222 Chestnut Street is the site of a new academic tower for Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
Vartan Group, Inc. assembled the site and handled the sale to the university in 2018. Vartan Group also operated the site for the university as a commercial parking lot, a revenue-generating use in the interim prior to construction.
The university broke ground on the 12-story, 260,000 square foot Science Education Center in July 2019.
Commenting on the groundbreaking, Vartan Group CEO H. Ralph Vartan said, “It represents world-class talent that is attracted to Harrisburg for learning, teaching, research, and work.
“It also represents the first new high-rise downtown since the end of the great recession. The last new high-rise to be built was also by Harrisburg University.”
222 Chestnut Street provided a rare opportunity for new construction with the type of large floor plate required by modern users. The existing zoning permitted a wide variety of uses.
It boasts a central location walkable to all amenities and destinations throughout downtown. It is convenient to the Harrisburg Transportation Center, UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg Hospital, and the Capitol Complex.
An existing CAT public transit route serves this corridor. It is located outside the 500-year flood zone.