Proposed Sale of 218 North Street
Watch a replay of the POA Member Town Hall from Wednesday, April 15
On Saturday, March 7, 2026, the POA Board of Directors approved two resolutions to be considered by the House of Delegates on June 5. If adopted, these resolutions would authorize the Board to sell the POA’s current headquarters and relocate to a smaller, leased office in the Capitol Region.
This recommendation followed extensive due diligence. POA management consulted real estate and renovation experts, reviewed workforce and office-use trends, and conducted a multi-year financial analysis comparing ownership and leasing. The Board thoroughly evaluated the advantages and risks of each option. Ultimately, the decision was driven by the unsustainable cost of remaining in the current building and ongoing concerns about staff safety and accessibility.
Financial sustainability.
Analysis showed that maintaining—or improving—the building at 218 North Street is not financially viable. Multiple contractors were unable to provide reliable repair estimates due to unknown underlying conditions and permitting constraints. The Board also considered reducing POA’s footprint and leasing portions of the building to third parties. Experts advised that this would require significant upfront renovations, which the POA lacks the liquid capital to fund. Even with renovations, major limitations would remain: the building cannot be made fully accessible, an elevator cannot be installed, and parking constraints cannot be resolved. Continued ownership would also require staff time to be devoted to property management rather than advancing programs, services, and membership growth.
Lower cost and greater flexibility through leasing.
A multi-year cost comparison showed that leasing appropriately-sized office space is less expensive than owning the current building under all scenarios analyzed, including maintaining the building as-is and upgrading it to modern standards. Leasing shifts responsibility for maintenance and major repairs to the landlord and provides flexibility as the POA’s operational needs evolve.
Staff safety and accessibility.
Safety and accessibility were critical factors. The building is not ADA compliant and requires navigating multiple staircases to enter and move between floors. The stairways to the second and third floors are unusually steep with narrow treads, increasing the risk of falls. Staff parking is located more than two blocks away in a poorly lit lot with blind corners. In 2025, tires were slashed in that lot, and staff have been required to confront unauthorized parkers, creating unnecessary and avoidable risk.
For these reasons, the Board concluded that selling the building and moving to leased space is the most responsible path forward to protect staff, reduce long-term costs, and keep the POA focused on its mission rather than managing an aging facility.
Below, you'll find the resolutions that the POA Board has voted to submit for the House of Delegates in June.
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Pennsylvania Optometric Association Resolution Recommending Sale of POA Building and Leasing Right-Sized Space Submitted by Board of Directors |
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WHEREAS, POA’s current headquarters at 218 North St., Harrisburg, PA 17101 (the “Building”) is a historic masonry structure originally constructed in the late 1800s and reflected in public records as circa 1900; WHEREAS, the last major renovation of the Building was upon the purchase and expansion into the adjacent building in 1988, with smaller capital investments being made in 2006 and 2024; WHEREAS, deferred maintenance for the Building is reaching a critical level and making necessary repairs will have a significant negative impact on the POA’s reserve fund; WHEREAS, shrinking staff size, changes in workflows, and the ability to have a hybrid work environment have resulted in reduced space utilization and need; WHEREAS, the cost of leasing appropriately sized, modern space with adequate parking, will cost less than owning and maintaining the Building; and WHEREAS, leasing office space greatly reduces staff time spent on property management. NOW, THEREFORE IT IS RESOLVED, that: RESOLVED, the House authorizes the Board of Directors (“Board”) to oversee, hire appropriate advisors and otherwise execute the sale of the Building and the relocation to a smaller leased space in the greater Capitol Region or other location approved by the Board; and RESOLVED, the Secretary shall cause this Resolution to be filed with the books and records of the POA. |
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Pennsylvania Optometric Association Resolution Recommending Budget for Sale of POA Building and Leasing Right-Sized Space Submitted by the Board of Directors |
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WHEREAS, the House authorized the Board of Directors (the “Board”) to cause the POA headquarters located at 218 North St, Harrisburg, PA 17101 (the “Building”) to be sold and to lease replacement space in the greater Capitol Region; and WHEREAS, POA recently received an unbudgeted $237,634.00, as a result of a Covid-era Employee Tax Retention Credit (ERTC) refund. NOW, THEREFORE IT IS RESOLVED, that: RESOLVED, pursuant to the authorization previously granted, the House authorizes the Board to expend up to $200,000.00 for preparation of the Building for sale and the cost of relocation to leased office space, to include necessary improvements, professional fees, inspections, moving, leasehold improvements (including buildout, furniture and other customary improvements), and temporary overlap costs; and RESOLVED, the Secretary shall cause this Resolution to be filed with the books and records of the POA.
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