$251,366Average Value$175Average Price per Sq Ft4Homes For Sale
Homes with a sense of history and a fresh coat of paint
Just a short walk from Downtown Lancaster is the East Side, where a grid of townhouses, parks and schools are less than a mile from the heart of the city. This neighborhood has fewer restaurants and more homes, lending it a more residential feel. It’s also been considered slightly more affordable than some of the city neighborhoods to the west, but that’s started to change. As Lancaster grows, more and more of the East Side’s townhouses have been flipped by investors for a healthy profit. Still, even the remodeled properties cling to the historic flair that makes the city unique. “There’s a real pride in ownership,” says Susan Allison, a Lancaster County native and Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty. “You get a sense of collective appreciation for the architecture, and people make a real effort to preserve it.” Many of the neighborhood’s modern institutions are housed in historic buildings, such as the stable-turned-restaurant Horse Inn. Even the Lancaster Science Factory, the neighborhood’s hands-on family museum, is located in an old cork factory. Even as East Side continues to evolve, that reverence for the past remains the same.
Renovated 19th-century townhouses
History is evident in the East Side’s streets, with brick townhouses from the 19th and 20th centuries lined up elbow-to-elbow in neat rows. “The architecture keeps people here,” Susan says. “Instead of moving out of the city, you’ll see lots of people moving from one home to another. Some of these houses have gorgeous Tiffany windows and prized chestnut woodwork.” Colonial Revival styles are favored here, with some Italian and Victorian stylings such as decorative trim and bay windows. Detached and semi-detached properties, especially ones with a garage or their own parking space, are especially desirable. Most East Side residents park on the streets, with city-issued permits in select areas. According to locals, Lancaster’s East Side has become a hotspot for investors buying up condemned properties and freshening them up with a complete remodel. While houses in need of repair can list at around $150,000, newly renovated homes can sell for upwards of $375,000.
The colorful facades of the historic townhouses in East Side add character to the area.
There are some stand alone single family homes to be had in East Side.
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Shop local at Lancaster Central Market and dine out at Horse Inn
Some residents grab goods at the local CTown Supermarkets, while others stock up at grocers like Weis Markets on the edge of town. But on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, nearly everyone heads downtown to the Lancaster Central Market to peruse the stands full of home-baked goodies and produce straight from the farm. Peat Evans, Lancaster Central Market’s Assistant Market Manager, walks to the Market every day from his house on the East Side and says that plenty of other residents do the same. “Even some of the restaurants in the surrounding area get their groceries fresh here,” Evans says. “I know I see the people from Horse Inn doing their shopping at the Market every week.” Located in the heart of the East Side, Horse Inn has been a local mainstay since its establishment in 1920. What was once a hayloft speakeasy is now an elevated pub that retains its rustic vibe, known for hearty, comforting meals such as tenderloin tips on toast. A few blocks away is Lancaster Brewing Company, a big brick building where beer flight flavors range from traditional German styles to locally inspired varieties such as a shoo-fly pie porter.
Rural heritage and fresh food coalesce at Cork and Cap Restaurant in East Side.
The Horse Inn in East Side offers refined, globally inspired pub grub and a speakeasy vibe.
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A former zoo meets a bicycle repair shop at Reservoir Park
Reservoir Park is the East Side’s central green, once home to the Lancaster Zoo. While a bronze lion fountain hearkens back to the park’s history, today, Reservoir Park is dotted by mature trees, a playground, a basketball court and a seasonally open wading pool. At the far end of the park is the Common Wheel, a nonprofit that serves as a bicycle co-op and repair shop. Its Earn-a-Bike program is a popular after-school program where kids fix up their very own donated bike, all while learning the ins and outs of bicycle maintenance and safety. Lancaster County Prison is directly adjacent to the park and is impossible to miss, thanks to its façade resembling an English 18th-century castle. However, plans are underway to open a brand-new correctional facility in 2027 that would shutter the current prison.
Reservoir Park in East Side is home to an early 20th-century bronze lion fountain.
Reservoir Park borders the East Side neighborhood to the south and boasts numerous amenities.
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Students walk to school at McCaskey High
When the final bells ring at Wickersham Elementary, Lincoln Middle and McCaskey High by 3:15 p.m., East Side’s sidewalks are full of backpack-clad children headed home for the day. Many kids in the neighborhood walk to school, as the School District of Lancaster does not provide bus service to students living within 2 miles of Lincoln Middle and McCaskey High, or within 1.5 miles of Wickersham Elementary. Luckily, all three schools are clustered together at the northern end of the neighborhood, close to many homes. Niche grades Wickersham Elementary a C-plus, while Lincoln Middle scores a C and McCaskey High receives a B-minus. The high school offers dedicated academies or course sequences for media studies and communications, health sciences and public leadership.
Lincoln Middle School boasts a student-teacher ratio of 10-to-1.
McCaskey High School received a B- from Niche and has more than 2,500 students.
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Summer camps and school trips to the Lancaster Science Factory
East Side families share a neighborhood with the Lancaster Science Factory, a hands-on museum full of interactive exhibits that engage young learners with topics such as engineering, fluid dynamics and environmental sustainability. “We do summer camps, field trips, holiday and after-school programming — we even work with local Girl Scout and Cub Scout troops,” says Joanne Trusz, a STEM Educator at the museum. “We cater all of our programs to what they’re interested in or learning about, so just recently, we did one on structural engineering focusing on the types of bridges and their uses. We do lots of robotics workshops, too, and we gear our programming to all age groups. Honestly, the best part is seeing the parents get just as excited as the kids.” During First Fridays, museum admission is free from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Children can enjoy interactive exhibits at the Lancaster Science Factory, an East Side Museum.
East Side residents can watch plays at Fulton Theatre, the oldest working theatre in the US.
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Walkable streets 2 miles from U.S. Route 30
East Side homes are between 1 and 2 miles from Lancaster’s historic central business district, with plenty of amenities, restaurants and shops within walking distance. Entrances to U.S. Route 30 are a couple of miles east along Walnut Street and King Street, with Red Rose Transit Authority bus stops at regular intervals along each thoroughfare. Philadelphia is about 80 miles away, and some professionals make weekly commutes by train via the Lancaster Amtrak station. Other major metropolitan areas on the East Coast such as New York City, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. are between 100 and 150 miles away. Lancaster General Hospital, operated by Penn Medicine, is the city’s largest employer and is roughly a mile outside of the neighborhood.
GreatSchools:
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On average, homes in East Side, Lancaster sell after 21 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in East Side, Lancaster over the last 12 months is $275,000, up 22% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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