It's been hard not to notice the paint peeling on the Boothbay Harbor Opera House over the last few years. It was equally hard not to notice the scaffolding being erected on the north side of the building Feb. 4.

The Opera House board of directors awarded a contract to Frohmiller Construction of Bath to remove the old clapboards and trim, install new materials and pull out all the stops to keep the moisture away from the new boards.

Opera House Board and Building Committee member Eric Marden said the job had been put out to bid, but “didn't get a great response.”

“We put it out a second time and Frohmiller came through. We thought they could meet our timeline and our budget for the work,” Marden said adding, “Nothing was done wrong the last time (when the opera house was painted), the trapped moisture in the old boards caused the paint to peel. It was time to bite the bullet.”

The scaffolding was scheduled to be completely erected by Monday - the snow put a damper on finishing up on Friday. Once the scaffolding is up, Safety Works will be called in to be sure it meets requirements. After the crew of 4-6 gets the OK, a reinforced fire retardant sheeting will be put up around the scaffolding creating a tent to keep in heat in and to help protect the building - and the workers from the elements.

Marden assures that the historic details will remain intact. The old oak trim is being replaced with mahogany. Kiffer said once the trim is removed it will be taken to Tidewater Mill Works where it will be used to create replicas, then primed and painted.

The new clapboards are clear green red cedar and will be primed and given one coat of paint - on all sides to create a complete seal - before putting them on the building.

The oval window will be removed, and depending on “What they find” it will be refurbished or replaced. The work for the window is being funded by the Friends of the Opera House.

If a new window is the best course of action, Marden said Boothbay Harbor master stained glass artist Dick Macdonald may be commissioned to design, and create, the new window.

Precautions to keep the moisture out also includes installing a draining plane, or rain screen, to be installed behind the clapboard. The drain provides a place for any wind driven water to be pulled away from the boards and away from the building.

Performance scheduling had to be light due to all of the work. Cathy Sherrill, executive director of the venue, booked two shows in February – and none in March.

Frohmiller Construction anticipates completing the work by May 1.  A final coat of paint will go on in the spring once things get warmer.

“We've got most of the funds needed for this work raised and set aside,” Sherrill said. ”But if we want to continue the project around the whole building, we will have to do some fundraising. We'd definitely welcome donations to help offset the cost ...  no Jackson Browne or Mark Knopfler benefit concerts to the rescue this time!”

If you are able to make a donation, make checks payable to the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, with the notation on the memo line: “exterior restoration.”

Frohmiller Construction’s other recent local projects include the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library and the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor.