Lancaster

Steps away from the historic Red Rose City of Lancaster, Chestnut Hill has its own curb appeal. This walkable neighborhood, where both residential homes and trendy cafes sit inside vintage 19th-century townhomes, blends old-school charm with modern-day amenities. “A lot of people are drawn to the area because they’re coming from larger cities and they want a smaller city feel,” says Christine Nolt, a partner in Kingsway Realty who was born and raised in Lancaster. “The historic homes are beautiful, and people love that you can walk to all the restaurants.” Residents appreciate the suburban atmosphere near community park space, while also living next to blocks of boutiques and bistros surrounding Lancaster Square. Strolls through Chestnut Hill feature three-story Victorian-inspired and Second Empire townhomes, each distinguishable from their neighbors thanks to unique facades and painted brick exteriors. Built in the late 1800s to early 1900s, these homes maintain vintage character throughout while also offering brand-new interior updates that include modern appliances and hardwood flooring. There are also single-family homes with colonial influences that stand about a foot away from each other, with a quaint section of garden space in the front. Most properties in the neighborhood range from 1,000 to 3,000 square feet in size and feature backyard privacy fencing, some with grassy green space and others with decorative patio sections. Sidewalks line the streets, many areas shaded by mature maple and oak trees, and street parking is common. “Home values in this area have always been in the higher range in the city because it is so desirable,” Nolt says. Price tags can start as low as $200,000 and rise to upwards of $700,000. “It’s also common for investors to buy two properties, live in one and rent out the other,” she adds. Nods to history are not only noticed through Chestnut Hill’s homes and storefronts but also through the city’s symbol: a red rose. “It goes back to Tudor England during the War of the Roses,” says Megan Schmidt with the Lancaster City Welcome Center. “Lancaster was the House of the Red Roses, and when the British came over here, they took the name with them.” Schmidt mentions that the town itself carries a lot of history, from standing as the nation's capital for one day to being home to several underground railroads. Many restaurants and storefronts blend in with the rows of townhomes throughout Chestnut Hill, so residents can live next door or walk a block to grab a coffee or a meal. Chestnut Hill Cafe serves coffee and bagels, and Rachel’s Cafe & Creperie provides sweeter breakfast options. Sugar Bowl is a go-to for to-go pizzas and subs, and Splits and Giggles Cafe offers ice cream cones and sundaes with patio seating. The most popular eatery in the area, however, is LUCA. The chef of this trendy Italian restaurant with a wood-burning oven makes dishes from the antique cookbooks he collects while traveling. After dinner, Chestnut Hill stays alive through beer gardens and distilleries. On the north side, the Warehouse District Beer Garden has an expansive indoor and outdoor area and live music. On the south side, Thistle Finch Distillery offers tasting rooms and tours of how their spirits are made. For groceries, there’s Lemon Street Market and Lancaster Central Market, a farmers market located inside a historic building that’s open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Chestnut Hill residents live within walking distance of Buchanan Park, located on the neighborhood's west side. The park’s ample green space includes a playground, soccer fields, a baseball diamond, tennis courts and basketball courts. “Buchanan Park has the only dog park in the city, which people really love,” Nolt says. In addition to Beau’s Dream Dog Park, the park also features the John A. Fritz Memorial Rose Garden, maintained by the Lancaster County Garden Club. The community frequently gathers at Buchanan Park for a myriad of events, the more highly anticipated being traveling Beer Gardens in the summer and MusicFest in the fall. There are also 5K races and pop-up craft and produce markets. Next to the park is the North Museum of Nature and Science, an interactive children’s museum with dinosaur exhibits and a planetarium. For a smaller and more intimate outdoor setting, Mayor Janice C. Stork Corridor Park, located on the east side, offers two playgrounds. Near the park is the Clipper Magazine Stadium, home of the Lancaster Stormers, the most recent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball champions. Public-school students living in Chestnut Hill can begin at Thomas Wharton Elementary, which Niche grades a C-plus, before advancing to Reynolds Middle, graded a C. McCaskey High School, graded a B-minus, offers the International Baccalaureate Program and accompanying IB Diploma. This school also offers students a Career-related Program, which allows them to earn college credits that will go toward their college degree or vocational certificate. An option for private education in the area includes Lancaster Country Day School, which Niche grades an A-plus and ranks as the No. 1 Best Private K-12 School in Lancaster. This institution provides a student-teacher ratio of 1-1, and 100% of graduates go on to attend a 4-year college. When looking to leave the city, U.S. Route 30 can be accessed less than 3 miles north. This highway leads to Philadelphia about 70 miles east and connects to Interstate 83, about 20 miles to the west. The Lancaster Station provides Amtrak service directly into bigger cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New York City. “People move here because they can keep their jobs and commute on the train,” Nolt says. “It’s about an hour’s ride to Philly, so they can get rest or get work done while they ride.” There are also several Red Rose Transit bus stops scattered throughout Chestnut Hill. On the north side of Chestnut Hill, neighboring Buchanan Park, is Franklin & Marshall College. This private liberal arts college currently has about 2,000 students enrolled. And near there is Lancaster Theological Seminary, a graduate school for those seeking ministry or theology studies. These schools add to the already high foot traffic throughout the neighborhood, making the noise level higher than more suburban communities further from the city. A perk of being so close to Downtown Lancaster is living only blocks from city comforts like boutique shopping, museum galleries and city-wide events. Another benefit is proximity to Lancaster General Hospital, just 3 blocks from Chestnut Hill.

