Lancaster’s Central Market is the oldest continuously operating public marketplace in the United States.  Through a succession of market houses and marketplace expansions over the course of nearly three centuries, the site remains the foundation of the city’s economic and cultural vitality.  The present-day market house was erected in 1889, and stands today as perhaps the city’s most distinguished and beloved landmark.
Community Heritage Partners completed a comprehensive Design Standards and Maintenance Recommendations Report as part of a collaborative team of architectural and historical consultants selected by the Friends of Central Market and the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County.  Through in-depth archival research and site documentation, we identified and articulated the market’s character-defining architectural and cultural features and developed a decision-making framework designed to ensure their preservation during current and future rehabilitation campaigns.

Introduction & Executive Summary

Part One: Identification of the Resource

Part Three: Design Assessments and Recommendations