Off the map but not off the table: Columbia and the data center rush

The former McGinness property does not appear on the map of potentially suitable locations for data center development due to its distance from suitable power lines.

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY 

Who knew what and when?

The Lancaster County Planning Commission met on May 11, 2026, with a featured presentation titled "Data Center Planning Guide Update." The presentation, reflected in the Lancaster County Planning Department's newly updated guide, "A Planning Guide Pertaining to Data Centers in Lancaster County, PA," outlines how municipalities across the county should approach zoning, infrastructure, and community impact as data center proposals increase.

During the discussion, Heather Zink, Columbia Borough Council vice president and a member of the commission, said that borough officials were working with a developer. Speaking at about the 19-minute mark of the recording, Zink said: "We're working with the developer," a reference to the former McGinness airport parcel. At that time, no bids had been submitted to the borough, and the eventual bidder's identity wasn't publicly known. 

The McGinness parcel: Not on the map
The former McGinness airport property was conspicuously absent from the county's data center map presented at the meeting and in the planning guide. A county official explained that the parcel is not located along electric transmission lines and is considered too far from adequate electrical infrastructure.

However, a West Hempfield parcel abutting Malleable Road, which does appear on the county map, was noted as being near transmission lines, a key factor in data center site selection. 

A timeline of events 
August 26, 2025 — Columbia Borough passed amended zoning permitting data centers in specific locations.
April 8, 2026 — A pre-bid meeting was held for the McGinness parcel. Realtor Deepa Balepur, listed as a representative of Compass Realty, was present as were borough officials and a few members of the public. 
April 29, 2026 — Columbia Borough Manager/Police Chief and Borough Engineer Derek Rinaldo visited the former McGinness site along with others, discussing the property.
May 11, 2026 — The Lancaster County Planning Commission meeting and data center presentation took place, during which Zink referenced the borough's engagement with the developer.
May 15, 2026 — A bid for the McGinness property was submitted.
May 18, 2026 — The bid was opened at Borough Hall. The sole bid was from Saadia Holding LLC.

What the Planning Guide Says
The planning guide, updated in May 2026, provides municipalities with a framework for evaluating and regulating data center proposals. It covers frequently asked questions on energy consumption, water usage, noise, and community character, as well as suggested best practices for zoning ordinances.

The guide repeatedly cites Lancaster City's proposed "Lancaster AI Hub" — the planned reuse of two former industrial sites — as a model for data center development. Lancaster City, notably, is also described as one of the document's primary audiences and a project stakeholder.

The document acknowledges significant community concerns. Among its findings: a one-million-square-foot data center facility may generate as few as 30 permanent jobs.

An independent AI analysis of the guide found it leans toward accommodation over restriction. The framing of community concerns is largely procedural — focused on how to manage data centers rather than whether to permit them. Alternative voices, including residents, farmers, or environmental advocates skeptical of large-scale data center development, are not represented or quoted.

The document reads as a planning facilitation guide rather than a neutral impact analysis, the assessment concluded. "It assumes data centers are coming and focuses on managing them — a reasonable planning stance, but one that embeds a bias toward accommodation."

Power demands 
The planning guide paints a detailed picture of data centers' energy demands on the regional grid. As of April 2026, PPL, Lancaster County's sole electricity supplier, reported 10 gigawatts of data center load already under supply agreements, with signed agreements for an additional 15 gigawatts. Current peak demand for the entire county is just 7.5 gigawatts — a figure that took more than a century to reach.

Effects on costs

In PJM's 2025/2026 capacity auction, electricity prices surged from roughly $29 per megawatt-day to nearly $270 — a tenfold increase — adding $14.7 billion in costs compared to the prior year. An independent grid watchdog found that 70% of last year's electricity cost increases were driven by data center energy demand and has translated to a 10–20% increase in most recent consumer electric bills

This context lends additional weight to the county's infrastructure-based exclusion of the McGinness site from its suitability map. Without proximity to transmission lines and substation capacity, a data center at the former airport would face substantial hurdles. Power sources that could be used include microgrids, BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) and solar energy, fuel cells, and small modular nuclear reactors.

