons […]

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Credit union to move Harrisburg branch to West Shore

PSECU is seeking permission to relocate its branch in Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg to a former FNB branch at 1249 Market St. in Lemoyne, according to a filing by the Department of Banking and Securities. The Harrisburg-based credit union picked the West Shore location, in part, because it is more accessible and convenient, said Adam Stewart, the credit […]

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Community banks in northcentral PA to merge

Mifflinburg Bancorp and Northumberland Bancorp, a pair of small community banks in northcentral Pennsylvania. said yesterday they are combining in a merger of equals valued at $34.2 million. The all-stock deal is expected to close in the first half of 2025. Mifflinburg Bancorp has assets of about $568.5 million and operates seven branches in Mifflinburg, Lewisburg, Millheim, Milton, […]

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Fulton edges past PNC for market-share lead

A seven-county swath of Central Pennsylvania has a new No. 1 when it comes to bank deposits. Lancaster-based Fulton Bank has eclipsed longtime leader PNC Bank for the top share of deposits in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties, according to the latest data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. As of June 30, Fulton had […]

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Nonprofit lender lands $40M in tax credits to back projects

Community First Fund has been awarded $40 million in new market tax credits, which it can use to support economic-development projects around the region. The credits are awarded annually by the U.S. Treasury on a competitive basis.  Based in Lancaster, Community First was awarded $30 million in new market tax credits last year. Those credits are […]

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Virtual-assistant biz makes third acquisition this year

The virtual-assistant business has been a source of real-world growth for Zirtual, a portfolio company of Lancaster-based investment firm PennSpring Capital. Zirtual closed Friday on the acquisition of Double, a virtual-assistant business based in Brooklyn, New York.  It’s the third deal this year for Zirtual since it was acquired by PennSpring in December. People hire virtual assistants to help […]

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Deal boosts insurance arm for regional bank

Mid Penn Bancorp has snapped up a Dillsburg-area employee benefits firm as it seeks growth for its insurance unit. The Mid Penn unit, which does business as MPB Insurance and Risk Management, started in June 2020, primarily in property and casualty products, according to Rory Ritrievi, chair, president and CEO of the Harrisburg-based bank. The acquisition of Commonwealth […]

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Chase plans Carlisle Pike branch

 Chase Bank, the retail banking arm of financial services giant JPMorgan Chase, is seeking permission to open a branch on the edge of Hampden Commons, a shopping plaza along Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township, Cumberland County.  The bank is leasing a former M&T Bank branch at 5528 Carlisle Pike, according to Brad Rohrbaugh, retail director for York-based Bennett Williams […]

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Regional bank to cut six branches post-merger

Orrstown Financial Services is planning to shed six branches as it seeks to wring cost savings from its recent merger of equals with PeoplesBank parent Codorus Valley Bancorp. The closures, expected to take place in the fourth quarter, will result in a one-time pre-tax charge of $534,000 but yield annual pre-tax savings of about $1.7 million, according to a […]

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Lanco wealth advisory bought by Texas firm

Another local financial advisory has landed in the arms of a larger business. Rodgers & Associates Wealth Advisers, based in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, has been acquired by Bluespring Wealth Partners, an Austin, Texas-based firm that has scooped up more than two dozen wealth management firms since it was founded five years ago. Rodgers & Associates […]

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Fulton to shutter 19 branches

Fulton Financial is closing 19 branches in southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey and New York City three months after the bank’s emergency acquisition of failed Philadelphia lender Republic First Bank, a deal that deepened Fulton’s reach in the state’s largest market.  Lancaster-based Fulton is closing 13 of its own branches and six former Republic branches, according to Fulton spokesperson […]

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Orrstown cutting jobs post-merger, but execs see growth ahead

Orrstown Financial Services is shedding about 135 jobs as part of its recently closed merger with Codorus Valley Bancorp, with the majority of the cuts landing in back-office areas such as marketing, technology, finance and risk management, according to bank executives. The cuts stem from overlapping operations of the two banks, Tom Quinn, Orrstown’s president and CEO, […]

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Construction

Deal bolsters arm of Harrisburg engineering firm

Seeing a need among its clients, engineering services firm The Lexis Group LLC launched a construction inspection division in February 2024. But it has been challenging to find qualified inspectors, according to Lexis principal and chief marketing officer Ann Leiner.  So, leaders of the Harrisburg-based firm embraced the opportunity this spring to add nearly 50 inspectors through […]

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Lanco contractor acquiring neighboring firms

Brubacher, a specialty construction contractor based in Brecknock Township, Lancaster County, is acquiring Abel Construction and Abel Recon, sister companies based in West Hempfield Township, Lancaster County. Terms of the transaction, slated to close at the end of this month, were not disclosed. Founded in 1971, Brubacher is a family-owned earthwork, underground utility and paving contractor with about […]

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WellSpan, Inch settle sports center lawsuit

WellSpan Health and Inch & Co. reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed last week by WellSpan over a proposed sports complex on which they have been partnering, according to a WellSpan spokesperson and an Inch & Co. executive. The settlement includes transferring ownership of the sports complex site to WellSpan, according to health system spokesperson Ryan Coyle. […]

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West Shore warehouse complex moves forward

Developers have acquired land off the Carlisle Pike in Cumberland County where they plan to build three warehouses. The warehouses will span nearly 2 million square feet under plans approved in 2023 under the previous owner of the property, part of Hempt Farms in Silver Spring Township. The developers — a joint venture between New York-based Rockefeller […]

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Lancaster nonprofit juggles trio of housing projects

Chestnut Housing Corp., a nonprofit focused on affordable housing, is bringing one project to completion and shoring up funding for its next venture while laying the groundwork for a third. The project poised to open this summer is an eight-unit affordable housing complex called Milburn Apartments at 607-609 Rockland St. in Lancaster, according to Chad […]

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Grant backs mixed-use project

