After selling his half of a popular Lancaster commercial space, a local developer is turning his sights on a new project that he says will have a significant impact In South Central Pennsylvania.

York has five census tracts included in the federal opportunity zone program, which is designed to spark investments in distressed communities.

Six of Harrisburg’s 14 census tracts are designated as qualified opportunity zones, opening up large swaths of real estate across the capital city for new investment.

Officials and real estate professionals in Columbia, Lancaster County believe the potential for development there can be just as good as it is in bigger markets because of the borough’s federally designated opportunity zones, which include most of the downtown.

A vacant warehouse in Columbia is being renovated into commercial office space and the real estate firm behind the project aims to find interest among companies that may have trouble finding space in Lancaster city.