What Comes Next
Columbia Borough Council is scheduled to vote on the bid proposal at its May 26, 2026 meeting at the Columbia Borough Fire Hall. 

The Lancaster County Planning Commission's updated guide is available at the Lancaster County Planning Department's website HERE. The May 11 meeting recording is available via Vimeo HERE, with the data center presentation beginning at the 11:50 mark.

[Sources: Lancaster County Planning Commission meeting recording (May 11, 2026); LCPD Planning Guide Pertaining to Data Centers in Lancaster County, PA (May 2026 Update); Columbia Borough public records.]

NOTICE: May 26 Columbia Borough Council Meeting location changed to Fire Hall

Due to larger than normal attendance expected, the location of the May 26, 2026 Columbia Borough Council meeting will be held at the Columbia Borough Fire Hall, 726 Manor Street, Columbia. 

[Source: Council President Eric Kauffman]

Deeds Recorded — Columbia Borough — May 18, 2026

Hunt Cory, Hunt Mary conveyed 855 Lancaster Ave. to Yaricer Diaz for $160,000.

Buchanan Alex B, Hatch Kaley R, Buchanan Kaley conveyed 227 N. Third St. to Mousley Christopher, Darcas Emme for $245,000.

Clyde Investments LLC conveyed 20 N. Seventh St. to Bedolla Elizabeth, Bedolla Reyes for $230,000.

JDW Property Solutions Inc. conveyed 601 Manor St. to Kolsovsky Kodie C, Kolsovsky Alexa for $230,000.

Sapone Deana M, Cannon Deana M, Gaugler Deana M, Gaugler David conveyed 37 S. Eighth St. to Sahm Amy L, Sahm David K. for $232,000.

Yohe Wayne A. Jr., Yohe Toni Lynn conveyed 370 Kinderhook Road to Wayne A. Yohe Jr. for $1.

Columbia Borough receives single bid of $6.35 million for former McGinness property

Borough Solicitor Evan Gabel and Borough Manager Jack Brommer review a bid proposal from Saadia Holding LLC Monday morning, May 18th, at Borough Hall.

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY 

Columbia Borough has received one bid for the sale of 41 acres of the former McGinness property at 1020 Manor Street. The bid proposal, submitted by Saadia Holding LLC, is in the amount of $6,350,000, which exceeds the minimum required bid of $6.2 million by $150,000.

Evan Gabel, borough solicitor, opened and reviewed the proposal with borough officials at a public meeting at Borough Hall on Monday morning, May 18. The package included documentation on the organization and project team, a land use proposal with scope of work, estimated job creation figures, a financing section, community benefits, traffic impact analysis, a project timeline, and a sketch plan.

The company has also committed to providing the required 4% deposit within 10 days. "We have everything we need to consider this a responsive bid," Gabel said.

Borough Council will hold an executive session Monday, May 18, at 7 p.m. to discuss the proposal. A decision on the bid is expected to be made at the regular council meeting on Tuesday, May 26, at 7 p.m. at Borough Hall.

In early 2026, Columbia Borough Council announced a Request for Proposals for the purchase and redevelopment of 41.388 acres at the site. The RFP, officially released on March 30, 2026, sought an experienced developer to purchase and transform the property into a development that would expand the borough's tax base and create jobs. 

Columbia Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade to be held Sunday, May 24

The Columbia Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade will be held at noon Sunday, May 24. Theme: “Honoring All Columbia Fallen Veterans.” Event kicks off with Bainbridge Band patriotic concert in Locust Street Park in the gazebo, followed by a Memorial Day parade at 2:30 p.m.

About Town — May 17, 2026

This week's photos of Columbia 

Click on photos to see larger, sharper images. 

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY 

Salem United Church of Christ at 324 Walnut St., believed to be the oldest church in Columbia, will close its doors after 220 years, the result of declining membership and attendance. 

The congregation was founded by German immigrants in 1803 on land donated by one of the town's founders, with the current brick building completed in 1860. Once drawing 75 to 100 worshippers on Sundays in its 1970s and '80s heyday, with the final service on May 24, Pentecost Sunday, which fittingly symbolizes new beginnings.

