Market: Historic Renovations

This project transformed the entire city block to be used by this iconic Lancaster theatre. Built in 1852 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, after nearly four years of planning, the project was completed in phases to allow performances to continue as scheduled throughout construction. Phase 1 was primarily composed of backstage renovations, including the replacement of century-old sandbag rigging that required the temporary removal of the roof for the new mechanical equipment. Phase 2 was the most visible change, and included a two-and-a-half-story glass-walled venue space and a new multipurpose theater with a rehearsal hall.

Lancaster Central Market has been the heart of downtown Lancaster for nearly two centuries. As early as 1730, a market has been located on this site. While the exterior appearance of the market did not change significantly, this historic renovation project updated the building’s systems to improve overall efficiency. This included updating the lighting, sprinkler, and heating systems. An elevator and public viewing area at the mezzanine level now gives visitors an aerial view of the market.