HAVERHILL — For two years, a sign in front of the old brick building on Washington Street has displayed the words "WE'RE RENOVATING.''
But during most of that time, no work has been done on the historic Whittier Building, longtime home of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce.
Tall weeds dominate the front yard. A chain-link fence separates the property from the sidewalk.
Chamber officials have repeatedly said the organization would eventually return to the building, but plans have changed, President James Jajuga said late last week.
He said it is unlikely the chamber will go back to the 87 Winter St. building, leaving uncertain the future of the building that was the high school attended by famous poet John Greenleaf Whittier in the early 1800s.
The chamber represents several communities in Greater Haverhill in both Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. In 2008, the chamber moved to its present offices in the Landmark Building at 80 Merrimack St. to allow extensive renovations to the Whittier Building.
At the time, the cost of the rehabilitation — including remodeled bathrooms; a new heating, ventilating and air conditioning system; a new roof; and new interior walls and ceilings — was estimated at $350,000.
"The bottom line is it needed more extensive renovations than we could afford," Jajuga told The Eagle-Tribune, the fact that makes it unlikely the chamber will return to the building.
Jeff Linehan, a member of the chamber's board of directors, said installation of a sprinkler system was among the improvements the chamber did not expect. The chamber hired a consultant who said the building did not need sprinklers, but the Fire Department insisted otherwise, Linehan said.
Jajuga said the chamber has spoken to a couple of "potential users" about leasing the Whittier Building, which he said is owned by the city. One entity in particular, he said, is interested in using the building and has been negotiating with both the city and the chamber for the better part of the year, he said.
"We are anxiously awaiting the results of that discussion," said Jajuga, who was hired to lead the chamber in August 2007.
He said he expects a new tenant for the Whittier Building will be revealed in a month or two.
"We feel very strongly it's going to be a good use of the building," he said.
Asked about the status of the building, Mayor James Fiorentini said, "Talk to Jim," referring to Jajuga. Fiorentini refused to comment further.
The vacant Whittier Building stands between Sal's Pizza and the Haverhill YMCA.
While there has not been any construction activity there for a long time, a number of the renovations have been completed, Linehan said. Energy-efficient windows have been installed, a handicapped-access ramp was built at the rear of the building, the roof was reshingled, the electrical and plumbing systems were upgraded and the furnace was replaced, he said.
The chamber did not need the second floor of the Whittier Building, but the new tenant will probably use both floors, he said.
The building is assessed at $588,000, according to city records. Around 1970, the city turned over control of the building to a group of local citizens who formed the nonprofit Historic Haverhill Inc. to raise money for a major renovation.
The arrangement gave Historic Haverhill control of the property but stipulates the property cannot be sold and that it reverts back to the city when the organization ceases to exist or is unable to take care of the property. The chamber moved into the 6,000-square-foot structure shortly after the earlier renovation.
Asked how much has been spent on the recent renovations, Jajuga — reached by cell phone on Friday — said he was on vacation and did not have the numbers with him.
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