August 19th, 2020 by WCBC Radio
Negotiations to purchase the remaining properties at the future site of the Cumberland Gateway business development along Maryland Avenue are continuing and the goal is to see new commercial construction underway by the end of this year. Often referred to as the Rolling Mill project, the 3.5-acre tract is situated off Exit 43D of eastbound Interstate 68. Located between Maryland Avenue and Park Street and Emily and Williams streets, the site was selected five years ago as the future location of a plaza that would contain a hotel, restaurants and shops. The tract contained 69 properties when the project began. Although most of the homes were cleared from the site nearly two years ago- a few houses and parcels of property remain- having have not yet been acquired. Paul Kelly, participating in his final meeting as executive director of the Cumberland Economic Development Corporation, which is overseeing the project, said Tuesday he would anticipate real progress within the next few months…
August 19, 2020 at 5:41 am, mac said:
Pretty smart of CEDC to wait until these uncertain times have many people worried about infection and joblessness to dangle money in front of homeowners one more time.
August 19, 2020 at 6:37 am, Welchy said:
Progress is always months away!
August 19, 2020 at 6:40 am, DPM said:
LOL, How many times have we heard this claptrap b.s. before??
August 19, 2020 at 7:55 am, Dan said:
DPM every time you open your mouth you weaken the nation.
August 19, 2020 at 10:15 am, DPM said:
> whatever, moron
August 19, 2020 at 10:36 am, Jay said:
DPM, you and Dan are the Kings of name calling.
August 19, 2020 at 10:39 am, Ed Dodrill said:
We need a Costco at that site. No Dollar Generals!
August 19, 2020 at 11:10 am, mac said:
> Cumberland needs a lot of things but somehow they are never on the agenda.
August 19, 2020 at 12:44 pm, Ron said:
I agree no more dollar stores. Costco,Target,Home Depot, Lidl come to mind
August 19, 2020 at 2:18 pm, Kevin said:
> For any of those to appear here, we need a base of people working jobs beyond food service and pizzas. With no economic base these places won’t be here. They go to communities where people have jobs that are not tourism based. We’ll get some burger places, a bigger Chic-fil-a, a new 7-11, and maybe, just maybe a little IHOP and this will divert more money out of town and kill local investments like Patrick’s, Oscar’s, and others. Brilliant plan from Grimm and Kaufman, still choking us to death.
August 19, 2020 at 3:16 pm, mac said:
> Sorry, but it looks like IHOP is on it’s way into bankruptcy. Another sign of the times.
But I certainly agree with your assessment of the job, or lack of jobs, in this area. The CEDC and their ilk have entirely given up on bringing real work to this area. We will have to get by on burger flipping and seasonal, part time work.
August 19, 2020 at 11:41 pm, Kevin said:
> Thank you, the failure of the chains nationally (granted this is really a different type of crash) underlines the problem with the original strategy. Another issue will be ‘promised ‘ state money to re-engineer that exist. With State revenues in the dumper because of the COVID crisis, how many decades will that take? Still waiting on a couple of bridges that can get funding today but nothing.
August 19, 2020 at 7:10 pm, Jay said:
None of those will come here.
August 20, 2020 at 11:43 am, Informed Disent said:
And no local politician has yet to address this: https://www.unitedforalice.org/county-profiles/maryland?fbclid=IwAR1ah2EZk7zBG1f2HXScHJWM0IvgDCoPioU2RECO5h0GtWpN6GWcoklKH0E