commonwealth of pennsylvania - The Pennsylvania General Assembly

V. Department of
General Services $44,243,000 $8,738,000 $52,981,000
(a) Harrisburg Area
* * *
(6) State Office
Buildlng -
Harristown
Areal:
Provided, however,
That no portion of
the building sliall
he utilized for
anv comtnercial
purposes].
Land 4.500.000 450.000 4.950.000
On the question,
Will the House agree to the amendments?
The SPEAKER pro lempore. The Chair recognizes the
gentleman from Dauphin, Mr. Wambach.
Mr. WAMBACH. Thank you. Mr. Speaker.
I would like to explain the amendment, Mr. Speaker. First
of all, 1 would just like to relate to Representative Peterson
that I am not touching at all the project currently in SB 589,
which is the Titusville Campus. Titusville is the hometown of
my mother, and 1 would not dare to touch it.
What my amendment does, Mr. Speaker, is it removes the
restrictive language which was inserted into the 1980-81
capital budget last session. That bill contained an authorization
for the construction of a new headquarters building for
the Department of Environmental Resources at a site in
downtown Harrisburg. The proposed site of the building at
Third and Market Streets is in the core of the retail base of
Harrisburg's downtown. Much of this core has been revitalized
with the completion of the first phase of Strawberry
Square and the linkage of the Pomeroy's Department Store
with Strawberry Square's mall. The inclusior! of retail space
on the first two floors of the new building is important for the
city for a number of reasons. First, because the building will
be constructed by the state, it will be tax exempt. However, by
providing retail space in the building, the local authorities will
be able to receive tax revenues. To avoid anv confusion. the
state would not be making the payments; the retailers on the
site woitld.
Secondly, the Third and Market Street corner ic the only
location where the important physical and economic tie-ins to
Strawberry Square and Market Street can occur simultaneously.
Therefore, a prohibition on retail cpace would have a
very ~. negative irnp,ict o~n
nesses back tc the downtown.
And finally, the completion of the renovation of Market
Street is an important factor in the city's ability to attract
developers for a new hotel and a new private office building in
the downtown. The removal of this restrictive language will in
LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL-HOUSE JUNE 30,
I cannot stress to you strongly enough how important this
issue is to the leaders of the Harrisburg business community. 1
would ask for an affirmative vote on the amendment, Mr.
Speaker.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the
gentleman from Dauphin, Mr. Piccola.
Mr. PICCOLA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I concur in the remarks of Mr. Wambach and urge the
House to adopt the amendment. This amendment is very
important to the revitalization of downtown Harrisburg,
which up until now has been a very outstanding cooperative
effort bctween private enterprise and government, and this is
vital in that effort. I would ask the House to concur.
The SPE,AKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the
gentleman from Blair, Mr. Johnson.
. Mr. JOHNSON. Would the maker of the amendment stand
for brief interrogation, please?
Mr. WAMBACH. 1 shall, Mr. Speaker.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman indicates he
will.
Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. Speaker, does this mean, if this
amendment is adopted, that our Commonwealth will be in
competition with private enterprise in renting space?
hlr. WAMBACH. Mr. Speaker, what the amendment will
do, of course, is-and the factor that 1 want to stress more
than any other factor here is the economic cohesiveness of the
retail space in the downtown area. In other words, the key
block at Strawberry Square is now completed. We are looking
for the completion of the second half of Market Street, and
we would prefer to have the retail space in the DER building.
To say that it would be in competition, Mr. Speaker, I would
not agree with that at all. 1 would say that it is simply an addi-
tion to existing space that is available, and I would not see it
as competition at all.
Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. Speaker, may I make a comment on
the amendment, please?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is in order and
may proceed.
Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. Speaker, I would take exception to
this amendment. I think it is time our government gets out of
competition instead of going into competition with private
ownership of real estate and private business. I would urge a
negative vote on this amendment.
On the question recurring,
Will the House agree to the amendments?
The following roll call was recorded:
YEAS-182
Anderson Fcc Llovd Rocks
the efforts to continue to attract husi- I Armstronr Fischer ~ucik Rybak
Arty Fleck McCall Salvatore
Rarber Foster. W. W. McClalchy Saurman
~ ~ ~ Foster, ~ ~ Jr., A. d Mclntyrc i
Scrafini
Belfanti Frazier McMonagle Seventy
8erron Freind McVerry Showers
Bittle Fryer Mackowski Shupnik
-.
R I ~ ~ Calla~hrr ~ Madiean Sieminski
no way impact the amount of funding contained in the line B~r~ki Gallen h{aiace Sirianni
1 i"iier Gamble Manderina Smith. B.
item in the capital budget. There is absolotely no increase.
Royes Gannon Manmiller Smith. E. H.
Brandr Geirt Marmion Smith. L. E.