The renovation of the former Shaw School into the Gorham Municipal Center is expected to be completed by Oct. 22.

“The project is continuing to go well,” Gorham Town Manager David Cole said Friday.

Cole said the construction crew is now working on the portico. He also said that a small roof leak was discovered after the recent heavy rains, but he said no damage occurred.

The town hasn’t set a moving date. Cole said the November election and the November tax collection date could affect when the town offices would open to the public in the renovated building.

Located on South Street, the building will house municipal and school administrative offices. The school department now leases its central office space. The present municipal center on Main Street will be rehabbed for police, fire and rescue.

Gorham voters approved borrowing $5 million ($7 million with interest) for the project in a referendum in March of 2005. Before the vote, the town already had $2 million earmarked for the project from a previous referendum in 2003 that would have renovated parts of the building and demolished a section. An earlier plan was shelved because it would have cost $800,000 more than the voters had approved.

The former Shaw School was built as a high school in 1938 with additions in 1950 and 1976. It also served as a junior high school but has been vacant since 2003 when the new middle school opened.

The completion date of the renovation is two weeks later than originally estimated, Cole said

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