Tenants are wanted for a massive redevelopment project in Harrisburg.
The Bridge Eco-Village at the former Bishop McDevitt High School at 2200 Market St. in Harrisburg posted Tuesday on Facebook it is recruiting potential retailers and vendors as part of its next phase of development.
“Since the Harrisburg East Mall closed and the unfortunate events at the Broad Street Market, the city could use a central location dedicated to local vendors. We are looking for both indoor and outdoor (farmers market) partners,” the post said.
The Bridge said it is open to a variety of vendors including food, non-profit, entertainment and educational spaces as well as retailers.
The nearly 95-year-old castle-like structure with its twin towers, was once an active school until the Harrisburg Diocese closed it in 2012. Investor group William Penn Holdings Company purchased the 8-acre property in 2019.
The Bridge, led by founder and CEO Garry Gilliam, a former Penn State football player who played for the Seattle Seahawks, is leasing the building from William Penn Holdings.
More than three years ago, his for-purpose real estate company announced its vision to transform the collection of classrooms and hallways into a sustainable and self-contained mixed-use eco-village.
The ambitious redevelopment project includes a mix of low-income housing, commercial and retail space, co-working, urban agriculture, an innovation/education center and an entertainment venue.
It also will feature an indoor farm with aeroponic systems to grow crops like greens vertically on walls without any soil, solar panels and rainwater collection system, all within the adaptive reuse of a building.
The Eco-Village received a financial boost through a $4 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant awarded in 2022. So far, renovations have not started at the 115,000-square-foot building.
Interested vendors can fill out an online form. The Bridge said once it has enough interested parties it will conduct tours and provide more information.
