'Long overdue': Dover looks to spend $576K to restore clock tower in time for 400th

DOVER — The 87-year-old clock tower perched atop City Hall is in need of restoration work that could have a costly price tag of more than a half million dollars, according to city officials.

“This project is well overdue,” Deputy City Manager Chris Parker said. “We’ve done routine maintenance from time to time, but there hasn’t been significant restoration work done that anyone can remember. It needs both cosmetic and structural work.”

The current City Hall was built in 1935, as the country was recovering from the Great Depression. It was built to replace the former City Hall and Opera House building that burned down in 1933. There have been four City Halls in Dover’s history, all having similar clock towers. The first three were destroyed by fires in 1866, 1889 and 1933, according to records kept by the Dover Public Library. The current City Hall is the city’s longest standing municipal building, but with age comes the need for repairs.

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The City Council is considering a resolution to spend $576,000 restoring the historic clock tower.

“One of the clock faces is not keeping time with the other three sides, the dome needs to be touched up, and there are general structural elements that need to be replaced,” Parker said. “We thought as far as the project goes, it would be great to have it done before our 400th celebration next year.”

Parker said that the project has been on the books for roughly six years, as part of the capital improvements program. The clock underwent minor repairs more than a decade ago, which was when the city became aware of the long-term need for restoration to keep the clock tower structurally sound and the clock ticking.

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Mayor Bob Carrier said that City Hall is the "hub" of downtown and really sets the identity of the city.

"It's time," Carrier said. "I'm very happy with this resolution to repair the clock tower. Look at how beautiful the library roof is coming along. Things wear out, and need to be taken care of. This is City Hall, our City Hall. We want it to reflect who we are, we want it to look good."

The city went out to bid on the project. The bid total includes removal of the former communication tower atop City Hall, clock repairs, and new copper sheeting for the clock tower dome. The resolution would award the bid for the work to Careno Construction Company of Portsmouth, which is the same firm currently replacing the Public Library's 100-year-old slate roof.

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"These kinds of projects are expensive, but if you let it go too long the cost of that in the long run will be much more," Carrier said. "This isn't like a simple roof repair, you need specific equipment and expertise to get the job done."

Parker explained while it may seem like a large price tag, much of it stems from there being so few vendors that do this kind of specific historic restoration and clock work. Construction-wise, it takes a lot to prepare for work at that height so scaffording and cranes will likely be needed to complete the work.

Parker explained that the city hopes to seek additional funding in the coming year to do more cosmetic work to City Hall, with internal painting and external touch-up work.

The resolution will be discussed Wednesday night during the council's regular meeting, and will be referred to a public hearing on July 13. If the resolution is approved, Parker said that the city would hope to start construction in late fall and have it wrapped up over the winter, so the building will “look great by next year’s celebrations.”

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover NH looks to spend $576K to restore clock tower in time for 400th