Germania Turnverein Building
Also known as: Commercial Printing Company
Why it's listed
Built between 1897 and 1898 on the rear of a Lancaster lot, this four-story brick commercial building at 33-35 North Market Street was constructed by Philip Lebzelter, a downtown real estate investor and owner of a woodturning mill, on the site of an earlier tavern stable. Measuring 68 feet along West Grant Street and 36 feet along North Market Street, it has exterior brick bearing walls, a slate roof with skylights, and four-over-four double-hung windows arranged in groups on its upper floors. Two chimney pilasters rise on the south facade, and a heavily moulded corner entry marks the ground floor. Its first tenants included Anderson Brothers Machinists and the Germania Turnverein, which kept its headquarters there from 1899 to 1912. The building is regarded as a good, relatively intact example of late Victorian commercial architecture, typical of the work of local contractors and artisans rather than a professional architect. Its later tenants included a music company and a printing firm.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as a good and relatively intact example of late Victorian commercial architecture. It is associated with Philip Lebzelter, who built it as a rental commercial building, and with the Germania Turnverein, a social organization that kept its headquarters there from 1899 to 1912. The form argues the building represents the work of contractors and artisans typical of late nineteenth-century commercial construction.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80003524, listed April 10, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 33--35 N. Market St., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | April 10, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003524 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1897 |
| Architect / builder | Philip Lebzelter (owner and builder, per form; no professional architect indicated) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian commercial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Good condition; the form notes exterior alterations including replacement sash, a new side entrance door, a landing and concrete stairway on the west facade, and repainting to previous colors. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Lancaster City Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.03889, -76.30613 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80003524.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5551915
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.