Old Hospital Building Costly For Western Md. Town

CUMBERLAND, Md. (AP) -- Cumberland officials say they're starting to lose hope that a former hospital will ever be more than a financial burden on the city.

Mayor Brian Grim and City Council members said last week that maintaining the former Memorial Hospital is costing $250,000 a year.

The Cumberland Times-News reports that about a dozen tenants occupy parts of the building. It was vacated two years ago when a new hospital opened.

Ridgecrest Development of Frederick has a 10-year deal to find tenants for the building but the city can take it back if sufficient progress isn't made.

Grim says that if leasing the space doesn't work, the city might have to consider demolition.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)