MACHIAS, Maine — The owners of Helen’s Restaurant hope to submit plans to state officials soon for a new building and begin construction within weeks.
David and Julie Barker also hope to open the new restaurant by the end of February, the husband said Tuesday.
“That’s our goal,” said David Barker, who discussed the company’s plan by phone, “to open by mid-winter.”
The landmark restaurant was destroyed by a fire that erupted in the early morning of July 11. The blaze caused the evacuation of an adjacent motel and blocked traffic on U.S. Route 1. The cause of the fire could not be determined.
The architectural firm the couple has retained is working on the final aspects of the building plans, Barker said. “Hopefully next week we can take it down to Augusta,” he said, to be reviewed by the office of the State Fire Marshal. The plans are being developed by Bayshore Steel Detailing in Cutler.
He plans to hand deliver the plans with the architect to state officials and hopes they can be approved the same day, Barker said. Construction can begin when the plans are approved. The Barkers already have been issued a building permit from the town of Machias.
The Barkers have retained a general contractor, Houlton-based Buildings Etcetera Inc., and bids already have been solicited from contractors for the excavating and concrete work, which could begin in a few weeks.
The company still is settling the insurance claim, which will be an ongoing process, he said.
“Things are positive,” Barker added. “So far, so good.”
As of Tuesday, an online fundraising campaign to benefit employees had collected $32,734 from 403 donors.
In addition, anyone can make donations to a fund set up at Machias Savings Bank. Someone else is overseeing the fund, Barker indicated, and he was not immediately familiar with how much had been collected in it.
Monies are distributed to affected employees every two weeks, Barker said.
A coalition of Machias-area businesses and organizations met soon after the fire to coordinate various fundraising activities to benefit the employees. The activities included, among other things, a benefit supper at a local elementary school in early August.
In addition, sizeable donations have been made by Emera Maine linemen, the medical staff at Down East Community Hospital, Machias Savings Bank, Bar Harbor Bank and Trust, and others.
Impacted employees are able to receive unemployment benefits for six months, which would end in January.
However, with some planning, some affected workers may be able to “stretch” benefits to cover through the last few weeks in February, said Julie Rabinowitz, a spokesman for the state Department of Labor.
For example, if a worker got a temporary holiday job for a month or so and chose not to file for jobless benefits during those weeks, they likely would be able to continue filing after the temporary job ended, she said.
Unemployment benefits are available for 26 weeks, Rabinowitz explained; they do not have to be taken consecutively but within a “benefit year.”