By Amy S. Evans, AICP

If you attended APA PA’s Annual Conference in Lancaster in early October, you heard about an ongoing redevelopment effort in Columbia Borough during Tuesday’s plenary session. Afterward, several of our members wanted to know more, so we reached out to Columbia Manager Mark Stivers, AICP, who shared a wealth of information.

New plans for McGinness Innovation Park in Columbia Borough have their roots in the 58-acre site’s use in the 1940s as the private McGinness airport. As the last undeveloped property of any significant size in the borough, the McGinness tract is expected to play a major role in Columbia’s economic future and drive new revenue to support the long-term tax base. Since early 2020, borough staff have worked to acquire the land, identify and remediate environmental issues, and develop two conceptual reuse plans. In July of this year, the Commonwealth Finance Authority (CFA) awarded the borough and the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Lancaster County a multi-million dollar loan/grant package that will cover the costs of grading the site, building roads, and installing utilities.

A key partner in this work has been DR1 Group, a nonprofit organization that uses unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technology to promote education, workforce development, scientific research, and public safety. DR1 plans to use the McGinnis site for the Keystone Aviation Training Center, or KATS. KATS aims to be Pennsylvania’s center-of-excellence for UAS, where public programs can operate alongside commercial endeavors and academic training – all focused on unmanned drone research, training, and development. As the centerpiece of a statewide initiative, KATS will connect government, industry, and academia to advance the use of unmanned technology in activities like package delivery and passenger transportation.

KATS’ design maintains McGinness’s original 1940s grass landing strip as a runway and provides space for hangars, a drone/helicopter port, and multi-story office and mixed-use buildings. Although the growth potential of an innovation park is clear, Columbia is not putting all of its eggs in one basket. An alternate concept plan provides for a variety of multi-use and multi-tenant buildings, including potential new residential units. Both concept plans blend seamlessly into the borough’s existing street network and include a walking trail through a nature preserve along with other recreational uses that provide benefits to residents beyond economic ones.

“Columbia has a rich history of cultivating industry and attracting residents to Lancaster County,” said council President Heather Zink in August of 2021. “By purchasing this property, the last large tract of land available in the borough, we feel we are in the best position to control redevelopment and usher in a new era for Columbia.” If you’d like to find out more, detailed plans and reports are available on the Borough of Columbia’s website.