The property will transfer to the Keystone Conference UCC, which will determine next steps, and congregants are welcome to join Trinity Reformed United Church of Christ in Mountville, about 10 minutes away. 

Salem served the Columbia community through food distribution, free dinners, and hosting organizations including Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Rivertown Pride Center, and 12-step programs. The church was also notably Open and Affirming, welcoming LGBTQ+ members. Pastor Mark Harris, who has led the congregation for nine years, reflected that Salem's blend of tradition, history, and inclusivity is "rare in churches today." [Source:LNP/LancasterOnline]

This would be a good time to reinstate the name of this armory to the "Gen. Edw. C. Shannon Armory," considering it's Wrights Ferry/Columbia's 300th anniversary, and the town's in a "history mood."

The first two blocks of Walnut Street will be closed for a few months, just in time for the 300th anniversary celebration and the Chip Factory hotel opening. Couldn't the construction have waited a while?

Here's a celebratory banner at the Columbia Historic Preservation Society on the first block of North 2nd. Across the street is the new hotel. This block will be affected — indirectly — by the Walnut Street closure.

Meanwhile, on the 200 block of Locust 

You gotta act right. 

Students' Arbor Day art

A juvenile mourning dove in the morning 

It's not mourning, though. Just taking a bath 

What's that price again?

Peonies galore . . .

*****************

The Daniel Bus at Tollbooth Antiques . . .

Also at Tollbooth: part of a lift (?)

Sparrow, apparently content 

This tree grate on Locust has become a tripping hazard.

There were free pony rides at the Market House on Saturday. 

And there are the ponies.

*****************

A road crew fixed that nasty pothole on the 100 block of North 5th Street (Route 462) after a resident reported it to PennDOT.

What happened at McGinness?

A rolled grass seed mat was added to the dirt piles from last week.

Then, one day, everything was gone.

The apartment building project on South 9th is going full force.

*****************

Parking restrictions are coming up at River Park. 

Birdwatchers were at River Park the other day, no doubt watching for falcons under the bridge. While there, they couldn't have missed . . .

a goose invasion . . . !

*****************

Columbia Curiosities always has a unique window display. 

###

Observations on Columbia's finances: What officials might not want you to know

Dearest Gentle Reader,

First of all, your dedicated correspondent must thank the Columbia Spy for the privilege of publishing her column in this space, which will now appear weekly on Sunday mornings and will focus on the doings in Columbia in this, its 300th year. 

And now, it is with a heart most tenderly divided — between the keenest anxiety and the most cautious optimism — that your devoted correspondent takes up her quill to address the matter of Columbia Borough's financial affairs. The present circumstances demand not merely attention, but earnest contemplation.

Let us begin with the unvarnished truth: with a budget of over $9 million required to sustain Borough operations and yet a total of only $2.3 million presently in hand, one need not possess the mathematical acumen of a Cambridge scholar to perceive that the ledgers are in considerable distress. One notes, with charitable restraint, that the Borough has been conducting its fiscal affairs entirely without the guidance of a finance manager for several months past.

In February of this year, the Borough Council voted unanimously to seek a bridge loan of $2 million to carry the municipality through the treacherous financial waters of early 2026. This, following a tax increase to 10 mills in 2024 that proved insufficient. Whether said loan was ultimately approved remains unclear.

The previous year closed with a shortfall exceeding one million dollars. Rather than raise taxes, the Council drew upon reserves — reducing them to a mere $300,000, a figure officials themselves have called "uncomfortably low." Your correspondent would suggest that is a phrase of considerable understatement.

Among the Borough's additional financial obligations: the Columbia Market House continues to operate at a loss since its multi-million dollar renovation and 2019 reopening, with Council Vice President Heather Zink suggesting it shall remain "in the red" for the foreseeable future. The Columbia Crossing building requires $500,000 in repairs. The recently acquired Ridge Avenue property will demand several millions more to ready it as the Borough sheds. And a series of municipal bonds (originally $9 million) taken out a decade ago remain outstanding. The list continues. 

