The Shank’s Mare commercial property consists of 1.06 acres of land with a 754 sq. ft. bungalow, a 5,776 sq. ft. main building, and a 20-space+ parking lot, all located on the banks of the Susquehanna River in York County PA.
This historic building has long been an anchor in the Long Level community. Built in the 1890’s as a general store, it was a gathering place and supply operation in support of the Susquehanna Tidewater Canal. This canal way was built in the 1830’s and supported commercial and pleasure excursions down the Susquehanna for over 60 years. The canal was located directly in front of “Kauffman’s Store”, the original name of the building. For the past 28 years, it has been the home of Shank’s Mare Outfitters, a retail and educational attraction for outdoor recreation. The building’s 100-foot-long porch is an extremely popular destination for those who just want to sit and watch the river flow by.
The main building is a two story, frame structure. The first-floor houses one large room and 6 smaller rooms of retail space, a restroom, a kitchen, and two office rooms. On the second floor there is one large conference/banquet room, 4 smaller rooms, a bathroom, and two office rooms. Previously the first-floor kitchen and office rooms and second floor office rooms and bathroom provided a two-bedroom rental apartment separated from the main portion of the building. The building has an unfinished basement with stone foundation, concrete and/or dirt floors and where the mechanicals and water heater are located. There is also a full, unfinished attic.
The bungalow dwelling is a one-story frame building with 1 bedroom, 1 bath, living room with fireplace, kitchen, and laundry area. The building has front and rear porches and a deck with handicap accessible ramp.
The property is zoned Waterfront Recreation District which promotes the continued use and future development of riverfront properties along the Susquehanna River in a manner consistent and harmonious with existing uses, thus retaining the rural recreational character of the area. Development and uses primarily oriented to providing a mixture of seasonal and year-round dwellings, public and semipublic recreational type uses, as well as a variety of associated commercial uses, are encouraged. Permitted uses include bed & breakfast facilities, group and family care homes, clubs, retail stores, eating establishments, houses of worship, and medical, professional, and business offices to name a few.