Towne Square reopens doors; pig roast is Saturday

By Gail Peckler-Dziki~Correspondent Five months after the Town of Salem shut the doors to Towne Square for unsafe conditions, those doors are again open. The building is shored up with support posts from the basement to the first floor, the first floor to the second and the second to the ceiling. The Towne Square was closed on May 1, after the town received complaints from people that bricks had fallen near them when they were outside the building. The building is nearly 100 years old and roofing repairs were done piecemeal by previous owners. Those repairs did pass inspection then, but failed this year. This shows how important it is to check your roof as most people don’t think about it and end up getting leaks or damages. If you check yours and find it’s in need of repairs then you can contact someone like the roofing company tulsa trust pro. Owner Richard Corduan opened his doors again on Sept. 27 and is happy about that. “The economy is still really tough. We aren’t out of the woods yet, we are right in the middle.” While getting the building shored up makes it safe for the public, Corduan still has major work to get done. Corduan and his dad have already begun some demolition by removing drywall and insulation from the hip roof at the very top of the building; the second roof and the original flat roof underneath still must go or must at least have a flat roof repair. Several rows of concrete brick must be removed and replaced before a new roof can be constructed. A grade beam, a concrete box, that will hold the block wall in place and provide a surface for the plates to be bolted, must be poured. The trusses for the new roof will be bolted to those plates and the new roof placed on the trusses. Contractor Bryon Perona says he is waiting for approval and permits for the project. “I want to spend the amount needed to produce a quality product in the end.” Current estimates for the entire project stand at $40,000. Corduan said that between benefits, cash donations from relatives and friends, summer garage and rummage sales and selling personal property like a vintage car and a boat have raised about 25 percent of what will eventually be needed for the project. “The bills kept coming,” he said, “the five months we were closed, but the income didn’t. We did get a liquor license but are still waiting for a regular cabaret license to we can offer karaoke again. That does real well for us.” There will be music at the Saturday, Nov. 9 pig roast because they have a special cabaret license. Corduan and his dad Richard Sr. hope to keep things rolling in the right direction. This could be problematic, since the town wants the old roof gone and the new roof in place before the snow flies this winter. They will need to get in touch with a firm similar to Prime Roofing in Jacksonville FL shortly to get the new roof installed as soon as possible. Raise the Roof A Raise the Roof Benefit Pig Roast is planned for Saturday Nov. 9, beginning at 3 p.m. Proceeds will help pay for the required new roof. Towne Square is located at 11338 258th Ct. Trevor. There will be food, music and 50/50 raffles throughout the day. For more information call (262) 862-7644.