Long-ago visit turns into passion for the community
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LEWISTOWN -- Ron Shelan only visited Lewistown once, while serving in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 1965.
It certainly made a lasting impression.
Nearly 60 years later, the Texas native is providing quality and affordable housing to residents of Mifflin County. Shelan is the owner of Heritage Home Properties in Lewistown.
"I've redone all of these places," Shelan said. "So many of the buildings were total derelict inside and out."
After graduating from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1965, Shelan moved to Philadelphia to work for his cousin to manage a research and testing laboratory.
In 2005, Shelan decided to try his hand at property management because he believed Mifflin County properties were good investments.
"I parachuted from heaven to Lewistown," he joked. "Good things have happened here, and the community unites wherever I've been to."
Shelan, who owns about 90 properties in the borough -- mostly historical properties, within close proximity to downtown -- was presented the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce Pride Award in 2015. The award is given to the business that has made notable physical improvements to their facility of properties.
Eight years later, Shelan is still turning dilapidated Lewistown properties into upscale housing.
He discovered Lewistown while stationed at Fort Indiantown Gap. He used to frequent Lewistown and State College.
Shelan wanted to make a difference in Lewistown. He also felt he could continue in this line of work no matter where he lived.
He invested in Lewistown because it was the county seat with "wonderful highways around it" that put it within proximity to bigger cities like Harrisburg and State College.
"All these reasons made me go to Lewistown," Shelan said. "I also felt the properties were undervalued beginning in1972, primarily because of the flood."
He used profits from West Coast investments that he made since 1969 to finance his investments in Mifflin County.
"With this I was able to finance everything in Lewistown," Shelan explained. "That's where the money is coming from. I'm constantly rehabilitating."
Shelan also helped the labor force by "training a lot of people using skills" from his team. "I had to start my own business, which needed contractors and subcontractors," he said. "It helped the job pool."
Many of the investment properties Shelan purchased were total renovations.
"We had to gut most of them," he said. "There was no modern piping or electrical. We tore it down to the hull and built it back up inside and out.
"Things can get antiquated as far as codes were concerned," he added. "The re-construction was quite challenging since the tradesmen built very special buildings here in Lewistown between 1880 and 1940. So, I tried to preserve the past as much as possible."
He is thankful he discovered Lewistown, but he also did value the time he spent in larger cities, like Philadelphia.
"I'm not going to say I had my Phill (fill) of Delphia, but I loved Philadelphia," Shelan joked about the City of Brotherly Love. "I have nothing but pleasant memories of Philadelphia and the rest of Pennsylvania."
He is also fortunate to have made sound investments over the years.
"A lot of good things have happened around the country, including Lewistown," he said.
Shelan credits community leaders for helping Lewistown get back on track after some tough times. "I've seen so much happen," he said.
He invested on the downtown Lewistown perimeter and concentrated from there, continuing on North Grand Street up to Ridge Road.
"I've tried to make these areas considerably better," he said. "It was a section that needed improvement and thought the location was special."
Shelan believes he also benefitted from others investing in the community, such as Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital's recent announcement about opening its School of Nursing in downtown Lewistown in the former Bon-Ton department store as well as the opening of manufacturing plants like the First Quality Baby Products.
"Lewistown is grateful for having me help participate by investing in the community," Shelan said. "So many buildings are Heritage-type homes. They need to be resuscitated and rehabilitated. We just continue to go forward."
His investment in the community continues. He renovated the Victorian building across from the Juniata River bridge that serves as a gateway to downtown, the former office of Dr. Dawe and many others.
"I prefer not to sell any of my properties," he added. "As I hang onto them as I buy them for a reason in order to help the community."