The "A Great Fit," Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at some old black and white photographs that were recently posted in my local newspaper.  The photographs were of the historic bank at 1 E. Main Street in the little town of Lititz, PA.  When the historic bank at 1 E. Main Street in Lititz came up for sale three years ago, officers of Lititz Improvement jumped at the chance to buy it, despite concerns that its bank tennant might not stick around.  When they learned late last year that the Citizens Bank planned to close its branch in the circa-1924 bank building at Main and Broad Streets, the leaders of the longtime Lititz real estate investment group knew exactly what should replace it.  "The first thing that came to mind was Ephrata National Bank, reported Bill Oehme, President of Lititz Improvement, whose properties are concentrated in the first block of East Main Street.  "We have a lot of our mortgages through them.  They've treated us very well in the 50-plus years that Lititz improvement has been around.  That was our first thought: Ephrata National."  A lease was soon made with Ephrata National Bank, which plans to open a branch by April 2025 in the building that has been empty since Citizens Bank closed its brach there in March .  "I believe over the past several years, we've developed a reputation for going into markets to fill the void left by banks who leave," said Ephrata National Bank spokesperson Craig Rodenberger.  The old bank was designed by famed Lancastrian architect C. Emlen Urban.  The building with a corner entrance and granite columns opened  100 years ago as Lititz Springs National Bank.

Urban, whose Lancaster city designs include the Griest Building and the original Watt & Shand Department Store, also designed Ephraata National Bank's current headquarters at 31 E. Main St. in Ephrata Borough, which opened in 1925.  The Lititz Bank building across from the entrance to Lititz Springs Park became the home of Conestoga National Bank in 1962 following a merger with Lititz Springs National Bank in 1962.  The building subsequently served as the home of several other banks before becoming a Citizen Bank branch.  Organized by a group of Lititz business people who wanted to preserve buildings in the downtown, Lititz Improvement was formed in 1970 when it brought three properties in the first block of East Main Street.  Today, Lititz Improvement owns 18 properties in town, including commercial and residential buildings as well as parking spaces and rental garages.  Oehme said Lititz Improvement was contacted about buying the building by a California-based real estate investment firm that owned some of the buildings used by Citizens Bank.  The sale ws finalized in August 2021 for $950,000.  "When you have a building come on the square in Lititz for sale, of course we're going to jump on it," Oehme said.  After the Citizens Bank branch closed, Oehme said some people suggested other uses for the building, such as a brewpub or event space.  He said he was even contacted by other financial institutions that wanted to locate there.  But, Oehme said Ephrata National Bank is the ideal new tenant for the Lititz landmark.  "We want to stick with a bank or financial institution," Oehme said.  "I think they'll be a great fit for town."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.