A Harrisburg nonprofit has landed a $500,000 state grant for a mixed-use project in Harrisburg’s low-income Allison Hill neighborhood. The $3.3 million project calls for erecting a 15,000 square-foot building at the corner of South 13th and Market streets in Harrisburg, according to Tannon Herman, executive director of Wildheart, the community development nonprofit behind the project, […]

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Hanover contractor buys concrete company

Conewago Manufacturing LLC, an affiliate of Hanover-based contractor Conewago Enterprises Inc., has acquired Hanover Concrete Co., which has operations in Hanover, Gettysburg and Shrewsbury. Terms of the transaction, which was finalized on April 1, were not disclosed. David Albright, president of Hanover Concrete, is joining Conewago as vice president of ready-mix sales.  The combined companies provide ready-mix […]

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York, Lanco rehab projects land state grants 

The state is pouring more than $1.3 million into a pair of renovation projects in York and Lancaster counties as part of a program to fund downtown revitalization. Lancaster-based nonprofit Community Basics Inc. landed $823,917 to rehab a 23-unit affordable-housing complex in Maytown called Three Center Square. The York County Industrial Development Authority is getting $504,050 to advance […]

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Harrisburg planners OK first steps in hospital redevelopment

Harrisburg’s planning commission unanimously approved a plan last week to subdivide the former Polyclinic Hospital campus last week, clearing the way for a developer to begin the first phase of a $45 million mixed-use project in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. The commission also approved a change to the property’s zoning from institutional to commercial neighborhood.  […]

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Lancaster hotelier inks deal to bring startup hotel brand to Central PA, Lehigh Valley

A local hotelier is planning to bring a startup hotel brand to Lancaster, York and other towns in Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley.  Shakher Patel, co-founder of Lancaster-based Destiny Partners LLC/Destiny Hospitality LLC has signed a franchise agreement with stayAPT Suites to open five of the brand’s extended-stay hotels. In an interview with biznewsPA, Patel said he hopes […]

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Developer contests sewer fees

A Harrisburg-area developer is sparring with a Lancaster County township and authority over sewer tapping fees assessed on a recent apartment project. In a lawsuit filed at the end of last year, the developer, an affiliate of Lower Paxton Township-based Triple Crown Corp., argues that the fees were excessive, and it demands a partial refund. “They […]

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Board rejects tax abatement for North York sports complex

Local school officials declined to award a tax abatement for a recreational sports center slated for construction in North York. York-area developer Inch & Co. has been asking the Central York school board for local tax relief for the $34.5 million project, which is backed by WellSpan Health. But at a meeting Wednesday evening, the board’s three-member business […]

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Beverage distributor pouring millions into new center

A regional beverage distributor is planning a $100 million-plus sales and distribution center in Lebanon County that will replace a smaller facility on the West Shore. ACCB Harrisburg RE LLC, a local subsidiary of Pittsburgh-based ABARTA Coca-Cola Beverages, is building the 240,000 square-foot center on a roughly 52-acre lot in South Lebanon Township. It would be the […]

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Lebanon supplier relocates HQ

The corporate headquarters of APR Supply, a distributor of HVAC and plumbing supplies, is moving from Lebanon to an office building in Manheim Township, Lancaster County. In a statement, company president and CEO Scott Weaver attributed the move to the company’s growth.  APR has acquired several firms in recent years and now has about 475 employees […]

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Panel denies zoning request for Inch & Co. housing plan

In a unanimous decision, the Manchester Township zoning hearing board rejected a request that they alter zoning rules for a proposed housing development along Pennsylvania Avenue south of Route 30. The board members said that -based developer Inch & Co. had not adequately justified its need for zoning relief. Inch proposed building 109 single-family homes on […]

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Economy

State lawsuit over PCBs advances

A state court has delivered a partial win for Pennsylvania in a year-old lawsuit seeking damages from ag giant Monsanto and related enitities over PCBs. An 84-page Commonwealth Court ruling on Dec. 30 swept aside six of Monsanto’s nine objections to the state lawsuit, paving the way for the next phase of litigation. Judges, however, did uphold two […]

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Armstrong Flooring mulls sale amid debt, supply chain challenges

Armstrong Flooring, one of Central Pennsylvania’s largest manufacturers and a long-time staple in the Lancaster economy, said late Friday it is considering a sale or other strategic alternative. Company leaders had been working to set Armstrong Flooring on a more profitable path, which included cutting down on its product portfolio and moving to a new, smaller headquarters in […]

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A look back at M&A in Central PA

The past year has been a busy one for mergers and acquisitions in Central Pennsylvania. Take a closer look at the action in this month-by-month recap for 2021. Unless otherwise indicated, the deal terms were not disclosed. January: U-GRO Learning Centres, a Derry Township-based preschool chain, was purchased by Michigan-based Learning Care Group, one of […]

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A $195M wish list for Central Pennsylvania

Every year, developers and local officials around Pennsylvania ask for funding from a state program called the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, or RACP. Last year, projects in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties took home more than $39 million. But grants are not guaranteed. The program is competitive and many projects walk away empty-handed. […]

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Surveys: Business outlook optimistic but tempered by expectations of slow growth

As elected officials debate another government-led kickstart to the U.S. economy, business leaders are optimistic about their own prospects but resigned to slower growth overall. That’s the gist of two recent surveys gauging the outlook of executives who have spent the last six months grappling with the crippling impact of a pandemic that has taken […]

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entrepreneurship

Law firm program gives Black entrepreneurs a legal leg up

Jabron Taylor wanted to tempt local taste buds with something new. Inspired by the 2019 chicken war between Popeyes and Chick-fil-A, Taylor settled on a recipe based on the Nashville hot chicken sandwich, the signature dish of America’s country music capital but a rarity in Central Pennsylvania. Since November 2019, he and several partners have […]

