Although a timeline hasn’t been announced and plans still need to be finalized, one of Bridgeport’s premier businesses is getting itself ready for a $1.5 million expansion that could also lead to several new jobs for the area.

 

Darren Abraham, the president and chief executive officer of Abraham Linc, said land acquired recently that still needs formal approval for rezoning would be part of the expansion. However, the one tract of land needing rezoned for business use he has emphasized is only for a new parking lot.

 

“It’s going to be a 25,000 square foot warehouse addition. Instead of going 24 feet up, we’ll go 32 feet up to use the cubic capacity,” said Abraham, who said the expansion will allow for a new density of pallet at the location.

 

While many may have seen the building that is situated just off Main Street and behind the Bridgeport Municipal Complex, Abraham said he’s aware many may not be aware of what the company does. He also said he’s not sure many realize how big of an operation is in place just off of Route 50 and the role Bridgeport plays in that operation.

 

“This is part of our expansion mode that we’ve been in since Jan. 1 of 2012 when we opened a Baltimore distribution and Waynesboro (Virginia) distribution center. Bridgeport is our hub and our company headquarters,” said Abraham, who said the $1.5 million cost includes the addition of the new expansion, the land acquired and the excavation. “I don’t believe a lot of people know that about us unless they know about us personally.

 

“We fit, in a very big way, into the supply chain of flooring products,” he continued. “I guess we’re a community sleeper company, but we’re not quiet when it comes to be involved with the schools, local charities and other good causes. We consider ourselves very upfront and a leader in the community from that standpoint.”

 

Abraham said part of the reason people may not know what takes place in the 91,000 square foot facility is that the name Abraham Linc does not say anything about the product. As mentioned above, the company is a wholesale distributor of floor covering products. And business at the company has been good.

 

Abraham said there are roughly 80 employees based at all the locations. He said approximately 50 of them are at the Bridgeport location – maybe a few more.

 

“Our administration, executive positions and certain contact and sales positions for delivery throughout the western mid-Atlantic portion that we serve are all here in Bridgeport,” said Abraham.

 

The company, he said, had 44 employees roughly five years ago. The planned expansion, he believes, will eventually result in 20 new jobs bringing the total more than 100 employees. The number is needed as Abraham Linc provides products and services to West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and South New Jersey.

 

“We’ve been in this building since 1990 when we leased it from Rish Equipment. When the City of Bridgeport bought it from Rish, we purchased our portion back in 2002,” said Abraham. “Looking at investments since that time, it’s close to $3 million-plus when you have the original costs figured in. It’s a nice facility that we want to make even nicer.”

 

The planned $1.5 million expansion isn’t the first. Abraham said the company just finished an investment in an expansion that ran roughly $750,000.

 

“There aren’t that many buildings in Bridgeport under roof the size of our building,” said Abraham. “Even when we outgrow this building, which could happen, we feel confident a good corporate citizen will come in. It’s a great building that sits in the middle of Bridgeport.”

 

Abraham said if the growth continues and a new site is needed, he would prefer to find a site in Bridgeport. Right now, however, growth is contingent on City Council agreeing to the recommendation of the Bridgeport Planning Commission to allow for Abraham’s acquired property that will assist in the expansion.

 

On June 7, the Commission agreed to rezone two parcels now owned by Abraham totaling 5.76 acres that abut the existing Main Street facility.

 

The acreage in question is currently zoned Residential-1, which allows only for single family homes to be built on it. Abraham is seeking to have the first two acres in question – that abut his existing property – to be zoned Business-2, which would allow for large scale commercial business. In this case, he said for a parking lot, which he said is the only thing financially feasible to build on the property.

 

As for the remaining acreage, it would be rezoned from R-1 to Residential-3. An R-3 designation would allow for any type of residential housing from single family to condos and apartments.

 

Council did not approve the rezoning at its meeting June 14, but just to gather more information. The reason for that is that a handful of residents from the Rosewood Development where the property stretches to that would be rezoned, voiced concerns. The item is expected to be on Council’s agenda for Monday’s meeting.