“It's got the old trees, it’s a lovely little area, it’s a very pretty place to live,” says Melissa Brosey, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty. Centered around a college campus dating back over two centuries and resting under a dense canopy of old-growth trees that cover the neighborhood, it’s clear how College Park in Lancaster got its name. “There are so many beautiful homes with wonderful landscaping. And there’s a lot of history there,” says Christine Nolt, a Lancaster County native and partner in Kingsway Realty with the Nolt & Bailey Team. While Franklin & Marshall is certainly the centerpiece of the community, unlike many college towns, it doesn’t define it. Instead, College Park is a mix of long-time residents, college professors and students in a calm and quiet neighborhood that is only moments away from Lancaster’s bustling downtown. “Those properties sell very well. They don’t last long in that neighborhood,” says Nolt. Indeed, College Park neighborhoods generally sell within 3 days of being listed – compared to the national average of almost 6 weeks. “We’re a destination location for New York people, Washington, from Seattle,” says Brosey. There are a range of homes in the neighborhood, from modern condos in historic buildings, to traditional and Colonial Revival row homes and semi-detached units, to single-family stand-alone homes with Georgian and Tudor influences. This leads to a variety of price points, with one- and two-bedroom condos going for $150,000 to $225,000. Row homes and semi-detached units generally range between $325,000 and $450,000, while single-family estates can sell from $500,000 to north of $1 million. Buchanan Park isn’t just the centerpiece of College Park – it’s one of the most-visited parks in the city. Rolling hills, massive oaks that have been standing longer than the campus has been around, and open fields make it a hive of activity in warmer months. Basketball and tennis courts get used well into the night, and the playground nearby is perfect for younger children. The park's centerpiece is Beau’s Dream Dog Park – after local dog mom Angela Bauman won a Purina contest in 2012, the original dog park received a massive makeover to become the doggie heaven it is today. Splash pads, tunnels and other obstacles help dogs and owners socialize and play, and the free-to-use park draws residents from across the county. “On Harrisburg Avenue, Iron Hill is really popular, and Oka is really fantastic, that’s my youngest’s favorite place to eat,” says Brosey. Only a short walk out of the neighborhood, trendy wood-fired Italian specialties feature at the James Beard-nominated LUCA, along with an amaro list that is unmatched in the region. In the other direction, Cartel Brewing & Blending is a thriving local brewery tapping innovative beers reflecting local sensibilities, like the Amish Mug Club cream ale that provides a nod to the traditional Amish homemade root beers of the countryside. The local retail and restaurants of downtown Lancaster are only blocks away, and it's common to see residents walking to Central Market on warm weekend mornings. Shopping centers including Red Rose Commons and The Shoppes at Belmont, which are home to Whole Food, Weis, the Home Depot, and other major national retailers, are only two miles away. With so much open space, Buchanan Park is also home to numerous events throughout the year. VegFest is a two-day vegan festival hosted by Lancaster Farm Sanctuary, highlighting vegetarian and vegan living. Lancaster Beer Gardens runs over numerous periods in the summer and fall, popping up with local favorites for relaxed sipping under the shade trees. Musicfest celebrates local music while raising funds for Penn State Children’s Hospital, while the annual Recovery Day Lancaster promotes healing and recovery for community members. The School District of Lancaster serves the students of College Park in their primary years. Students may start at Thomas Wharton Elementary School, which earns a C-plus from Niche, then progress to Reynolds Middle School, with a C grade. Students towards the neighborhood's southern end start their education at Smith Wade-El Elementary, which earns a C-plus, then move on to Wheatland Middle School, which gets a C-minus from Niche. All public-school students finish at McCaskey High School, earning a B-minus from Niche and offering the International Baccalaureate program. Private schools include Lancaster Country Day School for preschool through twelfth grade, which Niche ranks as the 20th Best Private High School in Pennsylvania. The school around which the neighborhood is built, Franklin and Marshall College, is a premier liberal arts college, home to roughly 2,000 students. Red Rose Transit Authority provides limited bus service to College Park, but many residents take advantage of how easy it is to walk and bike. The nearby Amtrak train station offers daily service for commuters to Harrisburg and Philadelphia, while Lancaster Airport, roughly 6 miles north, offers limited flights. Most residents will make the 30-mile drive to Harrisburg International Airport for commercial airline travel. Lancaster General Hospital, a top employer and provider of emergency care for the city, is on a mile or so away – often less than a 5-minute drive. While the college doesn’t define the neighborhood, its impact on it is hard to miss. College buildings are dotted throughout the neighborhood, and many rental units in the neighborhood are also for college students. Game days at Shadek Stadium turn the neighborhood into a much busier spot, as do move-in and move-out days. The Barshinger Center and Green Room Theater on campus bring in students and local residents alike.

