Dark and vacant for 14 years, the former Guilford Mills plant may be in good business shape by spring.
That's according to Jamie Place, a co-owner of Mill Services, the Cobleskill company that bought Guilford late last year.
"We're going through the channels to get the power, gas and water back on," Mr. Place said on Thursday.
Schoharie County had owned Guilford for several years after taking it for back taxes. Sales to a few potential buyers looked promising, but none materialized until Mill Services stepped up.
The company, which is the largest manufacturer of Eastern White Pine finger joint boards in the Northeast, agreed to buy the plant for $400,000 in September.
The deal closed just before Christmas.
Mill Services is already using Guilford to store boards manufactured at its MacArthur Avenue mill.
However, plans call for Mill Services using only about 120,000 square feet of the plant. The company plans to rent the other 385,000 square feet to other businesses.
Mill Services will use the building farthest east for its purposes and lease the rest.
"There's been some interest, some discussion," Mr. Place said. "A few of the folks that were interested in the past have been involved."
Although Mr. Place didn't name the interested parties, Butternuts Brewery and Green Recycling Solutions International were previous potential buyers.
So far, Mill Services has been cleaning, doing exterior work and a few repairs, Mr. Place said.
"We've got to get the lights and power back on. It's quite an investment," Mr. Place said. "We're working in that direction.
"We hope by spring to turn the lights on."