York Town Square

Workers grade footers for the new Logos Academy building on West King Street in York, Pa., in Sept. 2009. The old building with the tower will be incorporated into the 42,000-square-foot schools, that will handle an enrollment of about 300 students. Also of interest: York, Pa.’s, old Smyser-Royer factory to house new York Academy charter school and About pioneer W. Russell Chapman: ‘He was the swing vote … but he couldn’t be swayed’ and All school days posts from the start .

A high tower west of the Codorus Creek will join that marking the Smyser-Royer Variety Iron Works complex as a tall symbol of improved education in York City.

Logos Academy – a Christian, intercultural, classical school – is set for occupancy in the fall of 2010, and York Academy Regional Charter School will open in the Smyser-Royer project a year later.

The 250 W. King St. location for Logos creates an interesting link with the 300 block of West Princess Street, a predominantly black neighborhood, recognized in February for the many achievers who grew up there in the post-World War II era… .

This photo, from York County Heritage Trust archives and also posted on Logos Academy’s Web site, shows the south side of West King Street in 1914. Notice Luria’s Rag Co. building, with tower.

Three representatives from Logos attended a recent evening at the York County Heritage Trust at which former residents of the West Princess Street neighborhood told how family, faith, neighbhors and education worked together to propel them to achievement.
Logos officials clearly recognize these themes. The 11-year-old school’s Web site states: “The whole child is developed spiritually, socially, physically, and intellectually.”
Logos’ Abby Baer wrote the following about the school’s new West King Street property, based on Historic York Inc. documents:

As we watch bricks crash to the ground and dust clouds form at 256 West King Street, we can’t help but think of this site’s history. You may have heard that we are preserving the tower along King Street because of its architectural importance to York City, but the entire site has a rich history as well. Here’s what we know from Barb Raid, an architectural historian:
The tower was built in 1882 by John C. Fallon. It was called York Planing Mills and it produced wooden window sashes, doors and blinds. In 1884, Fallon had his residence and store designed by the Dempwolf Brothers, York’s number one architect firm at the time. The Dempwolfs based their design on the tower Fallon constructed two years earlier. Fallon’s home was just a few doors up the street at 331 West King Street.
In 1911, L. Luria & Sons moved their growing scrap metal business to the building from a South Newberry Street location. The Luria’s are listed in the City Directories as Junk Dealers. Levi Luria’s partner was Louis Lavetan, who continued to operate a junk yard at the building until the 1970s.
During the early 20th century, the property along the Codorus Creek served as a stock yard. W.A. Little Company had a store front along West King Street and cattle sheds in the field behind the business. Bethel A.M.E. Church was located at the corner of King and Newberry, with a smaller chapel along King Street. A 1908 map indicates that there was a parking garage between Fallon’s tower and the chapel.
First Capital Fibers, Inc., a paper recycling company, operated from 250-256 West King Street until 2006 when Logos Academy entered into a site agreement for the property. Recycling has been a function for most businesses throughout history at the 200 block of West King Street. Now Logos Academy will recycle the property into a new use–a school and community park. Just as wood, metal and paper were transformed for new uses at the site, Logos Academy will continue to provide the tools for students to transform intellectually, spiritually, socially and physically in their new building.

This YouTube video, appearing on Logos Web site shows the new school as it would look in its West King Street neighborhood.