Largest real estate transactions in Dauphin County in first half of 2020: school, nursing home and hotels switched hands

There were 10 real estate transactions in Dauphin County that hit the $10 million mark and above last year but in the first six months of 2020, only two real estate transactions topped the $10 million mark, according to Dauphin County property records.

Of those two real estate transactions one topped the $30 million mark while the other one came in below $15 million. For the record there was a real estate transaction that topped $20 million in July.

But, today we’ll take a look at the top 10 real estate transactions in Dauphin County in the first six months of the year, according to county records. They range from a little more than $3.9 million all they way up $37 million.

The transactions included three office complexes or buildings, two hotels, one school, three medical facilities and a piece of a land.

There are 40 municipalities in Dauphin County but the 10 largest transactions took place in just five of the municipalities. All of the transactions took place in the Harrisburg and Hershey areas. Swatara Township led the way with four of them. There were two transaction each in Lower Paxton and Derry townships. There was one each in Susquehanna Township and one in Harrisburg.

Six of the transactions took place in January, two in February, one in March and one in April. None of the 10 transaction took place in May or June. And all but one of the transactions took place before the state’s shutdown in March due to COVID-19 which put a halt to real estate sales and the Dauphin County County Courthouse closed as well.

Here are the top 10 real estate transactions in Dauphin County in the first half of 2020, according to Dauphin County property records:

10. D&H Distributing – $3,925,000

On April 28, D&H Distributing sold the properties at 2601, 2535, 2525, 2501, 2513, 2453, 2427, 2345 and 2438 N. Seventh St. in Harrisburg for $3,925,000 to Hudson Companies, which will demolish the current structure and build a new 120,000-square-foot, three-story building that will be leased to the state to house the Pennsylvania Departments of General Services, Human Services and Office of Administration. The building will have more than 1,000 parking spaces. D&H Distributing moved into a new headquarters at 100 and 200 Tech Drive in Lower Paxton Township last year. D&H had operated out of the North Seventh Street building since 1952.

9. Red Roof Inn Harrisburg North – $3,920,000

On Jan. 3, Westmont Hospitality in El Cajon, California sold the hotel at 400 Corporate Circle in Susquehanna Township to Corporate Circle Harrisburg LLC in Old Bridge, New Jersey represented by Avani Patel for $3,920,000.

8. Red Roof Inn Harrisburg-Hershey – $4,900,000

On Jan. 22, Westmont Hospitality in El Cajon, California sold the hotel at 950 Eisenhower Blvd. in Swatara Township to Pia’s Group Lodging in Swatara Township for $4,900,000.

7. Lancaster Mennonite School Hershey/St. Joan of Arc School – $5,000,000

On Jan. 24, Lancaster Mennonite School – Hershey sold its school building at 1521 Sand Hill Road in Derry Township to the Saint Joan of Arc Parish Charitable Trust, Diocese of Harrisburg for $5,000,000. St. Joan of Arc School on Areba Avenue in Derry Township plans to relocate to the 110,000-square-foot building which sits on a 36-acre campus on Sand Hill Road. Lancaster Mennonite, which had five campuses, decided to close its Hershey campus last year due to enrollment decline. After the third floor is completed in the new school building there will be two science laboratories and a makers space that will allow students the opportunity to work with robotics. After the school is completed, grades pre-3 to first grade will be located on the first floor, second grade to fifth grade will be located on the second floor and the middle school will be located on the third floor. The new building also has a huge gym, eight soccer fields as well as basketball and volleyball courts. The school plans to build a new 500-seat sanctuary on the third floor of the building, which will be used by the students but the parish also plans to use the chapel for a second church for St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church.

6. 2090 N. Union Road – $5,050,000

On February 24, the sale of the property at 2090 N. Union Road in Swatara Township listed as quarry/mineral lands by the county from Mann Realty Associates to Byler Holdings for $5,050,000 was made official. The property had been purchased at a public auction.

5. 1135 E. Chocolate Ave. – $5,375,000

On Jan. 10, Indiju Investors in Derry Township represented by Barry Moss and Krupal Desai sold the office building at 1135 E. Chocolate Ave in Derry Township to Milton 1135 East Chocolate Avenue LLC, which is affiliated with Leeton Real Estate Inc. in Tarrytown, New York for $5,375,000.

4. UPMC Pinnacle Chambers Hill Primary Care – $5,394,000

On Jan. 22, 2020 Chambers Hill PH LLC of Wormleysburg represented by Dennis Schmidt sold the property at 5400 Chambers Hill Road in Swatara Township to UPHBGPA02 LLC, a company with a Rhode Island address for $5,394,000.

3. PinnacleHealth facility – $7,812,000.

On Jan. 22, Sir Thomas PH LP of Wormleysburg represented by Dennis Schmidt sold the medical office building at 805 Sir Thomas Court in Lower Paxton Township to ARHC UPHBGPA01 LLC1, a company with a Rhode Island address for $7,812,000. The building is home to PinnacleHealth Express, PinnacleHealth Familycare Union Deposit, Pinnacle Health Internal Medicine Union Deposit and PinnacleHealth Medical group, Union Deposit.

2. Olde Liberty Square – $14,600,000

On March 6, OLS Partners, an affiliate of L&D Properties Ltd. in Lower Paxton Township sold Olde Liberty Square, an office complex, at 4807, 4811, 4813, 4815 Jonestown Road in Lower Paxton Township to Room One Corporation in Derry Township for $14,600,000.

1. Spring Creek Rehabilitation and Nursing Center – $37,575,000

On February 12, 1205 S 28th Street LLC, a Brooklyn New York company represented by David Katz, sold the Spring creek Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at 1205 S. 28th St. in Swatara Township to 1205 South 28th Street LLC, a Cherry Hill, New Jersey company represented by Steven Rosenzweig for $37,575,000.

READ MORE:

• These were the largest real estate transactions between 2010 and 2019 in Dauphin County
• These were the largest real estate transactions in Dauphin County in 2019

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