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Food

Harrisburg-area building, land sold

Somers Investments LLC paid $300,000 for a 1,500-square-foot retail building at 1342 N. Mountain Road in Harrisburg, according to county deed records. Alex Giannakopoulos of NAI CIR represented the buyer. The seller was Rineer Brothers LLC. TLS Properties LLC paid $305,000 for two tracts totaling 4.16 acres of land near the intersection of Allentown Blvd. […]

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Winery bottled up by court order launches bid to reopen

A York County winery is uncorking a new legal push to resume operations. Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery was forced to close last year after it was sued by neighbors claiming its business violated restrictions imposed on their section of the upscale Lauxmont Farms subdivision in Lower Windsor Township. Now, the winery is asking a York […]

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Flooring maker axes production line at Lancaster plant

Flooring manufacturer AHF Products plans to cease production of sheet vinyl at its plant in Lancaster effective June 28 Based in West Hempfield Township, Lancaster County, AHF will continue operating the Lancaster plant but shift focus to its other chief product, luxury vinyl tile, which is in greater demand. A company spokesperson did not disclose how many […]

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Collaborative seeks coordinated system to bolster innovation, entrepreneurship in PA

Keystone Innovation Collaborative, a York-based nonprofit that aims to sweep away barriers frustrating entrepreneurship in Pennsylvania, held a launch event last week at its new home, a former coworking space overlooking Continental Square in downtown York. The nonprofit’s general goal is to make it easier for entrepreneurs statewide to find the capital, connections and other resources they […]

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Lancaster firm bolstering regional supply chain for biodiesel

Lancaster-based heating oil supplier Rhoads Energy is deepening its commitment to biodiesel as the U.S. prepares to churn out even more of the fuel. Rhoads is spending $1.6 million to build a facility along Maibach Lane in Rapho Township, Lancaster County, where it plans to bring in tanker cars loaded with biodiesel, which is derived from renewable […]

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Voith Hydro

Uwe Zulehner has been named president and CEO of Voith Hydro, the North American hydropower business of Germany-based The Voith Group. He succeeds Stanley Kocon, who had been CEO of the York County-based division since 2018. Before joining Voith Hydro, Zulehner held C-level roles in large and midsized engineering and technology companies in the mining, […]

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Saxton & Stump

Douglas Hart has joined Saxton & Stump as a shareholder in the Lancaster-based law firm’s Pittsburgh office, working across its business litigation, labor and employment, and trusts and estates groups. Hart represents clients across industries including health care, construction, real estate and employment in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He also […]

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Package maker closing plant, laying off workers amid business decline

Prompted by dwindling volume, a packaging company is closing a plant in Cumberland County and laying off 83 workers effective July 6, according to a notice sent to state and local officials. Nearly half of the workers are line operators, with the rest including forklift operators, production managers and quality control inspectors, among others, according […]

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Mixed-use makeover of former Dentsply campus nets state grant

Projects in Lancaster and York are among a handful that snagged a share of state funding from a $10 million pilot program designed to encourage mixed-use developments with housing components around the state. The Redevelopment Authority of the City of York landed nearly $1.6 million toward the rehabilitation of a sprawling campus along the Codorus Creek that […]

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Fulton trims NJ staff following bank acquisition

Fulton Financial Corp. is laying off 95 people from an administrative office in Parsippany, New Jersey, used by Blue Foundry Bank, which Fulton acquired for about $243 million. The workers are primarily in corporate and support positions, according to a spokesperson for Lancaster-based Fulton. The cuts follow a post-acquisition leadership review that determined some roles were redundant, […]

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Stevens & Lee

Berks County-based law firm Stevens & Lee has hired two partners from Lancaster-based law firm Barley Snyder: Derek Dissinger and Alexander Puskar. They will be based in the Lancaster office of Stevens & Lee as shareholders in the firm. Dissinger focuses on real estate transactions, land use and land development matters, as well as on the […]

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NJ investor mulls more shares in Harrisburg bank

A prominent New Jersey business leader is eyeing a bigger stake in Mid Penn Bancorp Inc., the largest bank based in Harrisburg. In a securities filing, a trust associated with George Norcross III said it is weighing stock purchases that could raise the trust’s share of bank ownership to 24.99%.  The trust, GAH Capital Trust, currently holds a […]

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Court rules state university is exempt from stormwater fee

In a highly anticipated ruling, a divided state Supreme Court last week said West Chester University does not have to pay a stormwater management fee imposed by West Chester borough. The fee is a tax, the court ruled, and state entities are exempt from taxes. The 33-page ruling caps about eight years of litigation over the fee, […]

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HB Global LLC

Adam Smith has been named president and COO of HB Global LLC, a Camp Hill-based HVAC, plumbing and electrical contractor, effective May 1. Smith, formerly COO of HB Global’s mechanical group, will work alongside company CEO Bob Whalen.  Smith joined HB Global subsidiary HB McClure Co. in 2013 as a sales manager and eventually became president of […]

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Court ruling tackles issues raised by state consumer protection law

In a ruling last week, the state’s highest court waded into questions about what kind of notice people need to give when canceling contracts with home improvement companies.  At issue was a perceived conflict between two of the state’s cornerstone consumer protection laws: the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law and the Home Improvement […]

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RKL LLP

Stephanie Kessler has been named leader of the senior living services consulting group at RKL LLP, a Lancaster-based advisory firm, effective May 1. She succeeds Jeffrey Boland, who led the group for 15 years and will continue as a partner role through his scheduled retirement on Dec. 31, 2027. Kessler brings more than 30 years […]

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Barley Snyder

Reilly Noetzel has been named chair of the real estate practice group at Lancaster-based law firm Barley Snyder. He had been vice chair of the group. Noetzel focuses on real estate transactions and development, with particular depth in condominium and planned community law, land use and zoning, construction-related matters, and leasing. He also represents developers […]

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Government

Museum complex slated for $55M upgrade

The State Museum of Pennsylvania is getting a facelift. State officials yesterday unveiled plans for a $55 million makeover of the 62-year-old museum complex on state Capitol grounds. The goal is to modernize exhibits, displays and storage areas, while creating an environment matching the expectations of 21st-century visitors. Planned changes include creation of a large-scale […]

