CUMBERLAND — With no bidders biting at the chance to rehabilitate and develop the Footer Dye Works building, a request for $2.5 million in capital funds from the state’s fiscal 2014 budget has been formally withdrawn.
Even before the withdrawal, the request by the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority wasn’t going anywhere. Lacking consensus, members of the District 1 legislative delegation took no action on the request.
Funding requests rarely move forward without delegation support and introduction of a bond bill by local legislators.
Dee Dee Ritchie, executive director of the authority, withdrew the request in letters to members of the legislative delegation and Gov. Martin O’Malley on Wednesday. Ritchie cited the lack of bidders interested in developing the property.
“Please note that this is a temporary setback for Canal Place,” Ritchie wrote to O’Malley. “There are many other projects moving forward in the Canal Place Heritage Area,” Ritchie said.
A Feb. 11 letter by Ritchie to O’Malley said that the capital budget request for the Footer Dye Works building had the “full support” of the District 1 legislative delegation.
Delegation members had not publicly committed to introducing a bond bill or taking other action in support of the request.
Delegation members had expressed support for Canal Place in general, and some members indicated they would support a state funding request with conditions, mainly centering on finding a developer that has a firm commitment to the project.
Delegate Kevin Kelly has explicity opposed using any state tax dollars to rehabilitate the Footer Dye Works building.
Kelly said the only way he’d change his mind would be if a developer signs a formal agreement to develop the building.
Other delegation members also sought assurance of a clear plan for the property before supporting using additional public funds for the project. The Allegany County Chamber of Commerce also opposed the capital funding request in a January letter to Andy Vick, chairman of the authority.
“The chamber respectfully urges the CPPDA to carefully consider alternatives to the use of additional public funds to renovate the exterior of the Footer Dye Works building. ... Additional public funds should not be used if a viable developer cannot be secured in a reasonable amount of time. If a viable developer is secured, additional public funds should not be released without a strict contractual and financial commitment from the developer,” the chamber letter said.
Contact Matthew Bieniek at mbieniek@times-news.com.
Latest news
Related Photos
-
DEE DEE RITCHIE
Canal Place cans capital funds request
Authority director withdraws appeal to O’Malley, delegation
- Latest news
-
-
County: Increase in water rates planned
Many customers in Allegany County will likely see a small increase in their water and sewer rates during the upcoming fiscal year.
-
Rocky Gap Casino Resort flush with visitors; 1,000 estimated on first day
Nearly 300 people were waiting outside and in the lobby Wednesday when Rocky Gap Casino Resort officials emerged at about 4 p.m. to announce they had received a call from the Maryland gaming commission that they were approved to open.
-
Live music takes center stage at 6th DelFest
With more than 30 musical acts set to take the stage at the 6th annual DelFest this weekend, now might be a good time to let folks know about some of the bands that will headline this four-day music festival.
-
Bear in tree
A crew from the Maryland Wildlife & Heritage Service successfully removed a young female bear from a tree in South Cumberland Thursday morning, eventually releasing the bruin on state-owned land in Allegany County.
-
Frostburg adopts $9.7M budget, keeps alley open
The Frostburg mayor and city council have voted to adopt a $9.7 million budget for fiscal year 2014 and to keep open an alley that many citizens feared would be closed by the city.
-
6th annual DelFest has arrived
Thirty national recording artists are preparing to step into the Cumberland spotlight this weekend at the Allegany County Fairgrounds as DelFest rolls into town for its sixth annual musical festival.
- Rocky Gap casino opens
-
‘Time just kind of stood still’
Helmeted rescue workers raced Tuesday to complete the search for survivors and the dead in the Oklahoma City suburb where a mammoth tornado destroyed countless homes, cleared lots down to bare red earth and claimed 24 lives, including those of nine children.
-
City hopes economic strategies clear way for job creation, growth
Shawn Hershberger, economic development coordinator for the city, gave an update of the strategies being pursued for economic growth, including developing an educational center at the former Human Resources Development Commission location.
-
Protesters rally at FirstEnergy meeting
At least 200 union workers picketed FirstEnergy’s annual shareholder meeting in West Virginia on Tuesday, demanding the Ohio-based utility hire enough people to keep the power on without forcing an ever-shrinking labor force to work as many as 1,800 hours of overtime a year.
- More Latest news Headlines
-
County: Increase in water rates planned