Further unsettling news arrives in the form of Truist Bank, which shall depart Columbia Borough on July 28, 2026, leaving the community without a banking institution. One council member said this is the third time in ten years in which a bank has left the Borough. Most remarkable is the Council President's candid admission that he is uncertain how one attracts a replacement bank, or indeed whose responsibility that task might be. One hopes clarity on this matter arrives before July.

And yet, your correspondent insists upon this point: Not all is doom and gloom. Borough officials are actively pursuing several avenues of relief: the sale of the former McGinness property, for which bids (if any) will be opened on Monday, May 18th with a minimum of $6.2 million; the sale of Borough sheds and the former Front Street firehouse; and the long-anticipated receipt of $1.75 million in state RACP funds for the Market House — though hopes for that particular sum diminish with each passing season.

Should these transactions proceed favorably, a large tax increase may yet be avoided for 2027, and Columbia Borough may find itself upon considerably firmer ground.

(This correspondent must also note with sadness the impending closure of Historic Salem United Church of Christ on Walnut Street — founded in 1803 and the oldest congregation in the Borough — which shall merge with Trinity UCC in Mountville after more than two centuries of faithful presence in Columbia.)

In short, the challenges are real and they are serious. But communities of character have navigated troubled waters before, and this correspondent has every confidence that Columbia possesses the resolve to see it through.

With warmest regards and the most vigilant of quills,

Your Most Devoted Correspondent,

Lady Whistletown 

P.S.,The views expressed herein are offered in the spirit of civic transparency and community concern, with no malice toward any individual — only the deepest affection for Columbia Borough and all who call it home.

Columbia Borough School District offers lessons about how to ensure schoolkids get vaccinated [editorial] | Our Opinion | lancasteronline.com

Vaccination rates for measles, mumps and rubella vary among Lancaster County students, but one local school district is setting the standard: Columbia Borough School District. Pennsylvania requires schoolchildren to be vaccinated against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), hepatitis B and bacterial meningitis, but exemptions are available.

Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. But thanks to dangerous and misguided anti-vaccination forces, measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases are making a comeback.

While 94% of the kindergartners at Park Elementary School, Columbia’s sole elementary school, were vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella for the 2024-25 school year, 100% of Columbia seventh and 12th graders had received both doses of the MMR vaccine.

One-hundred percent.

In discussing this achievement, former Columbia Superintendent Bob Hollister pointed to the tight-knit nature of the Columbia Borough School District community.

The day you move into Columbia, he observed to LNP | LancasterOnline, “you’re a Columbian. So they do ... look out for one another.” This has led to a “sort of a community incentive to keep everyone healthy.”

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/opinion/editorials/columbia-borough-school-district-offers-lessons-about-how-to-ensure-schoolkids-get-vaccinated-editorial/article_73497784-3cef-45c3-821f-0607688913da.html 

An entire magazine was once dedicated to Columbia's General Shannon

Columbia history – Did you know?

The July 1939 issue of  The Pennsylvania Guardsman 

Did you know an entire magazine was dedicated to Columbia's General Edward C. Shannon? It's true!

The July 1939 issue of The Pennsylvania Guardsman was dedicated entirely to General Shannon on the occasion of his retirement. 
For readers looking to do a deep dive into Shannon's life and career, the following text, derived from articles in the July 1939 edition of The Pennsylvania Guardsman, is provided. This issue is believed to be in the public domain. Readers who want to try an even deeper dive can access a copy of the magazine at the Columbia Historic Preservation Society at 19-21 North 2nd Street.

On June 24, 1939, one of Pennsylvania's most distinguished military careers came to a close when Major General Edward Caswell Shannon retired as Commanding General of the 28th Division after fifty years of unbroken service to his state and country. The man his troops affectionately called "Two Yard Shannon" — because he was always that distance ahead of his regiment's front line — left behind a legacy that spanned two wars, a border conflict, and decades of dedicated peacetime service.

Early Life and the Call to Service

Born on June 24, 1870, in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania — a town nestled near the historic grounds of Valley Forge — Edward Caswell Shannon grew up steeped in the traditions of American patriotism. The son of Frederick Hallman and Janet (Murray) Shannon, the young Shannon frequently stood in awe before Washington's former headquarters, deeply moved by the sacrifices of the Colonial troops who had suffered there nearly a century before.

