Lancaster's Central Market, the nation's oldest (1730s) publically owned, continuously operated farmers market, is changing its rules - and not everyone is equally happy about it.  The non-profit Central Market Trust, which was formed a year ago to take over management of the Central Market from the city, has decided to enforce the hours that standholders will be open for business. The present Central Market building, built in 1889, is pictured here to the right of the Heritage Museum.  The market's hours have traditionally been 6:00 am to 4:00 pm Tuesdays and Fridays, and 6:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturdays. Standholders had up until now been allowed a certain amount of leeway in their own hours, depending on their customers' buying patterns.  Now, the Central Market Trust is planning to e... 06/13/2007

Mayor Rick Gray, along with top city officials, has come up with a strategic plan for Lancaster.  Starting with group sessions conducted last summer, the plan has been in formation for a year.  Now it has been boiled down to one page, which the mayor pledges to carry in his pocket.Mayor Gray is comitting to rebranding the city as an East Coast arts destination.City Hall will become focused on its customers, the people.Three hundred owner-occupied housing units will be brought onto the market.More police officers on foot or bicycle will patrol the city.  It has been shown that police are accepted on a more personal basis by neighborhoods when they patrol on foot or bicycle, rather than cruising by in patrol cars.Walking, biking, scooters and buses will be encouraged, for a better city ex... 06/13/2007

If you haven't been by Buchanan Park, you should check it out.  This 22 acre gem is located right next door to Franklin & Marshall College at the corner of Race Ave & Buchanan Ave.  There is lots of grass to play, run, walk, read or picnic on and it's almost never crowded.  There is a nice botanical garden area with roses and benches to relax. Also, there are several poignant memorials, most notably a statue of the park's namesake, our 15th President James Buchanan, who lived nearby at his Wheatland estate.  Another is a monument to the sailors of the USS Maine, which was sunk in Havana Harbor in 1898.  The statue of the monument is made from metal recovered from the sunken battleship! Two other points of interest would be the locally-famous "sledding hill" in the center of the park - i... 06/12/2007

Across from the Williamson Athletic Field at Lancaster's Franklin & Marshall College, Construction of new retail and office space is going full swing!The new construction is part of the overall downtown Lancaster City renovation.                         The projects are being coordinated as part of the James Street Improvement District.                 The new stores and offices will compliment the Clipper Magazine Stadium, the Lancaster Convention Center, and other projects coordinated by the Downtown Investment District. 06/12/2007

If you are using part time income to qualify, please remember: You have to verify that the part time income has been uninterrupted for at least one year and that it is likely to continue for 3 years. You have to average the part time income over a 12 month period. If someone has a 6 month history of working part time, you can not count the income to qualify. 06/12/2007

I had such a great day today in Lancaster.  Long, lots of twist and turns, but overall a great day.  The joy of helping not only a first time buyer, but a good friend, with the task of having an offer accepted on the home that is absolutely perfect for him in Lancaster, indeed makes for a great day in my book.   After several years of contemplating a purchase, and several home listings and emails sent, we finally located the absolutely most perfect Lancaster County "home".  I should say that 'he' located it, and called me, almost elated, after he had driven out to scope it out in person. I can already tell that it's not just going to be a "house", but it will be "home" for several years to come as he becomes used to calling Lancaster "home".  This buyer is a person who travels a great d... 06/05/2007

In Lancaster County Central Park quietly sits a truly historic American home - Rock Ford.  Named after a nearby rock ford once used to cross the nearby Conestoga River, this 1794 home was built by General Edward Hand and remains remarkably unchanged architecturally even today.  Edward Hand emigrated to Lancaster in 1774 after resigning from the British Army in the colonies. His formal training was in medicine, and he hoped to practice in his new home town.  However, he enlisted in the Continental Army in 1775 and led troops in several key battles early in the Revolutionary War.  He became adjutant-General to George Washington in 1781.  Returning to Lancaster after the war, Hand became active in politics and served in Congress and State Assembly.  He was also elected Burgess of Lancaster... 05/25/2007

