March 16th, 2016 by WCBC Radio

It was just two years ago that some area officials were calling for the abolishment of the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority- and there were cries from some segments of the community to demolish the Footer Dye Works building. Those days appear to be in the distant past. During Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Canal Place Board- executive director Dee Dee Ritchie reported that a once discussed performance audit of the authority has been placed on hold- and the multimillion dollar commercial re-development of the Footer building is on track for a December completion.  It was in January of 2014 when then Delegate Kevin Kelly and then County Commissioner Mike McKay called for disbanding the Authority in favor of continuing the tourism hub’s operation under the shared responsibility of the city and the county.  Later that year public sentiment was growing and a petition circulated to raze the Footer building.  Ritchie said she learned this week that House and Senate committees in Annapolis came away impressed with the progress at Canal Place during recent budget hearings…