He pursued studies in metallurgical chemistry at Lafayette and Lehigh colleges, and worked as a chemist and later as a manager for several industrial firms in Columbia and Phoenixville. Yet his true calling was always the military. On April 10, 1889, at the age of eighteen, he enlisted as a private in Company C, 4th Regiment Infantry, Pennsylvania National Guard — and never looked back.

Rising Through the Ranks

Shannon's rise through the enlisted and officer ranks was swift, driven by an eagerness to master the military craft that caught the attention of his superiors from the very beginning. Within a decade he had advanced from Private to Captain, earning his promotions as Corporal (1890), Sergeant (1891), Second Lieutenant (1893), First Lieutenant (1896), and finally Captain on February 21, 1898.

When Congress declared war on Spain in April 1898, Captain Shannon immediately volunteered his services. He served with distinction in Puerto Rico, returning to America at war's end and mustering out of federal service on November 16, 1898 — only to re-enter the National Guard and continue his climb.

By 1904 he was a Major, and on April 22, 1915, he was chosen to lead his regiment as Colonel. In 1916, when Mexican border troubles arose, Colonel Shannon led his command to the defense of the border, remaining there until January 17, 1917.

World War I: Birth of a Legend

When America entered the First World War in April 1917, Colonel Shannon was ready. He mustered into federal service on July 15, 1917, and was soon placed in command of the 111th Infantry, 28th Division — the famous "Iron Division" — composed of the old Sixth and Eighteenth Regiments of the Pennsylvania National Guard.

The regiment shipped overseas aboard the Olympic in May 1918. The voyage itself was eventful: on May 12, German submarine U-103 surfaced near the transport, but the quick action of Captain Bertram Hayes — throwing the massive vessel broadside — caused the sub to be turned over by the paravane. The ship's gunners fired five shells through the submarine, and destroyers secured thirty-one prisoners.

Landing at Calais, France, on May 14, 1918 — the first 28th Division unit to reach French soil — the 111th Infantry plunged into some of the war's most brutal fighting. Shannon led his men through Chateau-Thierry, the Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, Fismes, Oise-Aisne, Meuse-Argonne, and finally the Thiacourt Sector — four months and four days of the most intense combat of the entire war.

The price was staggering. At Chateau-Thierry, Shannon entered battle with 1,500 men of the old 6th and 18th units. Only 256 returned with him. The casualty list for his First Battalion alone recorded 20 officers killed, 33 wounded, 496 men killed, 2,077 wounded, and 482 missing. Yet through it all, Shannon was always at the front — earning his immortal nickname "Two Yard Shannon" from the men who watched their colonel lead from the very tip of the advance.

Drawings depicting Shannon's career

His personal bravery was formally recognized with a Silver Star citation by command of General Pershing, awarded for gallantry on July 24, 1918, at the Forêt de Fère, France, where he personally reconnoitered in front of his lines under intense machine gun fire. He also received the Distinguished Service Medal for contributing materially to the success of the 28th Division in its operations against the enemy.

The regiment's early valor had been recognized even before these engagements. On July 4, 1918, French Colonel Matter of the 153rd French Infantry Regiment wrote a glowing commendation of the 111th's two platoons who had fought alongside his unit at Hill 204 on July 1 — calling their conduct in their "baptism of fire" admirable, and praising their ardor, bravery, and hand-to-hand courage against the enemy.

Return Home and Postwar Command

Shannon returned to New York from France a hero. When asked by reporters for a comment, he smiled and said simply: "We cut hell out of them." He then led his regiment up Broad Street in Philadelphia to the cheers of thousands.

His promotion to Brigadier General came on June 19, 1919. He was appointed to command the 56th Infantry Brigade, Pennsylvania National Guard, and later the 52nd Cavalry Brigade in 1926. On March 24, 1933, following the retirement of Major General William G. Price, Jr., Shannon was assigned to command the 28th Division itself.