As Lancaster City continues to get accolades as being one of the top small cities in the United States in which to live, the city continues to grow outwards, and the neighborhoods continue to evolve. “There’s a lot of new bars and restaurants opening downtown. It’s attracting people to live around there,” says Christine Nolt, a Lancaster County native and partner in Kingsway Realty with the Nolt & Bailey Team. Conestoga Heights, tucked on a peninsula in the city’s southeast, is one such neighborhood. Generations of housing reflects this growth, as quaint brick Colonial rowhomes and squat, square duplexes sit on small plots of land, down the road from a handsome midcentury rambler with a quarter-acre of fenced yard. Old-growth pines, oaks and maples loom over the neighborhood from all directions, with internal groves and the surrounding County Park offering a backdrop of green. This is home to songbirds that can be seen and heard regularly, as well the raptors that prey on them – and other wildlife, as even in this urban neighborhood residents are unsurprised to pass deer wandering along the roadsides. From historic Colonial rowhomes with postage-stamp yards to midcentury split-level and bi-level homes with room for play and off-street parking, Conestoga Heights reflects periods of growth. In more recent years, modern townhomes with contemporary designs and interiors have sprung up in small, planned developments with cluttered parking lots. Many of the older homes sit behind chain-link fences and while the front yards may be small, residents take pride in keeping them tidy and colorful. Homes in this neighborhood sell in the range of $150,000 to $250,000, with the latest duplexes and older stand-alone homes fetching upwards of $300,000 when they hit the market. It’s fast-paced, as homes often sell in under a week of being on the market. As Nolt mentions, “It’s a walkable city, so people are drawn to it,” and it’s only a mile walk up Duke Street to the heart of town. The wide shoulders of Duke also make it a thoroughfare for bicyclists, but to get to major employers, retailers and big box stores, a car is necessary – the packed on-street parking is a testament to this. Red Rose Transit offers a single bus route through the neighborhood. Lancaster General Hospital, one of the region’s top employers and the closest emergency medical care, is 2 miles north. While Lancaster Airport is only 7 miles north, flight options are limited flights, and most residents will make the 33-mile drive to Harrisburg International instead. Students in Conestoga heights are in the School District of Lancaster for public school education. The district’s Gifted and Talented program a draw for families seeking specialized lesson plans for students with advanced learning needs. “People have told me they want to be in the school district for their kids,” Nolt says of the program. “It gives students a lot of opportunities.” Students may start out at either George Washington or King Elementary school, before moving on to Jackson Middle School - all of which get a C-minus from Niche. They can finish up at McCaskey High School, which gets a B-minus from Niche while offering the International Baccalaureate program. Private schools that serve Conestoga Heights include Lancaster Country Day school for preschool through twelfth grade, Lancaster Catholic High School and its parochial feeder schools like nearby Resurrection Catholic, and Anchor Christian Academy. Conestoga Heights is almost entirely residential, however the Plaza Centro commercial area at Duke and Chesapeake is home to A Concrete Rose Bookbar, offering books, art, and a tapas menu focused on the African Diaspora, as well as wine and beer. Brothers Food Max in the same shopping center offers limited groceries, and there is also a Family Dollar. Some may walk up to Jibarito in neighboring Mussertown or to Downtown Lancaster, with its shopping district and Lancaster Central Market where they can find produce and ready-to-eat foods in a historic setting. It’s just over a mile drive to Bridgeport, where Weis offers a bigger grocery selection and there are numerous fast-food eateries and pizza shops. Using the shortcut along Millport Road, the Lincoln Highway Walmart Supercenter is 3 miles away for general needs. Sitting tucked in the peninsula, the neighborhood of Conestoga Heights is surrounded by Lancaster’s County Park, which covers nearly 550 acres. From a unique skate park to community gardens, to the county swimming pool, it’s buzzing with activity through the spring and summer, and is accessible via a short stroll away along the paved Conestoga Greenway that parallels the river. The park is dog-friendly and offers designated camping spots for families who want to sleep under the stars while being able to walk home the next day. Towards the city, Roberto Clemente Park has a baseball field and soccer field, and is home to youth sports. Conestoga Heights doesn’t host much in the way of local events, so residents make the walk up to Downtown to enjoy First Fridays and explore the small shops and restaurants. At the top end of the city, Clipper Magazine Stadium is home to Lancaster Barnstormers baseball during the summer, as well as annual Christmas celebrations through the holiday season. Just up the road from the neighborhood, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is a nationally recognized public technical college and has been ranked as high as ninth by Forbes in terms of Two-Year Trade Schools. This has helped define the look of the neighborhood – every year for over six decades, the students collaborate to construct a duplex, and Conestoga Heights is home to many of them. These homes have won awards locally and state-wide, feature the latest designs and materials, and can fetch as high as $300,000.

