“A former industrial building like Steeple View Lofts apartments is a perfect example of adaptive re-use,” says local architect Gregg Scott.


G


regg, Co-Founder and Partner Emeritus at RLPS Architects, has been connected to Landis Communities for a long time, working extensively on the development


of Landis Homes as well as many other communities. Recently retired, he was researching Lancaster’s most famous architect, C. Emlen Urban (1863–1939), for his upcoming book, Urban Legend, when he discovered Urban had designed a large portion of the Steeple View Lofts building.


“When I started looking at Urban’s work, we were aware of 94 projects done by his team. With expanded access to records from that time, we are now up to 775! All this from someone whose formal education ended with high school.” Gregg also notes, “Of this amazing number, only about 20 were manufacturing buildings.”


However, that number includes some of the most well-known manufacturing buildings in the area. His first factory design was for Milton Hershey, followed two years later by the Stehli Silk Mill (now being converted into apartments). Other clients included Armstrong Cork, Federal Cigar Company and the Follmer Clogg Umbrella Factory, in the same block as Landis Place on King in the city of Lancaster.


Urban designed a large expansion of Steeple View Lofts in 1919. Te News- Journal, the newspaper in Lancaster at the time, noted Wohlsen Construction would be hiring 200 workers to construct the building and that owners of the new factory anticipated employing nearly 300 people to manufacture decorative tin containers and metal advertising signs. Items produced during that era are currently on display at Steeple View Lofts.


Gregg is grateful the building has been restored and is in full use today. “Buildings are storytellers. Teir presence in Lancaster and ongoing adaptive re-use is one of the reasons Lancaster has an edge over many other cities our size.”


“Tese buildings were designed and built very well,” Gregg continued. “Witnessing the positive impact Steeple View Lofts has had on Water Street makes me smile. Te building owners and Landis Communities demonstrate how providing new housing in existing structures is a win for all involved!”


Landis.org | FLOURISH | Fall 2023 • 17


“Buildings are storytellers. Their


presence in Lancaster and ongoing adaptive re-use is one of the


reasons Lancaster has an edge over many other cities our size.”


Cultivating


Community, Together


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