BERLIN– Demolition continues on Main Street as several buildings undergo major renovations.
Town staff said this week that while demolition work was underway at the Main Street storefronts owned by Jack Burbage, safety precautions were in place. While the entire project is estimated to be complete in six months, the demolition work that’s impacting sidewalk accessibility and parking spaces in front of the building is only expected to take two months.
“We’re looking forward to the end result,” Mayor Zack Tyndall said. “I think it’s going to be a big impact to the town.”
Councilman Dean Burrell asked staff this week to outline the precautions in place as the buildings at buildings at 11 N. Main Street, 7 N. Main Street and 15-19 N. Main Street undergo renovations.
Town staff said that crews had put up a chain link fence, cordoned off nearby parking spaces and installed additional support columns.
“They’ve put up a fence to keep that distance between pedestrian and the construction site,” said Ivy Wells, the town’s director of economic and community development. “They’ve also coned off the parking area right around those buildings. They’re in hazmat suits because of all the stuff they’re finding. It’s like the movie ET.”
Police Chief Arnold Downing said the demolition portion of the renovations, which started just after the first of the year, was expected to take two months. The entire project should take about six months.
“We’re doing patrol checks just to make sure no one’s trying to get inside,” Downing said.
Wells said that the work seemed to be moving along quickly.
“I think they’re doing well with their schedule due to the pleasant weather we’ve been having,” she said. “We’re working together on contingency plans in case that construction does move into event season.”
She said she was developing alternatives for event layout as well as farmers market layout to that vendors wouldn’t be located too close to the construction area.
The long-anticipated renovations are expected to leave the town with a variety of new storefronts. Wells said the spaces were being sought after by merchants.
“I believe all the retail spaces are taken with the exception of one,” she said.