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State House advances controversial tax policy

State lawmakers are plowing ahead once again with tax changes that have long drawn the ire of business lobbyists but never made it into law. The changes would subject more corporate profits to taxes in Pennsylvania by curtailing the ability of companies to report those profits in other states. Two committees in the Democratic-controlled state […]

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Rule for spill reporting elicits mixed reviews

Environmental groups are slamming a proposed rule designed to help companies in Pennsylvania figure out when they need to disclose accidental spills of hazardous chemicals. Drafted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the rule aims to clarify what kinds of spills should be reported to regulators. But environmentalists argue the rule gives businesses too […]

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Zoning change accommodates data center plans

A $15 billion data center project proposed for rural Cumberland County cleared a crucial hurdle. At a meeting Friday morning, supervisors in Middlesex Township approved an ordinance creating a special zone where data centers are allowed — an agricultural tract of roughly 700 acres along Country Club Road and the Conodoguinet Creek. The ordinance incorporates […]

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AG settles claims against Lancaster-based property manager

Home365, a property management company with offices in Lancaster and Las Vegas, has agreed to pay $45,000 to settle allegations by Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday that it was slow to make repairs in response to tenant requests and, in other cases, did not return tenants’ security deposits. Both are violations of state law. Two-thirds […]

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House OKs bill stiffening penalties for misclassifying workers

The Pennsylvania House last week approved legislation to beef up penalties for companies that misclassify employees as independent contractors. The vote in the Democratic-led state House was 113 to 90, with a handful of Republicans backing the measure. However, the margin of victory was narrower than in a 2023 vote on a similar bill, which […]

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For-profit healthcare deals under fire

Gov. Josh Shapiro and allied lawmakers are taking aim at the role of private equity in healthcare, arguing there is a need for action after the fallout from hospital closures in suburban Philadelphia.  They are pushing legislation that would give state officials greater say over deals between nonprofit healthcare providers and all for-profit buyers, not […]

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State House moving bill for government-run retirement savings

State lawmakers are taking another run at creating a state-backed retirement program for private-sector workers. Similar legislation cleared the Democratic-controlled House in 2023 but failed to move in the GOP-led Senate. The House is once again on the cusp of passing the legislation following its approval on Tuesday in a party-line vote by the House Commerce […]

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Shapiro reboots state efforts to fight financial fraud amid federal cuts

Citing federal pullbacks in the area of consumer protection, the Shapiro administation yesterday unveiled a new hotline, website and email address for complaining about banks, insurers, student lenders and other financial services providers. State residents can now call 1-866-PACOMPLAINT, visit pa.gov/consumer or email [email protected] to report their concerns. Pennsylvania has its own set of laws designed to […]

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Federal cuts hit manufacturing services providers

The federal government has canceled contracts with organizations that assist small and midsized manufacturers in 10 states, cutting off a major source of funding. Pennsylvania is not one of the 10. Nonetheless, the cancellations raise questions about the fate of similar organizations in the Keystone State, including York-based Mantec.  The nonprofit receives federal funding via a […]

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Regional repair shop faces federal charges

Federal authorities are leveling pollution-related charges against Pro Diesel Werks, a vehicle service business with operations in Lebanon and Reading, as well the company’s owner and a service manager. They allegedy violated the federal Clean Air Act by disabling pollution control systems on diesel vehicles and tampering with their diagnostic systems, which are supposed to […]

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Audit: Lapsed UPMC recordkeeping led to Medicaid overpayments

Due to recordkeeping lapses by UPMC Health Plan, a state agency reimbursed the health insurer for Medicaid recipients who were not eligible for the program, including some who had died, according to an audit released yesterday by the office of Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim DeFoor.  The resulting overpayments to UPMC totaled $357,048 in 2022, according to the […]

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House panel to vote on healthcare violence bill

Just over a month after a deadly attack at UPMC Memorial hospital in York County, state lawmakers are poised to take up legislation addressing violence in the healthcare workplace. The legislation, House Bill 926, is scheduled for a vote March 25 in the House Labor & Industry Committee. Advocates note that healthcare workers are more likely than others […]

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Lawmaker pitches power plan

A state lawmaker is seeking support for legislation that would make it easier for regulated electric utilities to invest in and possibly own power plants, an idea recently floated by executives at Allentown-based PPL Electric Utilities. The concept responds to growing concerns that the electric grid is not adding enough new power to accommodate a surge in […]

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Health Care

Court voids price guide for workers’ comp drugs

A state court has shelved the Red Book, a compendium of wholesale drug prices that state officials routinely use to settle disputes over drug costs in Pennsylvania’s worker’s comp program.  In a ruling this week, Commonwealth Court disqualified use of the book after an insurer challenged it, claiming the book’s listed prices were not accurate.  […]

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UPMC sued for allegedly misclassifying workers

UPMC is facing a class-action lawsuit filed by a respiratory therapist who claims she was misclassified as an independent contractor when she worked at the health system’s Harrisburg hospital in 2022. The suit, filed last week in an Allegheny County court, claims the therapist should have been classified as an employee and paid overtime when she […]

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Senior-living organizations to merge

Garden Spot Communites, a New Holland-based senior-living provider, is extending its footprint into the Philadelphia suburbs. The nonprofit has agreed to affiliate with Frederick Living, a senior-living community in Montgomery County. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But it is expected to close in early 2024. Garden Spot CEO Steve Lindsey will lead the combined […]

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Group pitches region as health-tech hub

Can Central Pennsylvania become a hub for innovations in telemedicine and other health care technologies? That’s the hope of a new consortium coming together to craft a plan for getting us there. The group includes a who’s who of local economic development agencies, health systems, colleges and private-sector players, including Lancaster-based Emerald Asset Management and Siemens Medical Solutions USA. […]

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WellSpan to open ‘mini hospitals’ in York, Cumberland counties

WellSpan Health is partnering with a Texas company to open three mini hospitals in York and Cumberland counties that will focus on providing emergency care. The regional health system is still finalizing the locations of the new facilities, said Dr. Anthony Aquilina, executive vice president and chief physician executive for York-based WellSpan. But, he said, they […]

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Lanco practice eyes growth in telemedicine

A Lancaster County medical practice is bellying up to the browser bar. US Digestive Health at Lancaster is rolling out a telemedicine service that could become a template for sister practices in its gastroenterology network, known as US Digestive Health.  The service builds on the network’s experience with telemedicine during the pandemic and its growing acceptance among both patients and […]

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Can new fees fix EMS finances?

