The interior of the Norway Opera House during a tour on Aug. 24. Evan W. Houk/Advertiser Democrat

NORWAY — Westbrook-based Credere Associates, LLC will conduct a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review on the historic Norway Opera House ahead of planned renovations.

The Norway Select Board approved the $4,500 bid for the company to complete the required federal environmental reviews to identify and mitigate any issues during its regular meeting Oct. 17.

Project Manager Dennis Lajoie, who is also a former town manager of Norway, explained that he received three bids for the work, and he recommended going with the lowest price.

“They can start right away and it would take 60-90 days to complete it,” Lajoie said. 

The town is acting as the “responsible entity” for Norway Downtown and the Norway Opera House, which is required to obtain grant funding.

Norway Downtown has been awarded a $1.79 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that will be funneled to the Norway Opera House Corp. to fulfill its mission of transforming the 1894 building into a fully functioning opera house.

Built in 1894 after the Great Fire on Main Street, the opera house hasn’t been used for entertainment or performances since the 1980s, when it housed a movie theater. Since then, it has sat mostly vacant, its interior wearing down because of neglect.

The Norway Select Board will next meet at the town office at 7 p.m. Nov. 7.