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Vacant Thomasville Furniture building to be auctioned off to highest bidder

(Copyright by WSLS - All rights reserved)

APPOMATTOX COUNTY (WSLS 10) - The Thomasville Furniture building in Appomattox County, where a company was supposed to bring around 350 new jobs, is now set to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

The building will likely remain vacant for years to come.

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Meanwhile, the company, Lindenburg Industry, LLC, has several contractors suing it to get paid for work.

The Thomasville Furniture building has been vacant since the company closed in 2011, but all that was supposed to change when Chinese company Lindenburg Industry said it was moving in.

"Any county would love to have a client or prospect come to them and tell them and say they're going to spend a hundred thirteen million dollars and hire three hundred forty nine people, that's bigger than the steak dinner," said Appomattox County Economic Development Director Jeff Taylor.

The company even had the endorsement of Virginia's Governor, Terry McAuliffe.

Back in 2014, McAuliffe said: "To come here in an economically depressed area that's lost so many jobs, to bring this Chinese company over hear and create 349 new jobs, this is exciting. This is what I'm talking about, building a new Virginia economy."

Chamber of Commerce Director John Redding said he was convinced the company would be good for Appomattox.

"Anytime you get involvement at that level, you think things are pretty much on the up and up," said Redding.

That was in 2014. Hiring was supposed to begin in March of 2015.

Now, months later, Lindenburg has missed deadlines, and owes thousands on the property.

"It's hard not to be cynical, because they're not paying their bills," said Redding.

According to documents WSLS pulled from the County circuit court, the company has outstanding liens from three different construction companies.

The largest is from Blair Construction that is suing for payment of $309,000, plus interest. Taylor says the company would have brought $650,000 in tax revenue in the first year alone.

"People are disappointed and there's a trust factor that's going to be hard to overcome for the citizens of this community," said Taylor.

That property is set to be auctioned off on December 15th by the trustee for the property, the North Carolina Liability Company.

After that, the company can choose whether to take any offers, or give Lindenburg more time to make payments.

WSLS 10 reached out to Lindenburg Industry, but has not yet heard back.


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