HAVERHILL — A local engineer has been hired to inspect the brick facade of the Woolworth building, which has stood vacant at Merrimack and Main streets for more than 40 years and ranks as perhaps the downtown's most prominent eyesore.
Paul Bergman, whose firm, Bergman and Associates, is headquartered at 20 Washington St., said his review will be confined to "the integrity of the brick facade facing Merrimack Street and the Basiliere Bridge." He said he has not been hired by the owner of the building, the Greater Haverhill Foundation, to do anything more than that at this point, though Bergman said a review of the structure's roof may be happening soon.
A chunk of concrete fell from the top of the building Monday morning. That prompted police to contact the Highway Department, which removed a couple of other pieces from the facade that appeared to be on the verge of falling.
Mayor James Fiorentini ordered the Inspectional Services Department to have a look at the deteriorating building and the mayor said the Greater Haverhill Foundation agreed to hire Bergman assess it.
Fiorentini said he wants a "full structural analysis" of the building, but Bergman said he has not been hired to provide that extensive a report.
Bergman said he expects to start his review of the facade next week. He said he will inspect all of the masonry and be accompanied by a mason.
In the meantime, the foundation has placed staging along the side of the building as a safety measure, Bergman said.
Bergman is a registered engineer and he said his report will be presented to the Greater Haverhill Foundation, which bought the Woolworth building for $1.4 million from Richard Cretarolo four years ago. Cretarolo inherited the building from his father-in-law, William Conte, in 1993.
Attorney Richard Sheehan, chairman of the board of directors of the Greater Haverhill Foundation, could not be reached.
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