What makes a house a home?    There is a brick two story duplex, on a slightly sloped corner, located in a special place in my heart.  I hear the current owners are planning on tearing out the wrought iron gate that wraps around the garden to replace it with something a bit more modern.  The same gate that held the morning glories, fast and true, that my grandmother had planted.  I was fascinated every day to see that they were open in all of their glory, and by dusk when mom called us in for supper they had already started to tuck themselves in for the night.  How in the world did they know to do that? I wondered to myself.  It still fascinates me.  I have tried growing morning glories as an adult, and for some reason they never grew as robustly as those that wrapped themselves around ... 05/23/2007

A new non-profit group is making its presence known in Lancaster!  The goal of Lancaster City Living is to boost homeownership in Lancaster City, and to encourage the recent trend of suburbanites to move back into the city.A new website has been launched in cooperation with the Lancaster County Association of Realtors(R) so that the MLS can be searched. (You can also search the Mult-List for  homes at  http://findlancasterhomes.com/).  You can explore Lancaster neighborhoods, and find interesting articles on local events and attractions.Lancaster City Living is building on the success of similar groups in other cities.  Many young people as well as empty nesters are moving back to the city for the convenience of walking to shops and restaurants, and the many musical, sports and cultural... 05/22/2007

With all the recent publicity about the new Lancaster Convention Center, there has been some concern that putting such a huge $170 Million project in the middle of downtown, without making concurrent improvements in the overall environment,  might not be the best recipe for long term success.  Political uncertainty about whether the Convention Center and hotel would ever actually be built put other plans on the back burner.  Now new retailers will have to be brought into the area; more police will be needed to provide a safe environment.  Simple things like neglected trash cans and lamp posts with peeling paint can make an area look rundown - or, conversely, if upgraded, can totally change the atmosphere of a neighborhood.The James Street Improvement District has been making such improv... 05/21/2007

Lancaster PA Home Buying Tips Do you Need it?  or Want it? Whether you are buying your first home in Lancaster PA, or your fifth, the process of buying a home can be an emotional period, not to mention a a detailed and time-consuming venture laden with difficult choices. You want to ensure that the home you purchase meets your needs now, and in the future. When you consider all that buying a home represents, you'll want to ensure that you don't pay too much for a home that will meet your needs. By becoming an educated buyer and working with a professional Realtor, you will be able to avoid some of the pitfalls inherent in the home-buying process. It is important to know what your "wants" and "needs" are before you begin shopping (and what the difference is between a want and a need), t... 05/21/2007

Lancaster County, PA has an interesting and diverse selection of Bed & Breakfasts to stay at when you visit here.  If you'd like a change from the sameness of the modern chain hotels, why not try a Bed & Breakfast? One elegant choice would be King's Cottage, located at 1049 East King Street, Lancaster.                                                    A 1913 Spanish-style mansion just east of the city, this B&B is on the National Register of Historic Places.  It has been charmingly restored, and some of its rooms boast whirlpool baths and fireplaces.  There is also a sunroom for guests, and even a honeymoon cottage on the premises.  For those who cannot vacation without being in touch, high speed wireless internet access is available.Afternoon snacks and gourmet breakfasts are provided... 05/18/2007

Long's Park, Lancaster PA Gets a Makeover Long's Park was created at the beginning of the last century from farmland bequeathed to the city of Lancaster by Judge Henry Long.  In recent years there had been some problems with an ever-increasing population of ducks, geese and other water fowl polluting the pond and the surrounding area.  Last year a concerted effort to reduce the paddling polluters has made the center of the park much more inviting.   This year the park is undergoing an additional makeover, largely due to help from the Sertoma Club of Lancaster.  The Sertoma Club, named as an acronym for Service To Mankind, raised about $100,000 of the $300,000 project.                                                               First, excess brush was cleared from the southeast quadran... 05/18/2007

Here's a good article from Lancaster City Living's latest newsletter, courtesy of Michael Sprunger, Executive Director.______________________________________________________________________________________ May 2007 It doesn't take much looking around to notice that things have been changing for the better in Lancaster.  Construction seems to be in the works at every turn.  In fact, Lancaster Newspapers observed, at the end of 2006, that "Lancaster is hot".  The real estate market is in close pusuit.  Houses are selling for more and spending less time on the market than before.  It also doesn't take much to remember the mid-90's when nearly 900 city properties were on the market at one time.  At this writing, there are fewer than 140 single-unit houses available.A survey of Lancaster's c... 05/18/2007

