Plan submitted to stabilize, repair unsound Columbia building

The owner of an old Columbia building deemed a collapse risk has given the borough a plan to stabilize and repair the building.

Jeff Helm, the borough's zoning and codes inspector, said Friday afternoon that stabilization work could begin as soon as Monday.

The owner hired Heisey Mechanical Ltd, of Columbia, to essentially brace the building so the brick facade can be removed and a new front wall built, he said.

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http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/plan-submitted-to-stabilize-repair-unsound-columbia-building/article_c3258438-3d3b-11e5-ad90-5f24b0872650.html

State call center with 129 jobs coming to Liberty Place in Lancaster city

Developer Bill Roberts had previously proposed renovating a Columbia fire house for the call center, with the financial backing of Columbia Borough, which offered to spend $835,000 to support the venture.

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http://m.lancasteronline.com/business/local_business/state-call-center-with-jobs-coming-to-liberty-place-in/article_91c07f54-3c89-11e5-8714-0fc1fd808e7a.html?mode=jqm

200 block of Locust closed to traffic until further notice

Bricks fall from building on 200 block of Locust - more signs of impending collapse

The building at 208-210 showed more signs of impending collapse as borough officials, police and fire police responded there this afternoon.  A neighbor called the borough office at about 3 p.m. to report that several bricks had fallen from the right side of the front wall.  A structural engineer hired by the building's owner, Samuel Bigler, was called to inspect the property. The 200 block of Locust Street was shut down and traffic was rerouted around the area.   Fire police will reportedly be on duty at the scene for the next 24 hours.

(MORE TO FOLLOW AS IT DEVELOPS)

The building has moved

On the scene now

Where are rates of police calls highest, lowest in Lancaster County?

In Columbia, at the western edge of Lancaster County, there were more police calls than residents last year.

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http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/where-are-rates-of-police-calls-highest-lowest-in-lancaster/article_a1c1e244-3b85-11e5-b160-235c1be4e260.html?mode=jqm

Crews battle second fire in as many days

Fire crews responded to a fire Tuesday afternoon at about 4:30 at 833 Houston Street to find flames showing through several windows. Firefighters from Columbia, Mount Joy, Wrightsville, Maytown, and Marietta battled the fire for well over an hour in humid conditions.  Although occupants of the residence were displaced by fire and subsequently helped by the Red Cross, those on the adjacent side of the duplex were able to reoccupy. As with Monday's fire on the 700 block of Locust Street, the fire was caused by unattended cooking in the kitchen of the residence. Belfor Property Restoration secured the property with plywood on doors and windows. The house is owned by Israel Weiss of BHI Properties at 254 Locust Street.