Series of Public Workshops Announced for Revitalizing Downtown Harrisburg

Events are free and open to the public; no registration required

In partnership with city, county and state leaders, the Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) announced a series of six public workshops this month to help facilitate efforts to revitalize Downtown Harrisburg.

The workshops, which will be led by the Pennsylvania Downtown Center, are scheduled for June 18, 23 and 25 at three locations throughout Harrisburg and will focus on the following themes: Quality of Life, Public Spaces, and Economic Vitality.

‘Revitalize Downtown Harrisburg’ Public Workshop Series Schedule

The workshops are free and open to anyone who lives, works, visits and cares about building a brighter, better and more vibrant future for Downtown Harrisburg. These are interactive sessions, so people are encouraged to bring friends, family, neighbors – and most importantly, their ideas.

Quality of Life Workshops:

The focus of these sessions will be on how Harrisburg can be a more desirable place to live for everyone – from young professionals to families to retirees.  

• June 18, 2026 – 1 to 3 p.m., Harrisburg High School—John Harris Campus, 2451 Market St.
• June 18, 2026 – 6 to 8 p.m., Harrisburg High School—John Harris Campus, 2451 Market St.

Public Spaces Workshops:

The focus of these sessions will be on creating more vibrant and welcoming gathering spaces downtown for people of all ages and abilities.

• June 23 – 1 to 3 p.m., Camp Curtin Academy, 2900 N 6^th St.
• June 23 – 6 to 8 p.m., Camp Curtin Academy, 2900 N. 6^th St.

Economic Vitality Workshops:

The focus of these sessions will be on how Harrisburg can be a leading economic engine, supporting thriving businesses both today and into the future.

• June 25 – 1 to 3 p.m., Harrisburg High School—SciTech Campus, 215 Market St.
• June 25 – 6 to 8 p.m., Harrisburg High School—SciTech Campus, 215 Market St.

“Downtown Harrisburg belongs to all of us, and its future should be shaped by the people who live here, work here, invest here, and visit here. These workshops provide an opportunity for residents, business owners, and community stakeholders to share their ideas and help create a downtown that is vibrant, welcoming, safe, and economically strong. I encourage everyone to participate in this important conversation as we work together to build a downtown that reflects the pride, creativity, and potential of our entire city.” — Mayor Wanda R.D. Williams

Backed by a $425,000 investment from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and a $50,000 grant from the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority for Harrisburg, the “Revitalize Downtown Harrisburg” initiative brings together residents, business leaders, community partners and elected officials around a shared vision for downtown Harrisburg.

“These workshops are essential to gaining valuable input from across a broad spectrum of our community, including those who live, work and visit Downtown Harrisburg,” said Ryan Unger, president and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC. “With the help of our partners and with the passionate ideas of community members and key stakeholders, we can truly breathe new life into Downtown Harrisburg.”

He noted that the workshops are the next phase of the revitalization initiative, which started with a community perception survey. More than 4,000 people responded to the survey earlier this year, providing critical insights that will inform the Revitalize Downtown Harrisburg efforts.

The results of the survey are available online at DowntownHbg.com. From that survey, five key strategies emerged as priorities for the revitalization effort. They are:

1. Reestablish downtown as a place for daily life. Survey respondents consistently emphasized that recruiting everyday essentials – such as a grocery store, pharmacy and practical retail – is critical to making downtown a functional, livable place rather than a destination limited to dining or events.

• Refine parking to unlock investment and visitation. Parking was identified as the most significant barrier to downtown activity, indicating an urgent need for more affordable, user‑friendly, creative and clearly communicated parking policies to encourage daily activity, visits, business growth, and longer stays.

• Improve perceptions and reality of safety and cleanliness. Respondents emphasized the need to continue enhancing safety downtown through better lighting, visible presence, cleaner streets, pedestrian safety and coordinated social services.

• Support a healthier, more diverse business ecosystem. The survey points to an opportunity to strengthen downtown by reducing regulatory friction, offering incentives, and actively supporting small businesses, nonprofits and cultural institutions to create a more diverse and resilient mix of uses through both intentional business retention and recruitment.

• Create energy through housing, events and coordinated partnerships. Respondents consistently linked downtown prosperity to increased residential presence; frequent and well‑promoted events; regularly activated public spaces; stronger connections to surrounding neighborhoods; and clear, collaborative leadership.

Unger said he is encouraged by the strong participation in the survey and encouraged members of the public to join one or more of the upcoming workshops to help inform the future direction of downtown.

“When it comes to reinvigorating a community, there’s never just one solution,” Unger said. “It’s really about fostering an environment where all voices are invited to the table, diverse ideas can be shared, innovation can be encouraged, and investment leads to more investment. That’s how we will revitalize downtown Harrisburg – together.”

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