Harrisburg, PA building owner Marc Kurowski is very mansion-proud of the renovations that have restored the elegance of historic King Mansion. After spending time and money to celebrate the appearance of the destination wedding and event venue, Kurowski said he was extremely distressed to discover a Verizon crew digging outside his front door. Although small cell poles are going up all over Harrisburg, he said he was under the impression that no 5G pole would be appearing in 2021.
The Patriot-News published a list last month of 11 locations where new 5G poles would appear. However, Kurowski told TheBurgNews that seeing the Verizon crew was “a complete surprise.”
“It wasn’t under the cover of night, but it felt that way,” he said. “You couldn’t have picked a worse spot to put it. I will chain myself to the pole out there. This can’t happen.”
When considering a placement site, Verizon spokesperson Chris Serico explained that, “Our engineers analyze our current network usage and data trends to determine placement for small cells, including 5G Ultra Wideband technology in Harrisburg.”
Verizon and the city of Harrisburg have had an agreement in place since 2019, that gives Verizon the option to use existing street lights and utility poles where possible. However, sometimes 5G coverage demands dictate the installment of a new small cell pole. Verizon’s requests are reviewed by Harrisburg City Engineer Wayne Martin. Martin’s office must approve new installations and can reject a location if there is a design requirement concern or safety issue.
Martin told TheBurgNews that 101 permits have been approved so far and public outcry has been minimal. “It has not been a very hot issue,” he noted.
Kurowski, and David Morrison, executive director of the Historic Harrisburg Association, would disagree. Morrison expressed his appreciation for the aesthetic appeal of the newly restored King Mansion. “I call Front Street the most beautiful street in America,” he said. “When we begin to clutter it up with these poles, it’s not just bad for residents, but for tourism.”
Work has been halted on the 5G pole destined for Kurowski’s property. He told the source that Verizon has said it will consider other options but has not reached a final decision. He added that he keeps a vigilant watch on the prospective site now so that nothing is built without his knowledge,
“It’s starting to feel a little personal,” said Kurowski. “It was a complete surprise.”
Reader Interactions