Newcastle Publick House LLC, the owner of the Newcastle Harbor House condominium project, will apply for a permit necessary to complete exterior construction next month.
Tor Glendinning, a Newcastle architect and representative of the project, met with the Newcastle Planning Board Sept. 20.
The board, after about 30 minutes of discussion, asked Glendinning to return Thurs., Oct. 4 with the necessary fee and paperwork for the board to consider the new permit.
Glendinning said the building owner expects windows, currently on order, to arrive Oct. 10, at which time the contractor would install the windows and siding, which is already on site, effectively completing exterior construction by the end of October.
Newcastle Publick House LLC also cited an issue with the windows when their previous permit expired in May.
The project at 75 Main St. has been repeatedly delayed, and some board members expressed skepticism about when or whether the company intends to complete the building.
Town attorney Peter Drum told the Newcastle Board of Selectmen Sept. 24 he recommends adding conditions to the permit in case the company fails to complete the building.
Drum later met with the selectmen in executive session to further discuss the matter.
Drum said the conditions might include a letter of credit or performance bond that would allow the town or a third party to complete construction at the owner’s expense if the owner fails to do so.
Drum said he believes the developer will complete the project, although the town will leave “all of its options open” and will not “let the issues slide anymore” should delays continue.
In other Newcastle Planning Board business, the board granted conditional approval to a change of use application from Lincoln Academy.
The high school plans to convert classroom space at its Hall House into a dormitory for 24 students and apartments for “dorm parents.”
The board unanimously approved the application but instructed Newcastle Code Enforcement Officer Stan Waltz not to issue a permit until the town receives letters from the Fire Marshal’s Office and the Newcastle Fire Dept.
The board also elected David Bailey and Lee Emmons to serve as chairman and vice chairman, respectively. Bailey has served as interim chairman since the December 2011 resignation of the former chairman.