Many ambulance companies have opted for mergers and consolidations to offset the crushing financial pressures they face. In northwest Lancaster County, local leaders have come up with another option. They are proposing a regional authority that would levy fees on property owners to support an ambulance service. “There’s pushback on the fees,” acknowledged Marc Hershey, […]

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Highmark hit by data breach

A phishing attack in December exposed personal information on about 300,000 members of Highmark insurance plans, including about 96,000 members in Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh-based insurer disclosed the breach last week in a notice to the office of the Maine attorney general. In a statement, Highmark said it “immediately responded” to the incident and launched an investigation. So […]

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Drayer HQ sold to home-care provider

A Lancaster-area home-care company has purchased the corporate headquarters of Drayer Physical Therapy Institute in Swatara Township, Dauphin County. Druk Homecare Services, a home-care provider based in East Hempfield Township, paid $1.7 million for the 20,812 square-foot office building at 8205 Presidents Drive, according to county deed records. Druk plans to relocate to the second floor of the […]

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State ends appeal in medical cannabis recall

State health officials have dropped a legal action seeking to reinstate their controversial recall of medical marijuana vapes. The move before the state Supreme Court doesn’t end the legal fight. It simply means the Department of Health is no longer appealing a lower-court ruling that put the recall on holdNonetheless, it was welcomed by the medical […]

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Rite Aid, WellSpan forge partnership to boost care

Under a partnership announced Aug. 15, Rite Aid and WellSpan Health plan to share data so they can better coordinate care for the roughly 100,000 patients they share in Central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. They may eventually share space, with York-based WellSpan operating inside Rite Aid pharmacies, according to Chris Bohrer, senior vice president of payer and strategic initiatives […]

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Hershey-area startup acquired by Pittsburgh firm

A Pittsburgh-based life sciences company has acquired Fathom Pharma, a Hershey-area startup focused on developing safer pain medications. As a result of the deal, Fathom is now a subsidiary of Consegna Pharma. Other terms of the transaction were not disclosed.Together, the two companies hope to develop innovative products that treat overdoses, addiction and pain.They rely […]

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Lancaster entrepreneurs aim to tackle school-based mental health challenges

Barbara Grimm, above left, worked with David Cooper to create the School Responder app (photos/submitted). During more than a decade working in the Lampeter-Strasburg School District in Lancaster County, Barbara Grimm saw a growing problem. More and more students needed help grappling with behavioral health issues, said Grimm, who worked in a variety of administrative […]

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Lancaster health lab rolls out welcome mat

After taking a break during the Covid-19 pandemic to focus internally, a Lancaster-based venture formed by some of the region’s biggest players in health care is welcoming its first outside partner in nearly two years:  SkinIO, a Chicago-based company using technology to broaden access to dermatology screenings. People can use the SkinIO app to take […]

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Former exec pleading not guilty to extortion charge

Bryan Chapman, a former supply chain executive for West Shore Home, is pleading not guilty to federal charges that he tried to extort a severance payment from the Mechanicsburg-based home improvement company after he was fired in 2023, according to Chapman and his attorney.  The attorney, Thomas Thornton of the federal public defender’s office, declined to […]

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Contractor fires back in suit over concrete for hospital project

A contractor is disputing claims it’s liable for defective concrete used during construction of a new hospital tower in York. The contractor, New Holland-based Stief Concrete Work Inc., denies the claims, which were raised in a lawsuit filed in May by York-based Kinsley Construction LLC.  Kinsley claims it’s owed $935,000 for the concrete, which the company delivered for […]

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Former manager sues Live over commissions

A company that managed the rock band Live during its 1990s heyday claims in a York County lawsuit that band members owe it tens of thousands of dollars in commissions. The company, Bethlehem-based Media Five, alleges it’s due more than $250,000 under agreements signed in 1990 and 1994, according to the lawsuit, filed in early July. The agreements […]

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Feds charge fired West Shore Home VP with extortion

A vice president overseeing supply chains for Mechanicsburg-based West Shore Home LLC allegedly tried to extort a severance payment from the company after he was fired, according to a federal criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s office and a civil lawsuit filed by the company. The home improvement company fired the VP, Bryan Chapman, in August […]

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Court ruling freezes bidding on state lab project

A state appeals court has halted the bidding process for work on a $325 million state laboratory near Harrisburg after a builders group challenged a labor requirement attached to the project. The requirement, known as a project labor agreement, would require contractors to use mostly union workers. But the Lancaster County-based Keystone chapter of the Associated Builders […]

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Suit targets Penn State Health retirement plans

In a class-action lawsuit filed in late June, a Penn State Health employee alleges the health system mismanaged employee retirement plans, diminishing their returns and overpaying vendors. The suit argues that the plans included investment choices with subpar returns and that they paid too much for certain administrative vendors in breach of the health system’s fiduciary responsibility […]

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York-area winery faces call to shut down after losing legal appeal

Time may be running out for Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, a York County venue wrangling with neighbors who want to shut it down, arguing that its operations violate local land-use restrictions. Superior Court of Pennsylvania, a state appeals court, sided with the neighbors — Matthew Balsavage and Amanda Perko — in a decision published last […]

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Report: Heller firm double-sold ATMs

