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Hershey Trust Expansion (7/12/2017)
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‘It Must Make Income’
Jul 12, 2017 | The Hummelstown Sun
By Charles Huth
Nearly two years after The Sun first reported on plans to build “a small town” west of the Med Center, the Hershey Trust Company unveiled those plans at the Cocoa Beanery on July 10. -
Institutions That Work: Milton Hershey School
Jul 11, 2017 | WHTM ABC 27 (PA)
By Alicia Richards
In an era where so many of us have lost faith in our institutions, ABC27 is focusing monthly on Institutions That Work. -
WGAL News 8 at 6 p.m.
Jul 11, 2017 | NBC
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WGAL News 8 at 11 p.m.
Jul 11, 2017 | NBC
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WGAL News 8 at 5:30 a.m.
Jul 12, 2017 | NBC
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Jul 12, 2017 | The Hummelstown Sun
By Charles Huth
Nearly two years after The Sun first reported on plans to build “a small town” west of the Med Center, the Hershey Trust Company unveiled those plans at the Cocoa Beanery on July 10.
More than 100 citizens attended the event where numerous representatives were available for comment about the development – now called “Hershey West End” – that covers the swath of land south of Route 322 between Bullfrog Valley and Waltonville roads as well as a small patch north of Route 322 by Grace United Methodist Church.
“We don’t really have a plan yet actually for the area. We’re just beginning the planning process,” Paul Ostergaard, Urban Design Associates, told The Sun.
Ostergaard said the purpose of the meeting was to gather community input on the project. He said they would then spend some of the next week designing mixed-use plan concepts.
“It might include a walkable village center with restaurants and other things,” Ostergaard said. “It might have a range of housing, from single-family houses, townhouses, apartments and so on. And make it a sustainable community.”
Ostergaard said the company has done some initial site capacity testing so The Trust knows what the possibilities are for the site.
“Also perhaps some additional office space might be included, a grocery store, they’re considering maybe senior housing as well … maybe a hotel,” Ostergaard said.
‘A Community Asset’
A plan for an age-restricted three-story apartment complex next to Grace UMC was shown at the meeting.
Grace UMC Pastor John Schaefer told The Sun the facility would be run by a for-profit entity separate from the church. He said the church would be involved with a number of activities with the facility if it was built.
Rumors about a grocery store, either a Trader Joe’s or a relocated Giant, have floated around the development for nearly two years.
There are also plans to redesign the barn just north of the Cocoa Beanery.
Jeff Sharp, Loto Station, said the “Englewood” barn will largely be preserved. He said the group has been looking for a venue to perform live music.
“We think it’s a community asset,” Sharp said.
Sharp said the room could be used for other purposes such as business meetings or weddings.
“There’s also going to be a restaurant on the lower level, and a large patio with fire pits in the back,” Sharp said.
Sharp said the restaurant would be tavern style. He said it would have a seasonal menu. He said the building would have exposed limestone and wood beams. Sharp said the barn is still in good structural shape but does need some work.
Sharp said he thinks they’ll be able to get about 350 people into the facility for standing room only events.
Sharp said the barn was in the first phase of the West End project with the U-Gro expansion, which The Sun has covered in previous issues.
“Given what they’re planning back here, it’s a great asset to all of that because it will really be a community place,” Sharp said.
‘Another 18 Months’
David Tshudy, an attorney for The Trust, was there to explain the path the project would take. Tshudy said the hope is for dirt to be turning by the first quarter of 2019.
“It’s going to take another 18 months to get through the approval process,” Tshudy said.
That approval process includes meeting with Derry Township staff and the submission of a sketch plan, which will be reviewed by both the township planning commission and township Supervisors. A conditional use application for a master plan development will also have to be filed with the commission and supervisors. Additionally, a number of land development plans are likely to be filed.
The Trust would also have to receive permits from PennDOT, Derry Township Municipal Authority, DEP, Dauphin County Conservation District and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
‘I Mean Major’
While citizens were lined up outside the Cocoa Beanery to see plans, not all were there to voice support. Several citizens voiced concerns ranging from flooding caused by the increase of impervious coverage to traffic overtaking the area.
“There’s going to have to be major, and I mean major, changes in the traffic flow in order to make this work,” one citizen said.
Plans for major changes to traffic flow were shown at the meeting. Part of the West End project includes the creation of West End Avenue. The east/west road would connect Waltonville and Bullfrog Valley roads.
