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
18 February 2004

PENNSYLVANIA PLACE UPDATE

Harrisburg, PA—Mayor Stephen R. Reed today reported that clean-up operations are continuing around the clock at Pennsylvania Place following a major three-alarm fire at the prestigious downtown office tower on Monday night. Tenants in floors 5 through 25 are expected to be able to reoccupy their residential units by sometime tomorrow afternoon barring any unforeseen developments, and the temporary shelter set up to house displaced tenants was officially closed today by Red Cross officials.

The Mayor said city officials have been working closely with Pennsylvania Place owner Amerimar Enterprises, who have been diligently working on repairs and restoration. A company disaster recovery specialist is overseeing operations and specialized restoration contractors are working around the clock to clean-up the extensive water damage caused by the building’s sprinkler system.

Reed lauded the efforts of Amerimar to restore building, noting that “their efforts have been superb, with the difference of night and day in terms of the company’s commitment and responsiveness compared to the building’s former owners, who essentially abandoned the site after a water main leak in 1994 shutdown the building for over two years and permanently dislocated hundreds of tenants.

“We are 100% focused on bringing the building back up as quickly and safely as possible,” according to company Chief Operating Officer Jon Cummins. “Our first priority is to ensure the safety of both our residential and commercial tenants, and we are working very closely with contractors and official inspectors to ensure that everything is done by the book.”

Mayor Reed said electrical repairs have been largely completed and progressive inspections are being provided by both the city and an independent third party inspection service. Final inspections on the building’s elevators, fire suppression and other systems will be completed tomorrow and residential tenants should be able return after those inspections have been successfully concluded.

Uncertain at this time, said Reed, is when the commercial tenants of the first through fourth floors are able to return. Company officials estimate it will likely be mid to late next week before restoration efforts are completed in the more heavily damaged floors where the fire occurred and where the majority of the water damage took place.

The Mayor also noted that the temporary shelter set-up to house the displaced tenants at the nearby Zion Lutheran Church closed today. Five tenants used the shelter on Monday night, and only one displaced person stayed there last night. Red Cross officials opted to provide motel lodging for the person rather than keep the shelter operation going for another day. Most of the more than two-hundred tenants have been staying with friends and family, or at nearby local lodging establishments.

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