After a bruising legal battle to develop their land in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, the Hurst family has sold it to another developer.
The family, which owns the Oregon Dairy supermarket and restaurant, sold the store’s land and building on May 10 to Jerry Horst and his sons, Mark and Chad, who operate Manheim Township-based Vanguard Development Group.
The sale price was not disclosed, and no deed had been filed as of May 17.
However, the deal includes a leaseback arrangement that allows the market and restaurant to continue doing business under Hurst family ownership.
The lease runs for 15 years with three five-year renewals, according to Victor Hurst, who had owned the property alongside his brothers, George, Willie and Curvin.
Earlier this year, the brothers sold the market and restaurant business to younger family members: Krista Martin (daughter of George Hurst) her son, Konrad, and Jon Hurst (son of Willie Hurst).
“There comes a time, you sit down and look at each other and you say, ‘You know? There’s other options out there,'” said Victor Hurst, who noted that, at 64, he is the youngest brother.
Dwight Wagner of U.S. Commercial Realty marketed the property and represented both the buyer and the seller.
What’s next: An effort to reach Vanguard Friday was not successful.
But in a statement, Jerry Horst said: “The Horst family is honored to collaborate with the Hurst family in advancing their multigenerational family business. As neighbors and friends for over 40 years, we have a deep commitment to honoring the heritage of the land while planning for the future.”
Vanguard has undertaken residential, commercial and senior-living projects across Central Pennsylvania, including The Apartments at Lititz Springs, Signature Flats at Hershey and Windsor Commons in Red Lion.
Victor Hurst said he will not be involved in any future development at the site. But he does not intend to remain idle.
In an interview, Hurst said he plans to construct a geothermal greenhouse at his home and pursue work as an independent insurance adjuster, a vocation he learned about from a friend in Colorado.
“That’s what piqued my interest,” he said.
The Hurst family also will maintain operations at Oregon Dairy Farm LLC, which hosts a corn maze, pumpkin patch, sunflower fields and other agricultural attractions. They are being moved to a parcel at 2870 Oregon Pike, pending township approval.
The store and restaurant are at 2900 Oregon Pike.
The Oregon Dairy operations employ 375 people overall.
The background: The Hursts had been seeking to develop a 76-acre tract around Oregon Dairy into a mixed-use community featuring homes, offices, shops and a hotel.
But the proposal drew opposition from some neighbors, leading to a series of court battles beginning in 2019.
The battles ended this spring after the Hursts dropped an appeal pending before Commonwealth Court.
In addition to the property sold to Vanguard, the family sold a 25-acre parcel at 3001 Oregon Pike for $3.2 million to a local group doing business as Kirpa Estates LP.
The Hurst family began farming in the area in 1952 and opened the first store in 1974.
