The least of all evils - The backstory of the borough's blighted property

208-210 Locust Street

It was considered the best of a pile of bad options: Columbia Borough's recent acquisition of a blighted property on Locust Street.

208-210 Locust Street, formerly owned by Samuel L. and Cynthia L. Bigler, was conveyed to the borough for $51,911.17 - the amount of the borough’s lien. The acquisition was subject to the Biglers paying off the mortgage and any non-borough liens.

The property has long been a thorn in the town's side due to its slow and continual decline. The situation was exacerbated when it was thought to be in imminent danger of collapse in June 2015. The incident prompted responses from emergency personnel and building engineers. The structure was subsequently reinforced and its facade wrapped in Tyvek.

The possibility of the borough acquiring the property was previously discussed at the April 10, 2017 council meeting, in which council weighed its options but found no easy answers.

Steven Kaufhold, the borough's manager of code enforcement, initially questioned the wisdom of an acquisition: "I don't see how this would benefit the community whatsoever," Kaufhold said. "We would end up basically eating a $51,000 debt, and now we would have a building that is also in terrible disrepair that at any given time we could have to stick more money into just making this a safe building." Kaufhold said the building is already in the blighted program and advised allowing the process to take its course in that direction.

Borough Manager Greg Sahd responded: "It still could take its course in that direction. It's teed up for the Land Bank." Sahd quoted from a summary of conditions that triggered a blighted condition for this property: It's been vacant for five years; it's condemned; and the utilities are disconnected. The Lancaster County Vacant Property Reinvestment Board determined the property to be blighted on March 17, 2016. The Lancaster County Planning Commission and the Columbia Borough Planning Commission certified blight in 2016. The Reinvestment Board referred the property to the Lancaster County Redevelopment Authority for acquisition on July 26, 2016. "Doing nothing increases the possibility - the potentiality - of it costing us more in the long run," Sahd said.

Kaufhold reiterated the risks of an acquisition:"If the borough acquires this, it is now our problem solely. We've now relinquished all our leverage whatsoever." He said there may be different avenues available. "I don't feel the Land Bank is going to be an outlet for this property. This will be expensive enough that the land bank may not give the buying price for this."

Council President Kelly Murphy expressed frustration with how the Biglers have handled the matter. He cited their lack of response for updates, as well as continual requests for time extensions."This has been going on in excess of two years with little to no action being done," Murphy said. "To me, this is a damned if you do/damned if you don't situation." 

Murphy acknowledged Kaufhold's advice to let the process run its course but asked where the issue is in the process. There's "no way in hell anything should take this long to get done," Murphy said.

Mayor Leo Lutz agreed on the need to take action."It's like a black eye in your downtown . . . or like a missing tooth," he said of the property. "I think it's time to do something about it."

Kaufhold asked about the intended use of the building once it's acquired, but council did not appear to have a clear-cut answer.

In April 2017, 208-210 Locust Street was listed at realtor.com for $49,900, down from previous asking prices.