By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – People walk by whenever the door is open, poking their heads in to see what’s going on.

Vic Veilleux, the volunteer project manager for the Root Cellar youth center project on Birch Street, said the kids are his favorite.

“I say, This is for you, buddy,'” he said.

They’re still in the middle of renovation work, but volunteers for the faith-based center are opening their doors this morning to let their neighbors see what’s going on. They’ll have an information booth running a video about the program with some brochures to take home.

Meanwhile, other volunteers will be removing old insulation, getting the building ready for a new acoustical ceiling.

Organizers hope the open house will spur another round of donations.

The original Root Cellar began on Portland’s Munjoy Hill in 1984, offering teen and after-school programs. Since then, it has grown to include food distribution, English as a second language classes, community dentistry and counseling.

Work on the Lewiston center began one year ago. The Root Cellar bought the old cement-block building at 89 Birch St. and began looking for volunteers and donations.

The building is near the corner of Birch and Bartlett streets and within walking distance of Lewiston High and Longley Elementary schools. When completed, it will have a separate teen center and game room, a children’s ministry area and a larger community center. Everything will be connected by central offices, restrooms and a kitchen.

Right now, it’s just a wide open concrete space.

Overall, the renovation needs about $700,000 in cash and in-kind donations. In-kind help has been plentiful. Local contractors have helped frame the interior, install the drywall and new windows and pour the floor.

The work goes in phases. Donations come in and the work goes until the money begins to thin out. Donation drives start up again, and work continues.

“We just try to keep it moving, even if it’s only in baby steps,” Veilleux said.

The project hit a high note two weeks ago with the completion of a new heated concrete floor.

“That was a huge obstacle for everything else and we’re really glad to get that done,” Veillux said. First, volunteers had to level out the existing floor of the building, filling in low spots with 110 cubic yards of sand. Then, utilities went in, followed by insulation and pipes for the heating system. That was donated by the Maine Oil Heat Cares program.

They were finally able to pour the concrete about two weeks ago.

Next, volunteers will concentrate on installing the building’s plumbing, drywall and getting the building ready for neighborhood kids. With a bit of luck, it could be ready to go this fall, Veilleux said.

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