NORWICH – Despite having missed its initial goal to have work completed by now, the Development Chenango Corporation is still making headway in giving the former Salvation Army building in downtown Norwich a substantial facelift.

DCC, a non-profit partner organization of Commerce Chenango, hit a milestone last week after the process of asbestos abatement was finally finished inside the facility, located at 17-19 S. Broad St. According to DCC officials, there’s still much to do with the dilapidated property before it can be unveiled to the public. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel, they say.

“The building is cleared now, so we are excited about moving forward with the project,” said Development Chenango Corporation Director Jennifer Tavares.

The Salvation Army building restoration project, initiated when the DCC closed on the building in March, has been underway for months. In that time, the DCC has secured low-interest loan funding in the amount of $200,000 from the Southern Tier Region’s Community Revitalization Program in December, leveraging an additional $250,000 in direct investments from the DCC.

And more funding for DCC may be in the pipeline as part of a recent application to the New York State Office of Community Renewal for $150,000 through the agency’s Rural Area Revitalization Program (RARP). If awarded, the DCC proposes using $50,000 in RARP funding for rehabilitation assistance for the building at 17-19 S. Broad St., and $100,000 for a separate downtown rehabilitation project - which will not be spearheaded by the DCC - at 42 and 44-46 N. Broad St.

“The application for (RARP) funding went out in August,” said Tavares. “We don’t expect to hear an answer regarding that funding until December.”