A new building in downtown Lancaster will house a Subway restaurant and offices.
An old favorite is returning to downtown Lancaster in a new building to be constructed at East King and North Christian streets.
A Subway restaurant will open in February on the first floor of the two-story structure that's replacing a vacant drive-through bank office.
The 30-year-old drive-through was razed Monday.
Jon Baker, who will own the Subway franchise, said the highly visible center-city corner is ideal for a business such as his.
"It's perfect, with all the employees, residents and visitors (in downtown). It's a great opportunity," he said.
The new building's owner will be a partnership of developer John Meeder and four Wohlsen Construction executives, whom Meeder and a Wohlsen spokesman declined to identify.
The $600,000 project will consist of the 1,600-square-foot Subway, plus the same amount of space for commercial and office tenants on the second floor.
The space, available for lease, will be ready for occupancy in February.
Downtown Lancaster has been without a Subway since May 2007, when an Orange and Prince streets location closed after 20 years.
That Subway, the county's first, was owned by other franchisees than Baker.
Baker, of Willow Street, who turns 39 this week, is the former director of restaurant operations for Willow Valley Resort and Conference Center.
He bought his first Subway in 2000 in Kendig Square and his second in 2006 in Grandview Plaza, off New Holland Avenue.
His new 19 E. King St. location, costing $150,000 to $180,000 to equip, will be a 50-seat restaurant employing 15 to 20 people.
Baker said he was contacted by regional Subway officials after the Orange and Prince streets location closed. They wondered if he'd like to open a Subway in downtown.
Baker, drawn by the "overall rejuvenation of the whole city," said yes. After considering other sites, he agreed to lease space in the East King Street building.
"We wanted to be as close to the square as we could," because that's where the greatest concentration of potential customers is, he said.
The new building will be in the midst of dozens of businesses, government offices and attractions. It also will be diagonal from the convention center and Marriott on Penn Square.
"Subway is really going to thrive in this location," predicted Meeder.
Designed by Stuart & Associates Architects, the new building will replace a drive-through that opened in 1979 on the site of the former Adler's clothing store. Most recently, the drive-through was used as retail space, including as a cell phone store.