Columbia Spy has learned that the borough received zero bids for the second round of its attempt to sell the former McGinness Airport property.
State law limits the borough’s options going forward. Borough Solicitor Evan Gabel has said at a previous meeting that if the borough receives no bids in two consecutive rounds, council would then be permitted to negotiate directly with prospective buyers rather than restarting the sealed-bid process a third time.
Council officially released its most recent Request for Proposals (RFP) for the sale and redevelopment of theproperty on April 17, 2026, with a deadline of September 18 for bids.
This second RFP was put out after council unanimously voted in May 2026 to reject an initial $6.35 million bid by Saadia Holdings, which had proposed converting the 41.388-acre site at 1020 Manor Street into a data center campus.
A landmark 1860s building at 425 Union Street is set to become a pregnancy resource center after clearing a historic preservation review. The plan must now be approved by Columbia Borough Council.
Align Life Ministries, based in Lebanon, PA, is renovating the building, long used as a gentlemen’s club (most recently “Club Good Times”), to be used as the Align Life Ministries Pregnancy Center. The $1.5 million project, submitted through Speedwell Construction of Manheim, calls for a complete overhaul: new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, a reconfigured interior layout, and new exterior windows, roofing, doors and siding. The plans also include an accessible ramp to the main floor topped by a metal-framed canopy, with a similar canopy proposed for the rear of the building, between the main structure and an attached garage.
Align Life Ministries is a faith-based, pro-life nonprofit that provides pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, parenting classes and other support services. The organization currently operates out of a smaller office at 462 Chestnut Street in Columbia. The ministry, which recently purchased the building for $275,000, said it had outgrown its former space and needed a larger facility (the Union Street building is roughly twice the size) to accommodate a growing number of clients and expand its services in the Columbia community.
Because the property sits within Columbia’s historic district, the borough’s Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB) was required to weigh in before any exterior work could proceed. The board held a public meeting on September 9 to review the application, which had been submitted August 13.
According to the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County, which submitted comments ahead of the meeting, 425 Union Street is a two-and-a-half-story, four-bay Italianate commercial building dating to 1860, featuring a bracketed cornice, arched attic windows, spaniel-ear hoods, and original shutters on its first-floor windows. Two attached brick carriage houses sit at the rear of the property.
After considering that information, HARB recommended approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness for the project, with conditions.
The matter now heads to Columbia Borough Council, which is scheduled to vote on final approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness at its regular meeting on September 22.
Columbia Borough Council will hold a special meeting on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. to discuss a proposed ordinance that would create a detailed regulatory framework for data centers within the borough.
The meeting will be held in the auditorium of Columbia Borough High School, 901 Ironville Pike.
Only borough citizens and taxpayers may comment during the discussion, after council comments. Speakers must state their name and address when recognized. Council will be discussing section by section.
Public comments from out of town or comments about other topics will be at the end of the meeting.
The is a special meeting to discuss data center text only. No formal vote will be taken. The meeting will be livestreamed on the borough’s YouTube channel.
Draft Ordinance 2026-966 — Summary:
This ordinance amends Columbia’s zoning code (Chapter 220) to add comprehensive regulations specifically for data centers, changing their zoning classification to “Special Exception” in Light Business and Light Industrial/General Industrial districts.
Key provisions include:
Definitions: Adds terms like Data Center Accessory Use, Data Center Electric Substation, Sensitive Receptors, etc.
Setbacks: 150 ft from property lines generally (50 ft near Conservation District)
Height limit: 100 feet max
Noise limits: Specific dBA/dBC caps, stricter near “Sensitive Receptors” (schools, hospitals, homes, etc.)
Buffer yards: 100–200 ft buffers depending on building footprint size, with detailed landscaping/berm requirements
Power: Encourages on-site generation; requires utility verification of adequate capacity; on-site lines under 34.5kV must be buried
Water: Encourages closed-loop cooling; requires SRBC approval for high water use
Safety: Fire-rated equipment enclosures, NFPA compliance for battery storage
Environmental Impact Assessment required, covering air quality, stormwater, comprehensive plan consistency, annual utility-use reporting
Community Benefits Agreement required before final approval (clean energy commitments, possible fire dept./low-income utility assistance donations)
Decommissioning plan required
Green building/LEED encouraged; solar-ready roofs required, with mandatory rooftop solar for buildings over 500,000 sq ft
Riparian buffer protections for sites near waterways (100+ ft buffers with native vegetation zones)
The ordinance would take effect 5 days after enactment.
A group of art enthusiasts looking to celebrate works inspired by the Susquehanna River are one step closer to establishing a permanent home for its art collection.
The Susquehanna River Art Collection purchased 22 S. Second St. in Columbia, with the facility planned to open to the public in 2027.
The collection, which was established over a decade ago, aims to highlight “the under-recognized role the river has played in the cultural, social, and economic growth and development of the nation.” Works span from the 1600s to the present, and recent acquisitions under founder and chief curator Rob Evans include works by Thomas Hart Benton, George Beck, Robert Henri and Franz Kline.
Jack Brommer, who has spent nearly three decades serving Columbia Borough in different roles, has submitted his resignation as borough manager, effective November 13, 2026, according to a letter posted on The Columbia Chronicle. So far, the reason for his resignation has not been made public.
Resignation letter
In September 2025, as part of a planned succession, he took on the role of interim borough manager while continuing to serve as police chief — a dual role he maintained through April 2026. During that transitional period, he earned a $118,000 police chief salary plus a $2,000 monthly stipend for his added manager duties, with guidance from part-time assistant borough manager Ron Youtz helping smooth the handoff.
On May 1, 2026, Brommer made the transition official: he retired from the police force after 29 years of service and stepped into the role of full-time Columbia Borough Manager, with a starting salary of $110,000 per year. His retirement as chief cleared the way for Holly Arndt, who was unanimously approved by the borough council on April 28, 2026, to take over as Columbia’s new Police Chief. Arndt officially assumed the role on May 1, 2026, and was formally sworn in during a public induction ceremony on May 5, 2026.
Brommer joined the Columbia Borough Police Department in 1997 as a patrol officer and rose through the ranks to become chief of police in 2011, a post he held for roughly 15 years.
Multiple units responded to Columbia River Park at 10:13 am Monday (9/14/26) for a report of a man who jumped from the Veterans Memorial Bridge. According to dispatch audio, the man was seen floating under the bridge. A witness said he then started to swim towards shore. After being rescued, he was transported by ambulance.
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