Craig Mellott, Traffic Planning and Design, said the road would help alleviate congestion on Route 322 and Wood Road.
The plan also showed the service road that connects Waltonville and Middletown roads parallel to Route 322 being realigned to connect with Waltonville Road further south.
Mellott said the idea was to push the road a little further south away from the bridge so there was some room to do more substantial improvements. He said it is just a preliminary design idea.
“Ultimately that will all have to be fleshed out as part of our traffic study,” Mellott said.
Mellott said no transportation impact study has been done yet.
Hummelstown Borough Manager Mike O’Keefe told The Sun he saw the plans for the first time at the meeting. O’Keefe said he was somewhat concerned about storm drainage from the property. He said he has seen more than one incident of flooding by water flowing from the site.
Why?
A citizen also questioned if The Trust should be funding the project. He suggested it would not help Milton Hershey School.
Tshudy said The Trust could only spend income, and not the core money of the trust, on the school.
“It must make income in order to further support the school,” Tshudy said.
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Institutions That Work: Milton Hershey School
Jul 11, 2017 | WHTM ABC 27 (PA)
By Alicia Richards
In an era where so many of us have lost faith in our institutions, ABC27 is focusing monthly on Institutions That Work.
There are many of them right here at home, including the Milton Hershey School.
There, we met Eli Coniff, of Pittsburgh. It’s a happy time in his life. He just graduated after arriving at MHS when he was in the fourth grade.
He says it saved his life.
“I wonder often where I’d be if it wasn’t for the Milton Hershey School. But I can say definitely that I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in now,” Coniff said.
The Milton Hershey School is a one-of-a-kind, free boarding school; pre-K through high school. It’s funded by a massive, 13 billion dollar endowment at the Hershey Trust.
Who gets to attend? Children in extreme economic hardship.
Psychologist Beth Shaw is in charge of the school’s non-academic support, which is vast: psychological, medical, drug and alcohol counseling and more. She says when a child’s inner life is in order, everything else can fall into place.
“Just the ability of our students to thrive and be able to participate in the opportunities that build and manifest their talents that’s really the big piece of what works,” Shaw said.
Of the 2,000 students, 1 in 5 was homeless. 39% come from households with domestic abuse. Half come from households with drug and alcohol issues. That includes Eli’s home.
“Growing up I was, because of environmental situations I was in, I was a pretty angry child. Coming to Milton Hershey I’ve learned how to be happy and to appreciate all of the little things that happen in life,” Coniff said.
Both of Eli’s parents were addicts. They had no money. He barely had clothes and often didn’t know when his next meal was coming. The family often lived without electricity.
“It’s hard to learn to read when you’re at home struggling over whether you’re going to have another meal or not,” he said.
At MHS, he got food, clothes, structure and house parents.
Providing that to thousands of students costs. MHS spends $85,000 per student per year. In comparison, the Harrisburg School District spends $10,500.
The school also saves the state a mint because it provides students with health insurance.
It pays off; test scores are above the state average.
As for Eli, this fall, he’ll be in the Ivy League. He got admitted to the famed Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
After graduation, MHS doesn’t just cut students loose. Eli will get $90,000 per year for college and living expenses.
As Milton Hershey said, a family’s income should not determine a child’s outcome.
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Jul 11, 2017 | NBC
"To Hershey, where the Hershey trust says it is pleased with the turnout at last night's meeting for a new development. a trust spokesman told news 8 community participation is key as plans develop for Hershey west end. the spokesman says the developers will consider concerns residents brought up. the trust hopes to have its first hearing and a project concept in the fall. the project will be mixed use, commercial and residential with about 50% open, public space."
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Jul 11, 2017 | NBC
"To hershey, where the hershey trust says it is pleased with the turnout at last night's meeting for a new development. a trust spokesman told news 8 community participation is key as plans develop for hershey west end. the spokesman says the developers will consider concerns residents brought up. the trust hopes to have its first hearing and a project concept in the fall. the project will be mixed use, commercial and residential with about 50% open, public space."
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Jul 12, 2017 | NBC
"Lori: let's get to Hershey now. the Hershey trust says it's pleased with the turnout at Monday night's meeting, where the topic was turning 230 acres of farmland into a development. a trust spokesman says community participation is key as plans evolve for Hershey west end. the spokesman says the developers will consider concerns brought up by residents. the trust hopes to have its first hearing and a project concept in the fall. the project will be mixed-use commercial and residential, with about 50% open, public space."
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