His confirmation as Major General by the Pennsylvania Senate in March 1933 was itself historic — the Senate unanimously confirmed his appointment without the formality of referring it to the Committee on Executive Nominations, the first time in the history of the Senate that this formality had been waived. Governor Gifford Pinchot, in signing the bill, declared that Pennsylvania "needs and wants" Shannon as its Commanding General.

Commander of the 28th Division

As Commanding General of the 28th Division, Shannon brought the same disciplined, principled leadership that had defined his field command. Colonel Robert Morris, Chief of Staff of the 28th Division, outlined Shannon's objectives upon taking command: to qualify himself fully for command of an infantry division; to train all arms and services to function as a coordinated command; to foster in every officer a sense of responsibility as a leader; and to raise the division's military education to the highest level attainable by citizen soldiers.

His methods were tested dramatically during the catastrophic Pennsylvania floods of 1936, when more than 50% of the National Guard was mobilized within fifty hours under the most adverse imaginable conditions. Operating almost entirely by telephone and radio, with officers given sweeping local authority, the division brought order out of chaos across a front of nearly 500 miles — saving lives, feeding communities, and forming a cohesive chain of command in circumstances that would have overwhelmed a less well-trained force.

He also oversaw two Army Command Post Exercises at Camp Dix and Camp Devens, and established a Division Staff school — later extended to Brigade and Regimental staffs — that significantly improved the efficiency of command throughout the division.

Civilian Life and Public Service

Shannon's service was never confined to the military sphere. He served as Prothonotary of Lancaster County and as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. He was a director of several corporations, a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1932, and a tireless supporter of hospitals, the Red Cross, Boy Scouts, and civic improvement.

For eighteen years he served on the Board of Trustees of the Pennsylvania Soldiers Orphan School, never missing a meeting and contributing immeasurably to the school's growing efficiency and reputation.

Farewell to a General

On June 17, 1939, more than two hundred officers of the Pennsylvania National Guard gathered at the historic Union League Club of Philadelphia to honor Shannon at a testimonial dinner. Speakers included Brigadier General Smedley D. Butler, retired Major General of Marines; Major General J. K. Parsons of the Third Corps Area; Admiral Julius C. Townsend of the 4th Naval District; and many others representing all branches of the armed forces.

General and Mrs. Shannon received a silver punch bowl and ladle from the officers of the 28th Division, and a silver service tray on behalf of his staff.

A week later, at Indiantown Gap on June 24 — his birthday — Shannon took a final review of the 52nd Cavalry Brigade, the unit he had commanded for a decade, and attended a farewell luncheon with officers from all branches of service.

Legacy

Major General Edward Caswell Shannon retired as one of the most beloved and respected commanders in the history of the Pennsylvania National Guard. His men knew him not as a distant authority but as the grey-haired man who was always ahead of them in the line, who prayed over his decimated platoons returning from their first battles, and who gave fifty years of his life in the service of his state and nation without hesitation or complaint.

As Sergeant Major Vincent E. Carmichael of the 109th Infantry wrote of him: "He is a real officer and a gentleman."

The standard he set for the 28th Division, his colleagues pledged, would not be forgotten — a standard built not on paperwork or ceremony, but on loyalty, fairness, discipline freely given, and the unshakeable belief that every soldier deserved to be treated with justice and supported in the performance of his duty.

"Two Yard Shannon" — always two yards ahead — had earned his rest.

Additional information and photos are presented HERE.

First two blocks of Walnut Street to be closed for several months for road construction project

The 100 and 200 blocks of Walnut Street will be closed from May 28, 2026 until sometime in September for a road construction project that includes new curb and sidewalks, street lighting, bike lane, paving and conversion to one-way from Third Street to Front Street.

Columbia received about $900,000 in 2020 in federal money distributed by the Lancaster County Metro Planning Organization. The borough will supply the rest of the estimated $1 million construction cost.

LONG-TERM ROAD CONSTRUCTION - WALNUT STREET FROM FRONT TO NORTH THIRD STREET | Columbia Borough Police Department

https://crimewatch.net/us/pa/lancaster/columbia-boro-pd/10552/post/long-term-road-construction-walnut-street-front-north-third-street 

Agenda — Columbia Borough Parks & Rec Advisory Board Meeting — May 14, 2026