Last modified: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 8:57 AM EDT Attleboro downtown plan takes new hit BY GEORGE W. RHODES SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - A second company expected to build in the new industrial business park has pulled out, dealing another blow to the cash-strapped and trouble-plagued Attleboro Redevelopment Authority. With the ARA already reeling from the loss of Automatic Machine Co., an official from NeedleTech Products said Tuesday his company has declined to extend its purchase-and-sale agreement with the ARA for a 6-acre parcel in the park under construction off County and Tiffany streets. Company President Ronald Routhier said he's concerned his parcel won't be ready soon enough to meet the firm's deadline to be in a new building. Routhier said the park is "still an option," but time is running out. An extension of the purchase and sale agreement would be the fourth and could prevent the company from acting on other opportunities, he said. "We need to make sure all of our options are open right now," Routhier said. He said the company is actively looking for a new location, but has not committed to any. "We have a need, so we're searching," said Routhier, whose firm employs about 150 people and is growing, fueling the need for a new facility. NeedleTech operates out of two buildings. It owns a small building on John Williams Street and rents space on West Street. NeedleTech's decision comes on the heels one made public two weeks ago by Automatic to cancel its plans to build in the park. Automatic aims instead to move to an existing building in a Taunton industrial park. A time crunch and soaring development costs forced Automatic to pull out, owner John Holden III said. ARA Chairman Benton Keene said the dead deal is bad news for the cash-poor agency that was depending on money from land sales to boost its operating budget this year. "If we can't use money from land sales, we can't proceed with our plan to get people in there," he said. ARA Executive Director Michael Milanoski said the decision was "a disappointment." The lost money is crucial, he said. "If we don't come up with additional revenue, we can't sustain the IBP project," Milanoski said. While the ARA has money to build roads and other infrastructure, it does not have money to supervise the projects. A lack of administrative funds will eventually stop the work, he said. The ARA has always struggled to find money to run its office, but this year the city declined to fund it from the federal Community Development Block Grant as it has in the past, adding to the problem. Mayor Kevin Dumas said the city would provide $75,000 to $125,000, but the source and timetable have not been determined. In addition, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has questioned $1.2 million in ARA spending of the grant money and could require repayment of some or all of it. HUD would require the city to pay the money, but the city could seek reimbursement from the ARA.