A 120-year-old C. Emlen Urban building just got its glow-up

The Digest

A 120-year-old C. Emlen Urban building just got its glow-up

The 1906 Beaux Arts Bausman building at 12-16 W. Orange Street has wrapped a $1.8 million renovation — part of owner Jared Mizrahi's larger $5 million Bausman Exchange project. Architect and Urban scholar Gregory Scott, who's spent his career studying C. Emlen Urban's work, toured the building and called it "phenomenal." The three upper floors are now coworking space managed by IWG plc, with desks starting at $256 a month and private offices at $400. Even the open grand stairwell stayed in place — kept compliant with a new sprinkler system instead of being walled off.

Urban designed dozens of Lancaster's most recognizable buildings. His work has had a rough century. This one's a win.

300+ clean-water nonprofits are landing on Penn Square in two weeks

The Choose Clean Water Conference comes to the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square May 18-20 — the first time the three-day Chesapeake Bay watershed gathering has been in Lancaster County in nearly a decade. The Choose Clean Water Coalition coordinates the event, pulling together over 300 member organizations across six states and D.C. Programming runs from farmland preservation to data centers to marine ecosystems, with dozens of workshops and local field trips. Full conference registration is $325, and the coalition encourages sign-ups by May 14.

The coalition rotates this thing between PA, MD, and VA — Lancaster last hosted in 2018, Harrisburg in 2023. We're up again.

Your PPL bill is going up June 1

PPL Utilities is raising its "price to compare" — the part of your bill that reflects raw electricity costs — from 12.953 cents per kWh to 13.147 cents per kWh starting June 1. That's a roughly 1.5% increase across PPL's 272,000 Lancaster County customers, which the company chalks up to rising electricity demand. If you want to shop around, Pennsylvania residents can compare alternative suppliers at PAPowerSwitch.com — but PPL still does the billing either way.

If you've been meaning to look at your rate, this is your reminder. (Bring your account number and current price-to-compare with you.)

What's happening

Wednesday

LNP Media Group Spring Job Fair | Free job fair connecting Lancaster County job seekers with local and regional employers. | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Lancaster County Convention Center, 25 S. Queen St., Lancaster | Free

Wine Tasting at The Log Cabin | Curated wine tasting with guest sommelier Hamilton Weaver. Reservations recommended. | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM | The Log Cabin Restaurant, 11 Lehoy Forest Dr., Leola | Pricing varies by flight

Trivia Night at Southern Market | Weekly trivia hosted by Thirsty for Knowledge — $1 off beer and wine, gift cards for top three. | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Southern Market, 100 S. Queen St., Lancaster | Free entry

Thursday

Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market | Pennsylvania Dutch market — produce, baked goods, meats, cheeses, handmade crafts. | 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM | 2710 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand | Free to enter

Common Run Club | Weekly group run with 2-mile and 4-mile routes. No sign-up required. | 6:30 PM | HiFi, 40 W. Orange St., Lancaster | Free

Friday

Lancaster Central Market | America's oldest continuously-operating public market — nearly 70 vendors. | 6:00 AM – 3:00 PM | 23 N. Market St., Lancaster | Free to enter

Rough & Tumble Spring Steam-Up | Antique steam engines, tractors, gas engines, and a tractor pull. | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Rough and Tumble Engineers Museum, 4997 Lincoln Hwy E., Kinzers | $5 adults, $2 ages 6-12, under 6 free

Herb & Garden Faire at Landis Valley | 70+ vendors selling heirloom plants, herbs, perennials, and garden art, plus Master Gardener workshops. | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, 2451 Kissel Hill Rd., Lancaster | $14 adult / $12 senior / $10 youth (6-11) / under 5 free

Historic Lancaster Walking Tour | 90-minute guided tour of downtown's colonial-era streets and architecture, led by costumed docents. | 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM | Departs from Marriott/Convention Center lobby, 25 S. Queen St., Lancaster | $10 adult / $8 senior / $1 youth (5-18)

2nd Friday Lititz | Monthly downtown stroll — shops open late, sidewalk artists, dancers, entertainers. | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Downtown Lititz, Broad & Main Streets | Free

Now Playing

Oklahoma! at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre (FINAL WEEK) — 510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster. Closes Sunday May 10. | $55 show-only / $78 matinee / $83 dinner + show

Treasure Island at Fulton Theatre (FINAL WEEK) — 12 N. Prince St., Lancaster. Closes Saturday May 9. | $20–$74 (~$44 avg)

Dear Evan Hansen at Fulton Theatre (Studio Series) — 12 N. Prince St., Lancaster, through May 17. | $20–$74

Joshua at Sight & Sound Theatres — 300 Hartman Bridge Rd., Ronks. Tue–Sat showtimes. | From $40 child / $85 adult

Live music

Wednesday

Time For Three | Classical / Americana | 7:30 PM | Trust Performing Arts Center, 37 N. Market St., Lancaster | $59–$79

Thursday

Jazz Thursdays at the Plough | Jazz | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | The Plough, 25 S. Queen St., Lancaster | Free

Danny & The Do-Overs (Monthly Honky Tonk Night) | Honky Tonk / Country | 6:45 PM – 9:30 PM | West Art (City Hall), 816 Buchanan Ave., Lancaster | $15

Friday

SchnAZZY | Jazz / Funk / Pop | 7:00 PM | Tellus 360, 24 E. King St., Lancaster | Free

Electric Starlite | Jazz / R&B | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Southern Market, 100 S. Queen St., Lancaster | Free

Vivace Live — Pop Favorites on Strings (Candlelit Concert) | Classical Strings / Pop | 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM | West Art (City Hall), 816 Buchanan Ave., Lancaster | $25 advance / $30 door

Charlie in the Question Mark | Indie Folk / Singer-Songwriter | 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM | West Art (Sanctuary), 816 Buchanan Ave., Lancaster | $15–$20

Leonid & Friends (Chicago tribute) | Rock / Tribute | 8:00 PM | American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Hwy E., Lancaster | $44–$74

Bad Animals (Heart tribute) | Rock / Tribute | 8:00 PM | Mickey's Black Box at Rock Lititz, 101 Rock Lititz Blvd., Lititz | $45+

Powerman 5000 with 12 Stones | Industrial Rock / Metal | 8:00 PM (doors 7 PM) | Phantom Power, 121 W. Frederick St., Millersville | $25 advance / $30 door