CUMBERLAND — The Hunter Douglas building at the North Branch Industrial Park has been sold, Allegany County Board of Commissioners President David Caporale said Thursday.
Hunter Douglas, maker of window blinds and coverings, in March closed the Cumberland facility, which was the company’s largest fabric plant and at one time employed more than 800 local people.
The decision to close the Allegany County plant was based on product demand and a need to consolidate operations, a company spokesman said in March 2023.
At that time, the company employed 361 people at the Cumberland facility.
According to a commercial real estate website, the industrial property includes a roughly 350,000-square-foot building on 35 acres.
The one-story structure, reportedly constructed in 2001 and renovated in 2006, contains 20 dock-high loading doors and five grade-level drive-in areas.
Amenities in the building include a fitness center and security system, according to the website, which did not list an asking price for the facility.
“Our staff has worked closely with (the company’s) team over the last several months to ensure this move is profitable and beneficial to us and them,” Caporale said Thursday.
“We’re very excited,” he said, and added that details of the sale will be released Friday.
In other county news, the commissioners agreed to:
• Give $500 to Westernport for its annual “Christmas” tree lighting and parade, as described in county documents.
• Accept an $84,332 School Resource Officer Grant from the Maryland Center for School Safety that will allow the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office to provide three full-time and two part-time deputies to serve as SRO’s for Allegany County Public Schools in fiscal 2025.
• Approve $650,069 of American Rescue Plan Act funds to buy a new vac truck for the county’s public works department.
• Approve $670,000 of ARPA funds for water meter upgrades in the Bowling Green district.