A new organization is promoting homeownership within our great city of Lancaster!  The oldest inland city in the U.S. and one-time home of the Continental Congress, Lancaster is a very historic & beautiful town which is currently undergoing a renaissance of culture, which is carrying over into increased home ownership (currently estimated at 63%). As a big fan of Lancaster City, I was pleased to hear of  "Lancaster City Living", a new non-profit group with the express goal of increasing home ownership in Lancaster.  I interviewed Michael Sprunger, the group's Executive Director, to get a feel for his mission:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Jeff: What was the big thing that helped you make the decision to join Lan... 05/18/2007

Lancaster Square has never quite come up to the expectations of city planners.  Located in the 100 block of North Queen Street between the Bulova Technologies Building on Orange Street and the Hotel Brunswick on Chestnut Street, it seems disconnected from the shops and restaurants of the first block of North Queen, and a bit uninviting.Lancaster City now plans to search for a developer to propose a new master plan for the Square.  It will be a complex proposition, involving the cooperation of public and private interests.  The city owns the sidewalks and the open spaces.  However, The Bulova Technologies Building, Hotel Brunswick, and the vacant store fronts between them are in various private hands.Mayor Rick Gray says that a $150,000 grant from the county will be used to pay to search... 05/17/2007

Hampton Chase in Penn Manor, Lancaster PA Hampton Chase is a pleasant neighborhood of townhouses located west of Lancaster off Columbia Avenue. Close to shopping at the Wheatland Shopping Center plus the restaurants and services of Columbia Avenue, Hampton Chase is a quiet and private enclave away from the main road.                       Just a few blocks up Temple Avenue from Columbia Avenue, Hampton Chase abuts scenic Greider Park, which has landscaped walking paths,  a pavillion, baseball field, and restroom facilities.                                                                                Hampton Chase is part of the Penn Manor School District.  05/16/2007

The historic Hotel Brunswick is once again getting ready for a major renovation, in order to be ready for the expected hotel demand brought on when the nearby $170M Lancaster Convention Center project comes on stream.The Brunswick, at 151 North Queen Street, is undergoing its own $6M upgrade.  Three floors of newly upgraded hotel rooms will be opening by the end of May.  The hotel is hoping to attract business travelers and leisure tourists coming to see the many new and established  art galleries, shops, restaurants and cultural events that make up modern Lancaster.The first stage of the project will be 68 refurbished rooms.  Each room will now have its own climate control center, new upscale bedding, and a 32" wall-mounted flat panel TV.  Future phases will include improving the indoo... 05/16/2007

Exciting things are happening in Lancaster City.  Construction seems to be everywhere.  The new Clipper Magazine Stadium is ready for another season of Lancaster Barnstormers baseball.The construction for the new Convention Center on Penn Square is going full steam (refer to my post of May 4, 2007).              Just as important, whereas almost 900 city properties were available during the slow market of the mid 1990s, fewer than 140 single family homes are now available!  Often the city homes in cood condition and competitively priced will have multiple buyers bidding for them.  63% of homes in the city currently are occupied by their owners. Neighborhood improvement projects are planned or under way for South Queen Street, South Prince Street, West James Street, the 300 block of Nort... 05/15/2007

Fulton Theater, Lancaster PA:  "The Grand Old Lady of Prince Street" The Fulton Theater, also known as the Fulton Opera House, is thought to be the oldest continuously operating theater in the USA.  It first opened in 1852 as Fulton Hall, named after Lancaster County's Robert Fulton, the renowned steam engine pioneer.  Fulton Hall was built on the site of Lancaster's former pre-revolutionary jail, the site where the infamous Paxtang Boys gang had massacred the last of the Conestoga Indians, who were being held there for their own protection.  The exterior wall of the old jail's courtyard was built into the rear wall of the Fulton. The first concert at Fulton Hall was by the famed violinist Ole Bull.  Since then, a host of top entertainers and artists have played the Fulton:  dramatic ac... 05/15/2007