Paramount Management Group, the defunct Lancaster-based ATM network headed by Daryl Heller, sold and resold the same ATMs to the network’s investors, accounting for sales of nearly $22 million, according to a report filed yesterday by a court-appointed examiner in Heller’s bankruptcy case. The report appears to bolster investors’ allegations that they were defrauded by Heller […]

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Pittsburgh law firm opens Lancaster office

Pittsburgh-based law firm Dickie McCamey & Chilcote has opened an office in Lancaster after plucking two attorneys from Barley Snyder. The office at 100 N. Queen St. is Dickie McCamey’s 20th overall and seventh in Pennsylvania. Staffing the Lancaster office are managing attorney and shareholder Luke Weber and associate Tasha Stoltzfus Nankerville.  Weber chaired Lancaster-based Barley […]

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Judge offers temporary cease-fire in loan fight between bank, flooring firm

After listening to both sides of a loan dispute yesterday morning, a Dauphin County judge outlined a potential truce and asked attorneys to put it in writing. Harrisburg-area flooring supplier Frontier Surfaces claims it is on the brink of financial collapse following efforts by regional lender Mid Penn Bancorp to collect on a $4 million loan to the company. […]

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Court backs denial of Hershey-area development

A state appeals court last week upheld a decision by local officials to deny a mixed-use development that included a proposed Sheetz store in Derry Township, Dauphin County. Dubbed Governor’s Crossing, the project was proposed for the southwest corner of West Governor and Fishburn roads south of downtown Hershey. But in November 2023, supervisors in Derry Township […]

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Flooring firm levels new charges in loan dispute

A regional bank allegedly relied on false premises to seize $1.6 million in inventory from a Harrisburg-area flooring company, according to a legal complaint filed by the company against the bank. The complaint, filed last week in Dauphin County court against Mid Penn Bank, is the latest salvo in a dispute over an alleged loan default by […]

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Manufacturing

‘Why not give it a shot’: Franklin County manufacturer changes hands

Jim McCleaf was ready to pounce after talking to Wiliam Bowers, the owner of Waynesboro-based manufacturer Pro Tube. Bowers wanted to retire and hoped McCleaf and his wife, Susan, would buy the company, which makes hydraulic, mechanical, exhaust and air-intake tubing. Susan McCleaf suggested a more methodical approach, and the couple spent some time learning about […]

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Lanco manufacturer merged with Tennessee firm

After buying Lancaster County-based ATI Corp. in October 2023, a Houston-based private equity firm began investing in the manufacturer’s future. The investments have bolstered ATI’s sales force, production processes, and research and development, said Ryan Martin, a managing partner at the private equity firm, LDR Partners LP.  Now, LDR is investing in ATI’s leadership. How: Through a […]

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Regional factory jobs stable, but uncertainty looms

After the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, the job market is returning to normal for manufacturers in Central Pennsylvania, according to a recent survey by their regional trade association. However, manufacturers face an uncertain year ahead as they absorb the potential for new tariffs promised by President-elect Donald Trump. Depending on how they are applied, […]

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Union drops charges against pork processor

A union representing workers at a Lancaster pork processing plant dropped labor charges it filed against Clemens Food Group, which bought the plant earlier this year and then closed it, idling more than 190 workers. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 152 filed a grievance in October with the National Labor Relations Boar alleging that Clemens […]

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York-area manufacturer sued over alleged retaliation

Federal regulators filed a lawsuit against a York-area manufacturer for allegedly firing an employee who had raised concerns about safety. In a lawsuit filed in late October, the U.S. Department of Labor accuses Red Lion Controls of terminating the employee after he refused to carry out a task that he felt was unsafe. The agency is seeking […]

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Lanco contractor buys Annville welding firm

GSM Industrial, an industrial fabrication and mechanical contractor based in East Hempfield Township, has acquired Annville-based Light’s Welding, a family-owned business specializing in the agricultural sector. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Light’s Welding was founded in 1948 by C. Alvin Light, growing from a local welding shop to a full-service fabrication and millwright business. “We’re […]

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Flooring maker trims jobs amid soft demand

AHF Products is eliminating about 30 white-collar jobs, with less than half the cuts affecting its staff in Lancaster County. In a statement, AHF president and CEO Brian Carson attributed the move to a stagnant market for home improvements and soft demand for residential building products. Based in West Hempfield Township, the company makes vinyl and […]

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Cabinetmaker closing Juniata County factor

Amid a projected slowdown in apartment construction, a Michigan-based cabinetry company plans to shutter a plant in Juniata County. Cabinetworks Group is closing the factory near Thompsontown and laying off 420 employees, a tally that includes 110 who were already laid off, according to a notice sent to state and local officials. The notice did not […]

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Union pushes back on Lancaster pork-plant closure

Clemens Food Group announced Friday that it plans to close its recently acquired pork plant in Lancaster and lay off 193 workers while it continues to look for a buyer that will keep the factory going. However, the reassurances, are not swaying the union representing production workers at the plant, the former Kunzler & Company factory acquired by […]

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Lancaster manufacturer stakes growth on acquisitions, innovations in outdoor gear

When Tom “Dutch” Ressler strung up his first hammock during a through-hike on the Appalachian Trail in 2003, the equipment he carried was not always optimal. “Staying dry was a challenge,” he said. So, when he returned home to Lancaster, Ressler started fashioning his own gear. The DIY adventure led him to launch his own […]

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Family-owned container manufacturer bought by industry giant

Klinge Corp., a York-area company making specialized shipping containers, has been sold. The buyer is Trane Technologies, an Ireland-based company that makes HVAC and refrigeration systems, and its transportation-focused subsidiary, Thermo King. Terms of the transaction, which closed Aug. 1, were not disclosed. In a statement, Thermo King Americas president Adam Wittwer described the acquisition as “a […]

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Lanco magnet manufacturer scooped up

Over the last decade, revenue doubled for Electron Energy Corp., a specialty magnet manufacturer in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County. But if it wanted to keep growing, the company realized that it needed a partner, said Scott Murr, the company’s vice president of revenue operations. That partner, announced yesterday, is Magnetic Holdings LLC, which has taken a […]

