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Columbia borough board tables COA for 240 Walnut Street after owner presents repair options
Summary
Property owner Daniel Falcone asked the Columbia Borough Architectural Review Board to replace deteriorated window headers and sills at 240 Walnut St.; the board discussed replication, 3-D printing and composite alternatives and voted to table the Certificate of Appropriateness until the applicant returns with drawings and material details.
Daniel Falcone, owner of 240 Walnut Street, asked the Columbia Borough Architectural Review Board on Dec. 10 to approve replacement of severely deteriorated window headers and sills on the street-facing façade. Falcone told the board much of the wood is rotted and that he would like to replicate the original profiles but is unsure where to source matching components.
The board pressed for more detail on materials and fabrication. A member urged Falcone to contact the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County for contractor referrals; Chairperson Lewis said the board’s review standards generally favor replication of original materials where feasible but that alternatives have been accepted by some municipalities. “You can poke your finger through almost any of those window headers,” Falcone said, describing the extent of deterioration. Chairperson Lewis noted that in some jurisdictions “3-D printing has been accepted” to reproduce decorative elements, and the board discussed creating molds, casting, or using synthetic or composite materials that closely match the original proportions.
Board members said they were not comfortable authorizing wholesale removal without seeing proposed details. Members requested scaled drawings or elevation views and indicated they would consider close-match synthetic options or carefully reproduced wood elements crafted by a local carpenter. Falcone said he would consult a carpenter he has used and return with proposed designs and cost estimates, aiming to begin work in the spring.
A board member moved to table the Certificate of Appropriateness for 240 Walnut Street pending additional information from the applicant; another member seconded and the board voted in favor. The chair declared the motion carried and the COA was tabled for review at a future meeting once Falcone provides the requested documentation.
Next steps: Falcone will consult local fabricators and carpenters, prepare scaled drawings or proposals, and return to the board for reconsideration. The board reiterated that a permit will still be required for exterior work.
