Charles F. Snyder Funeral Homes & Crematory has purchased properties in Lancaster and Millersville that formerly were known as the Andrew T. Scheid Funeral Homes. The addresses are 121 S. Prince St. and 131 S. Prince St. in Lancaster and 320 Blue Rock Road and 321 Old Blue Rock Road in Millersville.

By adding these buildings into their service offerings and operations, the Snyders plan to give the properties new meaning and a positive future that serves to bring the community closer together. "We believe that this is the first step in healing the community and imagining a bright future for this historic property," said Chad Snyder.

The Snyders will primarily use the new facilities in a support capacity to expand and enhance the services offered at their existing six Snyder funeral homes, including the new Willow Street location set to open this summer. The Snyders estimate that following significant updates and remodeling, the Millersville properties will open this summer and the Prince Street event properties will follow later in the year.

The Snyders hope to convert the building at 121 S. Prince St. into an event space that can be used for post-funeral and memorial luncheons, alternative funeral services, and life celebrations, as well as for non-funeral related gatherings, events, seminars, rehearsal dinners, and nonprofit engagements. Other features of the property include a parking lot and a secondary office building for Snyder's operations.

The Snyders intend to preserve the architecture of the building, a four-story French Parisian Beaux-Arts style structure created in the 1890s. The neighboring building at 131 S. Prince St., a Victorian townhome, will be used as administrative space after renovations.

In addition to the location and architecture, the Snyders acquired the properties on Prince Street so they can provide catered food services. The Snyders will not license them as a funeral home, as Pennsylvania law prohibits the sale of food in a funeral home. The Snyders plan to add a food staging area and catering kitchen for catered funeral luncheons, seminars, life celebrations, and more.

"This new event space will open the door to a myriad of new ways that we can connect with the Lancaster community," said Chip Snyder.

Renovations have already begun at 320 Blue Rock Road. The Snyders will move their affiliate cremation company, Cremation Services of Pennsylvania Inc., to this location. In 2017, the Snyders acquired the Preneed Family Associates prepaid cremation book of business. Snyder Funeral Homes also previously was a partner in the Lancaster County Cremation Society and will move those prepaid services to Blue Rock Road. The facilities will include dedicated space for a newly renovated nondenominational service room, a cremation selection room for urns and keepsakes and a space for family viewings prior to cremation. The Snyders' Millersville location will also provide vehicle and equipment storage and even housing for some of the Snyder staff members.

The Snyder family has lived and served in Lancaster for three generations and has served the Lancaster County community for 75 years.