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Former cabinet plant sold for $3.3M

A growing metal fabrication company in York County has purchased the former Wayneco Cabinetry plant, which has been idle since the cabinetry business shut down this spring. BMB Holdings LLC paid $3.3 million for the 81,000 square-foot facility, which is at 800 Hanover Road in Jackson Township, west of York city. The new facility is roughly three times […]

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Union eyes strike amid contract talks with Hanover Foods

Union members voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike at Hanover Foods if they cannot agree on a new contract with the Hanover-based company by the end of this month, according to Wendell Young, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776. The most recent labor contract expired at the end of 2023, said Young, whose union […]

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York-area manufacturer resolves harassment claims

York County manufacturer AMZ Manufacturing has struck a deal settling federal allegations that it failed to take adequate action after two women complained about sexual harassment at one of its plants. The charges, filed last year, alleged violations of Title VII, the federal law barring discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin or religion. According to the […]

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Ratings agency warns on Spring Grove manufacturer

Spring Grove-based paper maker Pixelle Specialty Solutions recently unveiled steps to bolster its finances. But they do not appear to be enough to satisfy a ratings agency concerned about the company’s liquidity. S&P Global initially downgraded the company following the refinancing. The agency then restored the original rating but added a negative outlook, warning that “continued operational weakness could pressure […]

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Marketing

Real Estate

Warehouse-ready tracts in Harrisburg area change hands

Following a legal battle with local officials, San Francisco-based developer Prologis is taking the next step in its efforts to build a warehouse in suburban Harrisburg. The company shelled out $24.25 million for two tracts off Linglestown Road in West Hanover Township where it plans to erect the 1.1 million square-foot building, according to county deed records. […]

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Apartment-ready tract near E-town fetches $8.7M

One of the nation’s largest apartment operators has scooped up a development-ready tract in northwestern Lancaster County. An affiliate of Greystar paid nearly $8.7 million for the tract, which is poised to house an 11-building, 280-unit apartment complex, according to county deed records. The seller was 1376 Campus Road Associates LLC, an affiliate of Catalyst Commercial Development, a West […]

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Former West Shore factory sold to York firm

After closing last year, a former West Shore factory for The AMES Companies has been sold. An affiliate of York-based Kinsley Properties paid $18 million for the plant at 465 Railroad Ave. in Hampden Township, according to Gerry Blinebury, a broker with real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield.  Cushman & Wakefield is listing the 397,000 square-foot building for lease on behalf of […]

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Deal ends foreclosure threat dogging former Harrisburg school

A foreclosure case hanging over the former Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg appears to have ended.  The case in Dauphin County court pitted the building’s owner, William Penn Holding Inc., against private lenders seeking to collect on their debt. Jeremy Hunter, William Penn’s owner, confirmed an agreement was reached, but he declined to share the […]

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Developer eyes multibillion-dollar data center campus near Carlisle

Central Pennsylvania is home to big buildings that store stuff. A Virginia-based company is eyeing construction of big buildings that store data, reflecting a national race to boost data center capacity. PowerHouse Data Centers, an arm of Virginia-based American Real Estate Partners, has been discussing a potential multibillion-dollar data center development on a 700-acre tract in […]

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Logistics startup lands in York County

Warehouses in Central Pennsylvania often sport household names like Amazon and Chewy, or the logos of logistics giants like XPO, UPS and FedEx. A new player is muscling in. Toronto-based Shipfusion is leasing a 350,000 square-foot warehouse in the newly developed Core5 Logistics Center at Codorus Creek on the site of a former quarry straddling Manchester and East Manchester townships in York County. The […]

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Former West Shore law office sold

The former Camp Hill office of Reager and Adler law firm was sold for $1.7 million to Community Options, a Princeton, New Jersey-based nonprofit that provides housing and job opportunities to people with disabilities, according to Bill Rothman, founder of Lemoyne-based RSR Realtors. Rothman represented the seller, the estate of the late attorney David Reager.  Community Options has an existing […]

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Court OK sought for bankruptcy sale of Harrisburg-area winery

The bankrupt owner of Spring Gate Winery in suburban Harrisburg is seeking court permission for a sale of the winery and some of its assets, including its beer and wine licenses. According to court filings this week, Schoffstall Farm LLC is asking for approval of a sale to Nitin Patel, who would pay $2.85 million for the winery. The […]

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Harrisburg apartment owner asks court to block alleged meddling in bankruptcy sale

The bankrupt property owner trying to sell Governor’s Square apartments in Harrisburg has complained in the past that the city of Harrisburg is thwarting its sales effort, and it’s now asking a bankruptcy judge to intervene. In a court filing last week, Maryland-based Uptown Partners LP asked a judge to order the city to “cease and desist from […]

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Mixed-use project is ‘first phase of final phase’ for York tract

Officials in York have toiled for more than two decades to bring development to the Northwest Triangle, a former industrial tract along the Codorus Creek in the city’s northwest corner. They filled in pieces here and there over the years. On Oct. 10, they celebrated what is likely to be the final piece: a mixed-use […]

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Developer sketching in plans for 476-acre Lanco tract

High Associates is starting to sketch in its plans for a 476-acre tract bordering the headquarters of Armstrong World Industries in Manor Township, Lancaster County. The plans, which could change with market conditions, call for a flexible mix of single-family homes, apartment buildings, retail space, industrial space and green space, according to Ken Hornbeck, senior vice president of […]

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Court docs disclose $2.8M offer for bankrupt winery

A potential deal is on the table for Spring Gate Winery in suburban Harrisburg. A buyer named Nitin Patel has offered $2.8 million for the winery, whose parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May, according to court records.  The offer sets a floor for other potential bidders in a bankruptcy auction slated to unfold this […]

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Discount retailer buys former Big Lots leases

