When Kevin Dixon was a young man growing up in the City of Linden, he always remembered walking to football practice at the field behind the Linden Manufacturing Company building and calling it

“The sewing plant”. Well now Dixon, who is the chairman of the Linden Industrial Board has a chance to revive the building, so future generations can have a chance to have memories of the building besides it being just an eye sore.

The LMC building has been on the minds of Linden citizens for the past few weeks as to either tear the building down or repair it for future businesses. During the Linden City Council meeting on Monday, City Administrator Cheryl Hall told the council members about the bids she received for the different options for the LMC building.

Hall said there were three different options for the contractors to bid on. She also said the three options were to repair the leaking roof, destroy the building and the air conditioners, and to destroy the building and leave the air conditioners.

“The winning bid that was accepted by the council was $2,550 from Eves Construction to repair the roof,” Hall said.

Industrial board member Charles Ballas said during the meeting that there was some interest in the building from some outside investors. After Ballas said there was still interest in the building, Linden Mayor Pat Vice said $2,550 was a cheap investment in the future of the 60 year old building.

Dixon said a man and a woman have contacted the Industrial Board about the building. He also said they wish to remain nameless at this point, but the excitement of the potential investor was written all over his face.

“I feel very good about the possibly of this company locating to Linden,” Dixon said.

He said they have asked him questions about the structure and about the wiring of the building. He also said the roof was the biggest problem, but thanks to the council that problem is no longer a major one. He also said that they were going to send their executives to look over the property and make a recommendation.

“This would be huge for the City of Linden and Marengo County as a whole,” Dixon said.

He said the company said they were looking to hire about 40 employees at first and then expand to as many as 200. He said just think about what 40 jobs could mean to the City of Linden.

“If they choose not to come here, then I don’t know what the future holds for this old building,” Dixon said.

He said they have been asking other questions about what the city has to offer to their employees also other things to do in the county. He also said they wouldn’t be asking those types of questions unless they had already narrowed the list down to include Linden.

“In my heart, I know we are in the top three to land this business and to give this town jumpstart,” Dixon said.