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88 Main

The facade of 88 Main is finished and now the work begins to find a tenant. Linda Lemmon photo.

 

 

Next 

chapter:

Filling 88

Main with

hospitality

By Linda Lemmon

Town Crier Editor

PUTNAM --- With the facade 99 percent finished, 88 Main now adorns the town's center. And now the owner is turning his attention to filling the gem with high-end hospitality.

Bruce Dexter II said he's been working diligently trying to find the right tenant for inside the now-spectacular building. The facade is finished and the supports inside are done. Dexter said he's been "inundated" with interest for tenants. He said he favors leasing the building to a high-end corporation that would fill the building with hospitality such as hotel rooms, restaurants and more.

"We're talking very high end," Dexter said. He's currently in discussions with hospitality corporations. He said the tenant may wish to build out the shell themselves; however, he does have a team assembled to do a customized buildout including B.W. Dexter Inc., Rose Construction (which did the facade project) and Kevin Tubridy, New England Design, Inc., who  designed 88 Main facade. 

Dexter added that if the negotiations go well, the "fit out" could be accomplished in eight months to a year. It would not take much time, he said, because there is no site work, no skin on the building to deal with. "It's all there" to customize, he said.

Dexter said that the facade is 99 percent done. The electrical panels recently were installed and all that remains is the installation of the real front doors, in place of the plain white "stand-in" doors.

Dexter Properties LLC purchased the building in October 2009.  Dexter had said at that time he wants to put  in a restaurant, retail space and, on the top two floors, a boutique hotel.

A state Urban Action grant of $400,000 was used for civil and structural engineering for the project and for demolition, shoring, and facade work.

 

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