The former Long Funeral Home, pictured
HERE, has been named one of Lancaster County's most threatened historic spots by the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster, according to a LancasterOnline article
HERE. The house was built in 1895 and was recently listed for a price of about $67,000.
This property has been for sale quite a while and steps should have been taken last summer to protect it from further damage. The roof is severely leaking and continued to leak all winter causing even more damage to the interior ceilings and walls. What a shame to lose a home like this one. Part of Columbia's history crumbling before our eyes and a blind eye it is.
ReplyDeleteEven more than this house, I hate to see Columbia's old Fire halls falling down. These are really historic buildings and a true piece of community.
ReplyDeleteKeystone is for sale again, and again, and again. Maybe it's haunted.
DeleteI agree. Why have a Boro Codes Dept if they don't concentrate on the "Historic Preservation" of such a once grand stately residence (which has MANY OBVIOUS codes that are NOT up to snuff). If I recall, it took a ton of complaining and comments to even get the Boro to do or require what it finally did last year...with the porch and all being unsafe and it being on the safe route to schools! What a beauty this could be if only some doctor lawyer or contractor would purchase and restore??? This article and picture SHOULD be shared EVERYWHERE! Crossing my fingers.....what a shame for it to sit and continue to deteriorate.
ReplyDeletewhat a shame....how can it be let to sit and deteriorate like that???? it can NOT be safe.
ReplyDeleteit's a very simple solution - but the problem is that the Borough Officials either really don't give a damn about the town, or they don't have the guts to save it. They certainly have the authority to issue orders to fix deteriorated structures and if the owners don't comply, then the Borough has the authority to bring in their own sub contactors and fix the structure, and then put a lien on the property and if need be enforce the lien by taking the ,property and selling it. It's all a matter of simple semantics in a Lawyer's eyes, and there is no shortage of lawyers willing to do legal work for Columbia Borough ! SO, TO ALL COLUMBIA BOROUGH OFFICIALS - JUST DO IT ! Hire the Lawyers, Hire the contractors, and fix up the town !!
ReplyDeletei second that!! why do we have laws and ordinances that NO ONE adheres to????
ReplyDeletesounds good buy one problem might be that the properties already have too many liens so does a Borough Lien get ahead of a bank mortgage lien ? otherwise the Borough might not be secure - but if so the Lawyer can easily find out if there is enough equity to justify the Lien is adequate security to be sure the Borough gets money back for money spent - but maybe bet yet it can be like taxes and the Lien can get ahead of other Liens ??? - it's a great concept and some Councilman or Woman could get a gold star for bringing this up to Council and pushing the agenda like there is no tomorrow - it's really a no brainer because it would give work to Columbia based Lawyers - give work to Columbia based Contractors - improve neighborhoods - and let Columbia Gutsy Politicians set an example for other community's in the State - someone should do some serious research on this now and we the taxpayers should demand that our leaders take action on this item of public interest
ReplyDeleteimagine that...but they will harass honest hard working homeowners paying exorbitant taxes about dumb sh......wow do they ever need to do something about the joke dept.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about the "harass" thing - code is code - honest hard working homeowners need to follow code just as much as dis-honest slum lords - if anyone really feels like they are being harassed - there is an appeal process and a local judge whom seems to have quite a bit of common sense - and if he doesn't - then there is the higher court at the County Courthouse
ReplyDeleteare you kidding me??? take one look at ALL the rental properties downtown and then look at all the trash, filth, unkept properties....seems to me that should take precedence over well lets see......what did you say? theres spray painted plywood over the front door on the main st that has been like this for years....
ReplyDeleteplywood over a front door might not be a code violation
ReplyDeletebetcha it most certainly is...and in the Historic District.....ENFORCE THE CODES.
ReplyDeletebetcha it isn't - the code is on line - you find the part that says you can't cover doors or windows with plywood - and I betcha you can find a section that says if the doors or windows are deteriorated you are required to cover them with plywood for saftey
ReplyDeleteI think I recall a realtor telling me that HUD owns the property, and therefore local codes don't apply, nor do property taxes. They can let it sit until it collapses.
ReplyDeletewell i certainly hope this is a crock of sh--. its positively unsightly, ugly and NOT up to code. AND its been this way for a LOT OF YEARS. really???? strip the real door and varnish it. take the damn plywood off it looks like he--.
ReplyDeleteI heard something similar to that...if HUD has ownership (due to repossession) they do not pay any local taxes to the borough. As I recall, they turn off all utilities and allow the properties to sit unoccupied. They do not make any repairs and do not have to bring the homes up to code. In other words, the homes can sit until they rot. Sad when you think of how many people are homeless.
ReplyDeleteBuilt in 1895 and the interior has been gutted redone a few times from what I understand.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but I don't think that place deserves to be on that "historic" list. It may be old, but I think it's nowhere near being historic. If nobody is interested in it, then it is time to tear it down and move on. You can't save 'em all.
--FMB
you gotta be kidding ! - a mansion built in 1895 isn't historic ? - it's far from needing to be torn down - as soon as the bank lowers the price to about 20,000. ( value o the land ), someone will step in and be happy to work with it
ReplyDeleteIt's like my Great-great-great grandfather's ax. Granted the head has been replaced 4 times and the handle 6 times....
DeleteThere are a lot of old properties in this borough. Many in better and perhaps in more original shape. Even if this place was free, I doubt too many people are going to be lining up to blow hundreds of thousands on it.
Again - you can't save 'em all.
--FMB
Columbia News, Views, and Reviews posted this link:
ReplyDeletehttp://lcapp1.co.lancaster.pa.us/aoweb/ParcelDetails.aspx?ParcelID=1105145500000%7C&searchType=propAdd&streetnum=855&streetDir=&streetName=chestnut&streetSuffix=
I toured this house a few months ago. Roomy inside, but deterioration here and there. The back wall looks as though it's about to collapse. Tools/implements are all gone, taken by previous owners. What a shame for this once-great structure.
ReplyDeleteColumbia Borough should buy it and sell it for $1.00 to the first person that agrees to restore it - and then when it is restored the property taxes will be high enough to recoup the purchase price.
ReplyDeleteit would make a nice rooming house for tourists or a homeless shelter
ReplyDeleteI was thinking it would make a great bed/breakfast.... if it's not haunted! :-)
DeleteI really want this house! :-)
ReplyDeleteI just read it use to be a funeral home.... any rumors that it's haunted? This Southern girl is just wondering!