Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is a smaller, historical city that sits on the east bank of Susquehanna River. Located just 105 northwest of Philadelphia, it is the capital city of Pennsylvania. It also has a very large openly gay community called Midtown which is an area delineated by Forster Street to the north, 7th Street to the east and the Susquehanna River to the west. Some of the city’s most gorgeous spaces are rehabilitated old warehouses that used to be part of the city’s history as a steel town.
The city itself is only 59,000 people and it has a mostly traditional architectural skyline that has not changed much since its colonial roots. There are currently 7,628 people living in the Midtown neighborhood, which enjoys more cultural diversity than the rest of the city.
Midtown is home to one of the oldest bookstores in the U.S. known as the Midtown Scholar Bookstore and Famous Reading Café. It is also home to a campus of the Harrisburg Area Community Theater and the Midtown Theater, which is an independent, foreign film theater. On 3rd street there is a huge playhouse, café, film studio and gallery. North 3rd street is known as “Coffee Row” because it has so many small charming cafes. This is one of those areas that has been invested in and vastly improved by the gay community. The area fell into decline after being stricken by Hurricane Agnes. Many of the old colonial homes are being upgraded through the northern and eastern part of Midtown. Midtown is also home to two brand new housing developments: Capitol Heights and Governer\'s Square.
Midtown is mostly known for being a residential community. Most of the actual LGBT bars and clubs are located in the Capitol district of downtown Harrisburg. This area is home to architectural treasures such as the Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex. Any residential homes near here tend to be very large and expensive historical old mansions. The town square still hosts a farmer’s market that was originally established in 1785.
Midtown is generally located in the zip code areas of 17102 and 17101. The average listing price for a home for the week ending on July 13, 2013 was $126,296.00 and in 17101 it was in $170,257.00. There were also 538 homes in the foreclosure process in Harrisburg as of that day so there are opportunities for investment or fixing and flipping houses.
The city of Harrisburg has many beautiful neighborhoods with intact building facades from the 1800s. It is also surrounded by many lakes and parks including the City Island and Beach, Riverfront park, Italian Lake, Wildwood Lake Park, Reservoir Park and the Capitol Area Green. However for good advice on the most LGBT friendly areas to locate to it is a good idea to consult with a Harrisburg gay realtor who knows the city well. For more information about Harrisburg in general you can visit the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC at www.harisburgregionalchamber.org.
