Historic building on York's Continental Square up for sale

In its two-plus centuries, the building at 2 E. Market St. has been a tavern, a dry goods store and office space. But long-time York County residents likely remember the building on York's Continental Square as the site of Newswanger's shoe store.

"It was the most prominent shoe store in York because of its location and its selection," said Gordon Freireich, a local historian and the former editor of the Sunday News.

In recent years, the building at 2 E. Market St. has been used as office space by a succession of banks, most recently Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo moved its offices out recently, as part of an office space consolidation.

Now, the historic Federal-style building on Continental Square's southeast corner is up for sale. ROCK Commercial Real Estate has the two-story building listed for $605,000.

In addition to its views looking over Continental Square, the nearly 9,800 square-foot building has hardwood floors and a fireplace. The building, which dates back to at least the early 1800s, has been known at various times in its history as the Weiser Building or the Golden Swan Tavern.

"It's very historic in nature and plays an important part in the landscape of Continental Square," said Natalie Williams, small-business liaison for Downtown Inc.

Williams, who had a chance to tour the building recently, called it "a very neat space."

"And the visibility, being on the Square, is impeccable," she said.

According to the book "George Prowell's History of York County Pennsylvania," Benjamin Hersh opened the Golden Swan Tavern in a two-story brick building he built at the southeast corner of Market Street and what was then known as Centre Square. The building was later acquired by Samuel Weiser in 1808.

As an executive with Hamilton Bank, William Hartman oversaw a renovation of the building after Hamilton bought it in 1982.

The work included installing additional hardwood floors, crown molding and a fireplace mantle from a Bucks County farmhouse.

The grand opening of the renovated space included horse-drawn carriage rides around Continental Square, Hartman said.

"It was kind of a nostalgic experience to be in that setting for work," said Hartman, CEO and president of the York County Community Foundation.

Hartman's second-floor office overlooked the square. The fire place was in the sitting room that was part of Hartman's office. The quarters were so plush that Hartman's wife told him that no matter what he else achieved in his career, he'd never have a nicer office.

"And she was right," Hartman said.

With the building up for sale, Hartman, whose York County Community Foundation office is near the Square, said he hopes 2 E. Market St. will soon be bustling once again with office workers.

"The Weiser building always was and always will be an important part of Continental Square so it's important to get it filled," Hartman said.

John Birkeland, a broker with ROCK Commercial, who is handling the listing, said he expects that any new owners would likely continue using the property as office space. Several potential buyers have already shown interest in what he called offices "with a lot of unique curb appeal."

Source: YDR.com