Leak in clock tower worries town manager

NORWAY — A potential leak in the clock tower of Main Street's historic Opera House has Town Manager David Holt worried about the building sustaining further damage, he reported at the December 20 selectmen meeting. 

The town retains ownership of the 1800s clock tower.

On January 19, 2012, selectmen voted unanimously to keep the clock tower, along with its protective shell, in their possession, along with a permanent easement, so they could access the tower to make any necessary repairs. 

On January 15, 2012, said Holt, engineer Al Hodson [of Resurgence Engineering in Portland] went up to the Opera House roof in a bucket truck to inspect the tower and attempted to replace some metal shingles that had blown off. 

But "he [Hodson] was unsuccessful because he was higher than the aerial ladder would safely reach," Holt explained. 

Holt said without those two metal shingles, there is concern about potential leaks. There is also concern of leakage where the base of the clock tower meets the roof of the Opera House. 

"It may need some attention," Holt told selectmen. 

"This one worries me," he said. "The building could sustain damage because of the leaking." 

In 2010, voters at a special town meeting authorized selectmen to take the Opera House property by eminent domain after a partial roof collapse on September 21, 2007.

The collapse severed a sprinkler pipe, which flooded first-floor occupied spaces in the building and compromised the building's stability overall. 

Ownership of the building, excluding the clock tower, has since been turned over to the Norway Opera House Corporation and the back wall has been stabalized.

In addition, the $1.1 million renovation of the first-floor storefronts, which began several months ago, is on the path toward completion. 

Just last month, NOHC member Bruce Cook reported two businesses had already expressed interest in occupying the storefronts and were negotiating details of a lease agreement with NOHC. 

If approved, the businesses interested, a gem store and a novelty business, will move in no later than February 1. 

Holt, at the December 20 meeting, said he will contact Hodson for an estimate on what it would cost to repair the leak and mitigate damages. 

"I think this is something we are going to have to deal with," Holt said. "Both sooner and later."