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings is scooping up leases for seven former locations of its bankrupt rival, Big Lots. The stores include one each in Georgia, Illinois and Louisiana and four in Wisconsin, according to court documents. The price is about $620,000, subject to potential adjustments by the landlords. “These stores are the right size, located in […]

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Retail

Technology

Lancaster startup pivots to new market

A Lancaster startup is taking a new tack in distributing its product, an app that helps people improve their health through better eating, sleeping and exercising. The company, Fizika Group LLC, had focused on senior-living communities, said its founder, Martha Lester Harris. But the communities often have their own resources, like gyms and fitness programs, […]

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Other Categories

Insurers sue local contractors over recycling-plant fire

On March 8, 2022, a fire ripped through a Penn Waste recycling facility in Manchester Township, York County, knocking it out of commission.  Now, three Penn Waste insurers are suing local contractors involved in building the facility and installing its sprinkler system. The insurers, which include Connecticut-based XL Insurance, are seeking to recover $26 million in damages from […]

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Engineering firm opens MD, western PA offices

A Harrisburg-area engineering firm has added two new offices, including its first-ever location in Maryland. HRG has opened offices in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and Hagerstown, Maryland, hoping to make greater inroads in both areas. The additions bring the firm, based in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, to a dozen offices, with 10 in Pennsylvania and one each […]

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Susquehanna dam operators oppose hydro project

Operators of the Holtwood and Safe Harbor dams are weighing in against a proposed hydroelectric plant along the Susquehanna River in an area known as Cuffs Run in Chanceford Township, York County.’ The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is currently weighing whether to issue a permit allowing the developer, York Energy Storage LLC, to study the project’s […]

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Shapiro labor directive triggers blowback

Business groups are decrying a recent directive from Gov. Josh Shapiro designed to increase the state’s use of project labor agreements, deals that generally require the use of union labor on public projects. Issued last week, the directive calls on state agencies to review contract solicitations for capital projects to determine which ones would be good fits […]

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Small housing group aims for bigger impact

About a dozen years ago, several members of East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church in Lancaster banded together to start a nonprofit focused on creating affordable housing, with a focus on people experiencing homelessness. Their first project was the purchase and conversion of a single-family home at 639 E. Chestnut St. Over the next decade, the […]

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Court extends time for bankruptcy sale of Harrisburg apartments

A court hearing on the bankruptcy sale of Governor’s Square apartment complex in uptown Harrisburg had been scheduled for Feb. 29. However, it has been moved to April 2 per an order from Chief Bankruptcy Judge Henry Van Eck of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Why is this happening: The […]

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Select Medical mulls spin-off of workplace health unit

Mechanicsburg-based Select Medical Holdings Corp. is preparing to spin off its occupational health services division, which does business as Concentra. Select Medical’s board approved the spin-off this week and expects the deal to close in late 2024. Select Medical shareholders would receive stock in Concentra in amounts yet to be determined but in a transaction that is […]

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York, Harrisburg firms on the move

The new year is poised to bring new digs to two local companies. Reynolds Restoration Services bought a flex property in suburban Harrisburg for its new headquarters. York County-based construction firm Wagman also has purchased a building for a new HQ, a property in Manchester Township, York County. Both companies said they are outgrowing their current spaces. Starting with: […]

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Highs donate real estate biz to family foundation

The High family is presenting a second major gift to their family foundation. The family’s ownership of Lancaster County-based High Real Estate Group is being transferred to High Foundation, the foundation announced on Dec. 20. The year-end gift follows the donation last year of High Industries, which was valued at nearly $115.2 million. The value of the real estate company was not disclosed but […]

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Plan unveiled for suburban Harrisburg mall

A Maryland developer has revealed its vision for what will replace the Harrisburg Mall, a longtime suburban destination destined for the wrecking ball. Baltimore-based St. John Properties is proposing a roughly 550,000 square-foot development — dubbed Swatara Exchange — that includes a mix of retail and commercial buildings, with a smidgen of office space. While the plan calls for […]

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Court voids PA carbon-emission rules

A state court has tossed aside regulations that would have enrolled Pennsylvania in a multistate carbon-cutting program, regulations that were a climate-change priority for the former administration of Gov. Tom Wolf. At issue was whether the heart of the program — a market in which companies must buy credits to emit carbon — represented a fee […]

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Brokerage buys capital-area advisory firm

A Harrisburg-area financial advisory has joined the wave of consolidation washing over the industry. Comprehensive Financial Associates, based in Susquehanna Township, has been acquired by insurance and benefits brokerage AssuredPartners, according to a press release from Wise Rhino Group, the M&A firm that advised Comprehensive Financial. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. But it also includes […]

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Black-owned firms tapped for legal services program

McNees Wallace & Nurick has picked 10 small, Black-owned businesses to receive free legal services in the third annual installment of the Harrisburg-based law firm’s program to overcome barriers to business growth and success. The small businesses, introduced last week at a reception at the King Mansion in Harrisburg, hail from across Central Pennsylvania, as well […]

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Podcast: Childcare challenges

The challenges for childcare providers have not eased since the pandemic. If anything, they have grown steeper, as providers struggle to retain and attract workers at a time of rising wages. But if business leaders have learned anything over the last few years, it is that working parents need access to quality childcare if they […]

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Land-use fights flare across Central PA

The ground may be cold but battles over land use in Central Pennsylvania are heating up. Residents and developers are clashing on several fronts across the region. Not surprisingly, proposed warehouses are among the sharpest points of contention. Large-scale solar projects have triggered outcries, as well. But disputes also have arisen over housing, most notably in […]

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Nonprofit sues bank after alleged account fraud

Fraudsters drained nearly $250,000 from bank accounts of the Center for Independent Living of Central PA, and the Harrisburg-based nonprofit wants its bank, Mid Penn Bank, to refund the money, according to a lawsuit filed last week in Dauphin County court. The Harrisburg-based bank allegedly failed to enforce “commercially reasonable” security controls on the accounts and thus […]

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