By The Columbia Chronicle Staff
COLUMBIA — One of downtown Columbia’s best-known old buildings has a new life. The former Becker Potato Chip Factory at 12 N. Second St. is now the Hampton Inn by Hilton at the Chip Factory, an 80-room hotel that has opened its doors and celebrated its grand opening.
It is the borough’s first downtown hotel of its kind, and it puts overnight guests within walking distance of the Columbia Market House, the National Watch and Clock Museum, the Turkey Hill Experience, Wright’s Ferry Mansion and the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail.
Who built it
The project was led by Don and Becky Murphy through Murphy Hospitality Group, part of the Murphys’ Cimarron companies, which have been working on a broader revitalization of downtown Columbia. Shaner Hotels runs the hotel day to day. Wohlsen Construction, Dever Architects and ELA Group were partners on the work, according to the Central Penn Business Journal.
The Murphys took on the building in 2018. Becky Murphy told the Business Journal the project “took years of patience, hard work and belief in what this building could become.”
Public support
- $500,000 from the Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authority
- $1 million from the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program
- Columbia Borough was also a partner on the project
What’s inside, and what’s next
The hotel includes custom guest suites in the historic part of the building, a fitness center, off-street parking, free breakfast, and pet-friendly rooms. A restaurant and seasonal rooftop lounge are planned to open in late spring 2027.
For downtown merchants, the math is simple: 80 rooms means more visitors staying the night, eating in local restaurants and walking Locust Street.
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