208-210 Locust Street
The troubled building at 208-210 Locust Street might be getting a new lease on life thanks to an agreement between Columbia Borough and Brookline Builders of Lancaster. Borough Council recently approved $70,000 for the Lancaster County Land Bank to assist Brookline, a historic preservation company, with restoration of the property. Brookline’s budget for the project is $232,000. According to the agreement, the company will purchase the building for the token fee of $1 with the intent of restoring the facade and performing structural repairs. Brookline will then move its sister company, Lancaster Lime Works LLC, into the building where it will use the first floor as a showroom and offices. The top two floors will be rented out as a large, single apartment. Brookline has also requested that the borough set aside two parking spaces during regular business hours for use by Lancaster Lime.
The agreement, which is subject to solicitor review, stipulates that funds provided by the borough must be repaid in entirety if the property is sold within five years of occupancy. Council President Kelly Murphy said that the Land Bank estimated the cost of an alternative plan - tearing the building down and rebuilding - to be $350,000. Borough officials agreed that no developer would be willing to invest that amount to rebuild on the property.
The building, which was thought to be in danger of collapse in 2015, was later shored up and reinforced and the facade covered in Tyvek, for a total cost to the borough of $51,911.17. The borough placed a lien on the property for that amount, which it subsequently forgave in exchange for possession from owners Sam and Cynthia Bigler of Millersville.
The backstory on the borough's acquisition of the property is
HERE.
How does a business get a building for $1, then Columbia kicks $70,000 their way for preservation, and then get two committed parking spots out front. Why should my tax dollars be spent on a project that has no bearing on the future of Columbia.
ReplyDeleteSo Sam Bigler walks away with no punishment, Columbia Borough eats the $55,000 in costs and penalties and then give a Company $70,000.
Sam Bigler- $300,000 richer from the Walnut Street insurance claim
Columbia Borough- -$125,000 in taxpayers money for a Sam Bigler property
Bad business practices!
All this council does is spend the tax payers money sooner or there will be know money left they are going to bankrupt the town then i guess they will be happy
ReplyDeletebourgh reality has 155000 to give away
ReplyDeleteActually, it was a brilliant move for Columbia Borough ! This is also called "cut bait and run". This property was a nuisance to the Borough from Day 1 and within a few years the building could have collapsed. Hopefully Brookline will take that ugly roof line off and make it flat with a roof top deck like the one next to it, but higher with better views of the river.
ReplyDeleteWell, it certainly gives one ideas.....
ReplyDeleteI thought there were to be no more apartments in Columbia??
ReplyDeleteIf the Borough has money to use up in a reality fund as stated above in comments and that is why they are putting up the $70,000. Why don't they use the money to help low-moderate income homeowners do repairs they cannot afford. Rather then fining them and making things harder on them
ReplyDeleteKUDOS
Deletebecause they already used it
DeleteBecause the aren't stuck with the ownership of those homes. The Borough was stuck with this one and there was no other way to get out. They never should have bought it to begin with. The whole idea of a land bank to acquire blighted property's is a big cost to the tax payers and this is an example of throwing good money after bad money. They are lucky that Brookline has the expertise to deal with it and even took the little property with the little grant. Who else would have ?
ReplyDeleteno more apartments in Columbia ? - only if they are designed for Millennials , irregardless of who they actually end up getting rented to
ReplyDeleteirregardless is not a word. Regardless is the correct way to complete that sentence.
Deleteirregardless
DeleteUsed by people who ignorantly mean to say regardless. According to webster, it is a word, but since the prefix "ir" and the suffx "less" both mean "not or with" they cancel each other out, so what you end up with is regard. When you use this to try to say you don't care about something, you end up saying that you do. Of course everyone knows what you mean to say and only a pompous,rude asshole will correct you.
Will Columbia Borough help the new owners of blighted homes under the new land bank legislation?
ReplyDeleteyes
ReplyDeleteBiglers own 40 properties in lanc county. Must be nice to run them all down and get tax money instead of a lawsuit.
ReplyDeletewhy did they buy the lot that Doolittle left at 4th and locoust st [extra 70000 buring holes in there pockets????
ReplyDeletewell - Columbia still has the property and Bigler's don't - and possession is 90% of the law. Hopefully Brookline will make Columbia Shine and everyone will say well done.
ReplyDelete