The Center completed this project in July 2022. See the finished building or meet one of the building’s tenants in this video.

In 2018, the Center purchased the run-down Parker J. Noyes building because of its potential to contribute to Lancaster’s downtown vitality. The building transformation is creating quality downtown living spaces for residents, adding new commercial space where small businesses can thrive, and creating palpable excitement on Lancaster’s vibrant Main Street.

The redevelopment will boost Lancaster’s downtown through:

Local Food — Expansion of the Root Seller Marketplace will provide access to 50+ area producers and increased space for programming.

Downtown Living — Six 2-bedroom apartments on the second and third floors will serve a community need for quality, market-rate housing.

Community Investment —This highly visible project is of, by and for the community; residents contributed financially to crowd-sourced fundraising, and many investors and donors have personal connections to Lancaster.

Historic preservation —The building is listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places; restoration will follow the US Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation to restore its historic integrity. The renovation preserved historical elements such as trim boards, floor boards, and wainscoting to reinstall in the refurbished spaces.

Renewable Energy — With the goal of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the Center has committed to overall energy efficiency in design and construction.

Local Contractors — Garland Mill Timber Frame of Lancaster and Alba Architects of Woodstock NH have led design of the project with more than 25 subcontractors providing labor, which has kept project wages in the community.

Planning for this complex project took 18 months, and the complete overhaul — foundation to rooftop, rebuilt to the studs with all new systems — is expected to be done in the spring of 2022. The Root Seller Marketplace will move into its new expanded space as soon as it’s completed fitted out, and apartments should be available in late spring. The combination of the Center’s vision, ability to facilitate community collaboration, and innovative financing have made the Parker J. Noyes renovation possible.

Project Benefits

The renovated first floor will provide a new home for Lancaster’s Root Seller Marketplace, a market that provides access to healthy local foods for the greater community. “We’re so excited to expand to a larger space on Main Street, allowing us to increase our offerings of both retail products and products from local farmers, food producers, and crafters,” said Melissa Grella, executive director of Taproot Farm & Environmental Education Center, the nonprofit organization that operates the Root Seller Marketplace.

By moving just down Main Street to the larger space, Taproot will bring all its programs under one roof and have room to expand the Root Seller Marketplace. The upper floors will be remodeled to create six downtown apartments that should be attractive to professionals and young families. These apartments will help position Lancaster as a hub for growth in the North Country, as a place that will attract and retain the next generation of families and leaders committed to creating a vibrant future for the town.