Midtown (Harrisburg)
Encyclopedia
Midtown is a neighborhood in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
. Its zip code is 17102. The Midtown neighborhood is delineated by Forster Street to the south, Maclay Street to the north, 7th Street to the east, and the Susquehanna River
to the west. Midtown is home to the Pennsylvania Governor's Mansion and the Broad Street Market
, the oldest continually operated street market
in the country.
The section of Midtown from Reily to Kelker Streets and 2nd to 3rd Streets is known as Engleton
. Its Queen Anne style homes were built in the 1890s by Benjamin Engle. The Old Uptown, Old Midtown, and Old Fox Ridge historic district
s listed on the National Register of Historic Places
are all contained within the Midtown neighborhood.
Old Uptown is a neighborhood of large homes built in the early 1900s between Kelker and Maclay streets. The area, crime ridden for many years, is currently being aggressively renovated and rehabbed. Much of this neighborhood lies within the Old Uptown Historic District
.
, 1.8% Asian and 6.0% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The largest age group is those aged 25-34 at 19.7% of the population.
The Midtown Cinema movie theater
is Harrisburg's only first-run independent
and foreign film theater.
In 2007, Harrisburg Area Community College
opened its new Midtown campus at the corner of 3rd and Reilly streets in the renovated Evangelical Press Building. The building holds many of the college's technical programs and has a capacity to hold several hundred students. In the future, a garden and walkway will be built nearby to connect the campus with a new parking garage and other new classroom facilities to be built.
Midtown is known for its sizable gay population, while most of Harrisburg's gay bars and establishments are actually in the Capitol District on the edge of Midtown.
The Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center
(HMAC) is currently under construction on 3rd street. Several investors from New York City announced plans to build a 2500 square feet (232.3 m²) art gallery, 10000 square feet (929 m²) playhouse, cafe and film studio inside the formerly abandoned Police Athletic League
building. HMAC currently runs the Stage on Herr, a bar and performance space just off 3rd on Herr St.
North Third street is considered "Coffee Row" for its collection of coffee shops including Cafe Di Luna, Breads'N'Spreads and the Famous Reading Cafe (see Midtown Scholar Bookstore).
floods which damaged many homes, especially in the Old Uptown area. However, since the 1990s the neighborhood has gentrified drastically especially along the Penn and Green street corridors. This is primarily due to a strong housing stock for renovation and proximity to the Central Business District, which has been experiencing growth itself. Today, gentrification
is spreading as many historic homes are getting rehabbed and upgraded throughout the northern and eastern part of Midtown. Capitol Heights
and Governor's Square are two new housing developments that are currently under construction. Together, they are adding several hundred new homes to Midtown.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Its zip code is 17102. The Midtown neighborhood is delineated by Forster Street to the south, Maclay Street to the north, 7th Street to the east, and the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
to the west. Midtown is home to the Pennsylvania Governor's Mansion and the Broad Street Market
Broad Street Market
The Broad Street Market, founded in 1860, is located in the Midtown neighborhood of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in the United States. Originally established on Broad Street by the Verbeke family, it is today one of the oldest continuously operating farmers markets in the country.-History:During the...
, the oldest continually operated street market
Street market
A street market is an outdoor market such as traditionally held in a market square or in a market town, and often held only on particular days of the week...
in the country.
The section of Midtown from Reily to Kelker Streets and 2nd to 3rd Streets is known as Engleton
Engleton
Engleton is a section of the Midtown neighborhood of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is bounded by 2nd street to the west, Kelker Street to the north, 3rd street to the east and Reily Street to the south.-References:...
. Its Queen Anne style homes were built in the 1890s by Benjamin Engle. The Old Uptown, Old Midtown, and Old Fox Ridge historic district
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
s listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
are all contained within the Midtown neighborhood.
Old Uptown is a neighborhood of large homes built in the early 1900s between Kelker and Maclay streets. The area, crime ridden for many years, is currently being aggressively renovated and rehabbed. Much of this neighborhood lies within the Old Uptown Historic District
Old Uptown Historic District (Harrisburg)
The Old Uptown Historic District is a historic district in the Midtown neighborhood of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The district stretches from Reily to Maclay between Second and Third street. It consists of large Queen Anne and Italianate architecture built in the late 19th century and very early...
.
Demographics
As of the 2000 census there were 8,004 people living in Midtown. The racial makeup of Midtown was 45.0% White, 46.2% Black or African-AmericanRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.8% Asian and 6.0% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The largest age group is those aged 25-34 at 19.7% of the population.
Education and Culture
Formerly at the corner 3rd and Reily streets, the Midtown Scholar Bookstore and Famous Reading Cafe opened in 2008 two blocks south near the corner of Verbeke. Considered the largest used academic bookstore between Chicago and New York, it contains thousands of used books, scholarly and otherwise from a wide range of fields.The Midtown Cinema movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
is Harrisburg's only first-run independent
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
and foreign film theater.
In 2007, Harrisburg Area Community College
Harrisburg Area Community College
HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College is a community college in the United States serving the greater Harrisburg, Pennsylvania metropolitan area. HACC is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools...
opened its new Midtown campus at the corner of 3rd and Reilly streets in the renovated Evangelical Press Building. The building holds many of the college's technical programs and has a capacity to hold several hundred students. In the future, a garden and walkway will be built nearby to connect the campus with a new parking garage and other new classroom facilities to be built.
Midtown is known for its sizable gay population, while most of Harrisburg's gay bars and establishments are actually in the Capitol District on the edge of Midtown.
The Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center
Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center
The Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center is a multidisciplinary arts and cultural center located in Midtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is located in the historic Police Athletic League building, which originally served as a Jewish Community Center, along north 3rd street about one mile from the...
(HMAC) is currently under construction on 3rd street. Several investors from New York City announced plans to build a 2500 square feet (232.3 m²) art gallery, 10000 square feet (929 m²) playhouse, cafe and film studio inside the formerly abandoned Police Athletic League
Police Athletic League
The Police Athletic League is an organization in many American police departments in which members of the police force coach young people, both boys and girls, in sports, and help with homework and other school-related activities. The purpose is to build character, help strengthen police-community...
building. HMAC currently runs the Stage on Herr, a bar and performance space just off 3rd on Herr St.
North Third street is considered "Coffee Row" for its collection of coffee shops including Cafe Di Luna, Breads'N'Spreads and the Famous Reading Cafe (see Midtown Scholar Bookstore).
Economic Decline and Gentrification
Much of Midtown fell into disrepair in the 1970s and 1980s after the Hurricane AgnesHurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
floods which damaged many homes, especially in the Old Uptown area. However, since the 1990s the neighborhood has gentrified drastically especially along the Penn and Green street corridors. This is primarily due to a strong housing stock for renovation and proximity to the Central Business District, which has been experiencing growth itself. Today, gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
is spreading as many historic homes are getting rehabbed and upgraded throughout the northern and eastern part of Midtown. Capitol Heights
Capitol Heights (Harrisburg)
Capitol Heights is a new community of nearly 200 townhouse and single-family duplexes in the Midtown neighborhood of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Most of the new homes are located east of Third between Kelker and Reily and along Fulton, 4th and 5th street. The neighborhood is known for its urban...
and Governor's Square are two new housing developments that are currently under construction. Together, they are adding several hundred new homes to Midtown.