A nonprofit is working to purchase a building in Columbia as part of efforts to bring art to underserved communities and rejuvenate the area.
Columbia Creative Factory, an offshoot of the successful Lancaster Creative Factory, has been operating in the old Heineman’s Department store building since 2016, with volunteers leading free and low-cost classes for children, veterans and others.
After generously donating the space for years, the owner is now looking to sell the Locust Street property and is allowing the group time to raise funds to buy the building and keep growing its programs, according to the nonprofit. But now that deadline is nearing.
“We need to settle on the building by the end of February,” said Andrea Campbell of Natural Light Films, a volunteer who’s part of the project committee.
Downtown Lancaster business The Pottery Works is part of the picture, with plans to open a second location in the building.
Pottery Works owner Marcie Natale said she envisions the same paint-your-own pottery offerings featured downtown, although the Columbia space is slightly smaller.
“We opened in Lancaster in 2003, I would say at the onset of what I call the renaissance here in Lancaster,” Natale said. “I see in Columbia what I saw in Lancaster.”
About $220,000 has been raised over the last year, Campbell said, and at least $55,000 more is needed.
“It’s getting tight, but I’m feeling very good about it,” she said.
Mayor Leo Lutz said he believes the borough needs Columbia Creative Factory, and he hopes efforts to buy the building are successful.
He noted that veterans and children who attend the Boys and Girls Club — which is right across the street — are among those who enjoy free and low-cost classes in the building.
“I don’t think you can have a complete community unless you have the arts,” he said.
Three-story building
The building at 247 Locust St. has three stories.
In addition to rent from The Pottery Works, Campbell said, the plan is built around rent from artist studios — about eight small open ones, plus three larger secured ones — as well as space on the third floor that could be apartments or more studios.
The apartments were rented until the effort to buy the building started, Campbell said, and on the studios, “It’s close enough for people who are being priced out of Lancaster,” she said.
Buying the building and making a few necessary changes like putting an accessible bathroom on the first floor would cost about $425,000, she said, and the plan includes a $150,000 mortgage.
The Columbia Creative Factory is an offshoot of the nonprofit Lancaster Creative Factory, which is based at 580 S. Prince St. But the Columbia group’s property on Locust Street would remain on the tax rolls.
Campbell noted that the Hinkle family that owns the building has been “very generous” in giving Columbia Creative Factory free use of the building since 2016 and giving it time to try to raise funds.
Community support
John Hinkle has contributed $50,000 to the fund, according to Columbia Creative Factory.
Other major donors it reports so far are the Steinman Foundation, $50,000; Turkey Hill Dairy, $25,000; and Roger Sandt, $25,000 plus $25,000 matching funds.
The Steinman Foundation is a local, independent family foundation funded by the companies that comprise Steinman Communications; those companies include LNP Media Group.
