Earlier this week, a contractor tried to remove a dormer from atop 147-149 Locust Street. Said contractor did not have a permit to perform any such work within the historic district, of which this address is a part. A code enforcement officer stopped the procedure and posted a STOP WORK notice on the property. The notice is shown below.
A contractor attempted to remove the dormer shown above.
The work was halted, and a STOP WORK notice was posted by Code Enforcement Officer George Weis.
The very next day, a contractor began work - again, without a permit - at 212-214 Locust Street, another property in the historic district, this one owned by Samuel Bigler. The work was halted, and a STOP WORK sign was posted on this property as well. Any such work in the historic district must first be reviewed by the Historic Architectural Review Board to maintain the integrity of structures with historic value in the borough.
The STOP WORK notice at 212-214 Locust that no longer appears on the property.
The Columbia Borough Historic District
20 comments:
Beautiful arched windows up there on roof, why would anyone want to alter that?
Agsin, it amazes me that Bigler was trying to get over on the borough again. Is he not aware that people has him under the radar. Follow the rules ,Sam
But yet the bank museum is allowed to have plywood covering their door for 15+ years? I guess a few more years and it will be more historic than the real door.
"Hypocrisy: I dub thee HARB".
I agree
I agree. Pressure should be applied on the owners of the Bank Museum as to when the doors will be done. It is definitely too long for this repair since the borough applies pressure on homeowners.
Get off the Bank Museum unless your making a donation!!
Your remark shows your ignorance!
Agree the Bank Museum is RESTORING, not replacing!
Making a donation? Excuse me? Nobody donates to the homeowners in this town that must maintain their properties. The museum is a business and the money made should be used to restore the building, at the very least maintain it!
I agree. This is a Council and code enforcement issue and needs to be addressed. Give them an official NOV and then start fining them!!!
Nope. It's complete hypocritical BS to go after certain properties while allowing that property to look like a burned-out crack house under the guise of some "restoration" nonsense. What are they doing? Waiting for the tree to grow to harvest the wood?
Especially since parties owning said museum were instrumental in creating the HARB to begin with. Hence the hypocrisy statement.
Columbia Borough should offer a program that helps homeowners that live in the Historical District. The Borough could appropriate $100,000 - $250,000 aside per year and granted to homeowner(s) at 50% of the cost of repairs or upgrades. In turn the Borough will put a lean on that property and monies will be returned when property is sold. This of course would be voted on by HARB's application process for funding.
TidePride!
"Lien on me when your not strong - we all need someone to lien on!"
Are you kidding me?
Nothing ignorant about wanting equal treatment for all those in the historic district. Someone has turned a blind eye and is allowing this "Restoration" to go on for years.
I hate to say this, but that is a BIG LOOP HOLE in the system!! Any one can do this!
Such an insightful reply. We are humbled.
You show your ignorance again.
Thank you
Yeah right. Some people are more special than others.
The Bank Museum is Preserving, not restoring, and not replacing. When 75% of the historic buildings in this town have been grossly hacked in to apartments, I sure wouldn't worry too much about a preservationist !!
When did the historic district extend up Chestnut to 9th? No wonder the house at 9th and Chestnut is left to rot all these years. Hello people!!!! More regulations, High property taxes, declining property values, the towns declining median household income, undesirable school district and you are worried about architecture? I wouldn't put any money upgrading a house in Columbia other than maintaining. Have you noticed all the houses for sale?
Chestnut Street up to 9th has always been part of the historic district. The district has never changed, been the same from inception.
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