Columbia Spy

“It’s a great opportunity. We’re so grateful that you chose our borough,” Sahd said.

Mike said he was warned not to open the restaurant at this location, because people told him the place was “jinxed,” but, defying superstition, he did so anyway. He said he was surprised by the immediate response on opening day, when 20 people came into the restaurant right away. Now that the business is taking off, he is planning to bring his wife here so they can live in the area.

The building previously housed Salsa’s and Emerson’s, among other establishments.

 Another vandalized bench plaque at Columbia River Park

Many birds high on a wire

 Many dollars deep in a hole.

The trolley was a grand experiment, but outlays and revenues didn’t match – by far – despite the presence of the affable Andre Underhill (foreground), owner, driver and tour guide. Andre’s wife, Kelly (far left), is co-owner of Rivertowne Trolley Co., LLC.

 But no worries, Andre will return with the trolley this coming Saturday, October 8, for Albatwitch Day in Columbia. Funding will be provided exclusively by passengers.

 Some big trees were cut down at Mount Bethel Cemetery – and needed to be – due to falling branches. 

 The Weeping Angel is safe once again.

(Note the wing that was reportedly damaged by a falling branch.)

 Decorative tombstone at Holy Trinity Cemetery

 Baby possum on Heritage Drive

 “Can’t we all just get along?”

 Another condemned building, this one at 337 Cherry Street

 “Dog feces in several of the rooms” –  yuck!

 It’s beginning to look a lot like . . .  Halloween – on Bethel Street

 “After the game” snacks at Columbia First Church of God, 7th and Walnut.

 Abandoned pickup?

The owner lives in Lancaster.

  The truck’s been sitting on North 7th for a while.

 It even has a bed full of . . . water.

 This property on North 7th is on the blighted list but should probably be taken off, since the owner is taking steps to bring it up to par.

Painting by L Weber & Son Painting

 A unique way to mark parking spaces.

 On Avenue F

 Parking lot grillin’ on North 4th

 The Grinch is back to his abnormal self, after changing into Trump and then Hillary.

 He might actually be the best candidate of all.

 Do what now?

A few of those letters aren’t even in the alphabet.

 This one’s for sale, too.

 These signs seem to be getting close.

There’s nothing like togetherness.

 

There’s a new way for Columbia to confront vacant, abandoned and blighted properties: the Lancaster County Land Bank.

Matthew Sternberg, executive director of Lancaster County Housing & Redevelopment Authorities, gave an “information only” presentation about the Land Bank last Monday night at a joint meeting of the Columbia Borough Council and the Columbia Borough School Board.

Sternberg described the concept as a collaboration of the borough, the school district, and the Land Bank, providing a means for remediation of blighted and other troubled properties. The entity does not have eminent domain powers (as a redevelopment authority does), but it can assemble funding for blight remediation and site upgrades, and can acquire, develop, demolish, or otherwise dispose of real property. A land bank also has the ability to buy a property prior to a tax sale to properly revitalize it and can even extinguish outstanding liens. According to Sternberg, the objective of the land bank process is to rehabilitate a property and get it back on the tax rolls at a much higher level.

Columbia Borough currently has 26 properties in various stages of blight.

Sternberg said that no other municipalities have finished the process of joining the Land Bank yet, which entails a one-time membership fee of $5,000 and an annual fee of $1,000.