Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a city rich with a history spanning over 200 years and plenty of opportunities for work and play, will welcome a brand-new three-story apartment building courtesy of LeRon and LeSean McCoy, former NFL players.
The company, McCoy Boys, bought a triplet of decrepit properties on North Sixth Street to inject a new lease of life into the area and provide housing affordable to all.
LeSean McCoy Purchases Three Buildings to Transform
Ryan Sanders, a McCoy Boys partner, stated that the company bought the properties at 1526, 1524, and 1522 North Sixth Street in Harrisburg.
Situated in Uptown Harrisburg, the North Sixth Street District encompasses the corridor where the buildings were bought, including the few side streets stretching from Radnor Street to Maclay Street.
While the area is currently experiencing market deterioration, the location is set to make a recovery — and the ex-football players wanted a piece of it.
A new United States of America Federal Courthouse and state archives buildings are currently being constructed near the McCoy Boys-purchased properties. This only added to the company’s willingness to invest in the area.
A Brief History of 1522, 1524, and 1526
The three buildings bought by Vice Capital for transformation were previously owned by Dean Carter.
Built by his father, Zubber Carter, the middle property housed Carter’s Cut Rates. The store opened in 1954 and was later renamed Carter’s Variety Store.
However, the 1524 N. Sixth Street eventually became B Large Sound Effects.
Heart wrenchingly, Carter has watched at least 100 properties within the area be demolished, yet the store remained — until February 18, 2022.
After 68 years of the family business, Carter closed his store, closing the chapter on a significant part of Harrisburg’s history.
Eight people moved out of the previously Carter-owned apartments (1522 and 1524) in February. But as for 1526, it’s been standing vacant for years.
The Future of 1522, 1524, and 1526
Despite losing a well-loved family business, the future for this part of Harrisburg is bright, thanks to McCoy Boys.
The company plans to knock all three buildings down, leaving ample room to construct a three-story facility.
Once complete, it should boast roughly 40 market-rate, affordable housing apartments. Ryan Sanders is keen to start breaking ground with the project in 2023.
He also notes that one of the reasons behind purchasing these specific properties was to keep the African American business tradition along N. Sixth Street alive.
Alongside the apartments, the construction will have a co-working space. The focus of this zone will be to offer a space for minority-owned small and medium businesses to access desks and conference rooms.
Plus, with the new federal buildings not too far away, it was a no-brainer for the two ex-NFL players and the company’s partner to invest in the area.
In the coming years, residents of North Sixth Street in Harrisburg can rejoice in the new lease of vibrancy, affordable housing, and work opportunities arriving in the district.
