NORWAY — The Norway Maine Opera House Corp. is set to vote Tuesday on a $50,000 donation toward the stabilization of the historic Opera House, corporation President Dennis Gray said Thursday night.

The nonprofit corporation attempted to buy the Opera House in 2003 when it was outbid by Barry Mazzaglia of Bitim Enterprise in Londonderry, N.H. Last month the corporation voted to submit a proposal to the town to acquire the property.

The money would be added to the $200,000 donation recently made by Bill and Beatrice Damon and another $150,000 that the town hopes to get through a Community Development Block Grant. A total of $185,000 of the Damon money is expected to be used to pay the fair market value of the building from an eminent domain settlement with Mazzaglia. The remainder of the money will go toward stabilization efforts.

A portion of the Opera House roof collapsed on Sept. 21, 2007, due to the weight of water pooled on the sagging roof. The collapse severed a sprinkler pipe, adding to the flood of water that cascaded to the two first-floor businesses and compromising the building.

Two engineering studies, going back to Oct. 1, 2007, state the building could collapse if the back wall is not stabilized.

Town voters opted last month to take the building by eminent domain once officials determined that the current owner would not or could not ensure the building’s safety.

A judge must first set a fair market value, but officials feel the court will go along with a building appraisal done by the town.

The 17,618-square-foot building, which sits on about a quarter acre downtown, has been appraised at $185,000 by Patricia Amidon of Amidon Appraisal Co. in Portland. It includes a one-story log building next to a three-story brick building with a clock tower and full basement.

Town Manager David Holt told a group of about a dozen people at the public hearing for the state grant Thursday night that the “dramatic step” of acquiring the building through eminent domain was made to ensure the safety of the downtown area and because of the historic value of the building, which is part of Norway’s town seal and in the heart of the downtown National Historic District.

Holt commended Mazzaglia for the work that he initially did to the building after the roof collapsed.

“I believe he (Mazzaglia) did his best to reinforce the roof and to the credit of his work I think the building is still upright. I don’t believe he has the resources to keep the building upright,” Holt said. “I believe it’s beyond the means of the current owner despite his best efforts. It’s beyond his means to make the building safe.”

Holt said Mazzaglia was in town this week shoveling snow from last weekend’s storm off the roof. 

Once the town acquires the building, it will take immediate steps to cordon it off and ensure it’s not accessible through the windows or fire escape.

Then the costly part of the project will begin as the back wall and roof are strengthened.

When the building is stabilized, Holt said he will recommend to selectmen that a new owner be found. The transfer of ownership will not include the historic clock tower, which the town currently has an easement on to maintain, he said.

“We will pick the best proposal for the town of Norway,” Holt said of future ownership.

Meanwhile, officials keep a close eye on the building as snow begins to pile on the roof. Engineers have estimated that as little as 12 inches of snow and ice on the roof may further compromise the roof.

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