East Side in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is known for its historic townhouses and proximity to downtown Lancaster. History can be found everywhere in East Side, with many modern institutions being housed in historic buildings. The chicken and waffle soup is popular at Cork & Cap Restaurant, which is housed in a building that was once home to glass and cork companies, and Horse Inn serves pub food in what was once a horse stable. These restaurants and the iconic Reservoir Park highlight how many of East Side’s buildings and locations have been repurposed throughout time. While the park was once a zoo, it is now a common gathering place among locals. Nearby, residents can enjoy perusing through different local stalls at Lancaster Central Market, which is America’s oldest continually running market. With an easy commute into the city, new renovations to historic townhouses and a cheaper cost of living compared to other areas, David Wissler, a Coldwell Banker Realtor with almost 20 years of experience, says, “Lots of people have moved here out of big cities like Philadelphia and New York.” Historic late 19th-century and early 20th-century colonial townhouses line East Side’s streets. With a push from investors, many of these townhouses have been renovated within the last ten years. Price points in East Side range from $141,000 for a three-bedroom townhouse in need of renovation to $397,000 for a recently updated four-bedroom property with new appliances. Compared to the west side of Lancaster, Wissler says, “You get more bang for your buck. And you don’t have to compete with college students.” Colonial-style semi-detached or detached properties with two-car garages sometimes pop up for sale but are not as readily available. Most East Side residents park on the streets; in some areas, the city will issue parking permits for homeowners. Locals can spend their free time outside at the historic 19th-century Reservoir Park. Home to Lancaster’s first reservoirs, this park once housed the Lancaster Zoo and was historically a common gathering place for residents. The early 20th-century bronze lion fountain highlights the park’s rich history. While people can no longer see live animals at the park, they can enjoy amenities like a street hockey rink and basketball courts. The park is also complete with a restored 1920s glider swing. A nearby favorite is Musser Park. Many people love listening to live music and celebrating other holidays at the park’s open green space. In the summer, locals can head to the park’s old-fashioned Fourth of July Celebration, which includes a pet parade and games for children. Residents can grab their essentials at a CTown Supermarket and then stop to grab a coffee with a friend at the Passenger Roastery & Coffee Bar. Less than a mile away is Lancaster Central Market. Shoppers can pick up fresh produce, meat and local food while exploring 60 diverse stands on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays in the Romanesque Revival-style 1889 building. Horse Inn is a classic favorite for nights out. Horse lovers will love eating in a historic building that was once a stable. They can even sit at a table in one of the original stalls while enjoying specialty drinks and pub food. Locals can also dine at the Cork Factory Hotel’s restaurant, Cork & Cap Restaurant. Inspired by the Pennsylvanian Dutch, this restaurant serves comfort food like chicken and waffle soup made with locally sourced ingredients. Kids will enjoy learning at interactive exhibits at the Lancaster Science Factory. Nearby, the 19th-century Fulton Theater is a classic favorite. Locals can watch plays, comedies and musicals in this Victorian-era building. Those with an upcoming celebration can take a look at Cork Factory Hotel. What once housed the Kerr Glass and Armstrong Cork companies has become a popular wedding and celebration venue. The 19th-century building features brick walls and wood ceilings. Students can enroll in the School District of Lancaster. Wickersham Elementary School has a student-teacher ratio of 12-to-1 and receives a C-minus rating from Niche. Lincoln Middle School and McCaskey High School are both International Baccalaureate World Schools, and they receive C and B-minus ratings from Niche, respectively. The high school also features dual enrollment and career and technical education programs. Locals are just around a mile away from downtown Lancaster, and they’ll love their proximity to Harrisburg International Airport, which is around a 35-mile drive away via Pennsylvania 283. Locals can take that same road and U.S. Route 222 to Reading Regional Airport, which is a 62-mile drive away. Residents can catch the bus through the Red Rose Transit Authority, which provides transportation around the Lancaster area, and those wanting to explore other cities like Philadelphia and Baltimore can head to the Lancaster Station to take the Amtrak.