“This project is critical to maintain affordable housing in Saranac Lake and the town of Harrietstown,” said Harrietstown Housing Authority Executive Director Sarah Clarkin. “The good news is that we have all of the funding in place.”

The project will cost around $1.9 million, Clarkin said. Of that, the HHA is supplying $600,000. Another $814,211 is coming from a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant, awarded in September 2018. The last piece of funding, a $500,000 Community Block Development Grant, which is federal money disbursed by the state, was awarded in January.

The nine-story apartment building’s brick facade is chipped, cracked and warped. The concrete slabs between brick courses are similarly deteriorating, and moss has erupted from beneath windowsills.

“We want to cover that as much as possible,” said Shane Chatelle, project architect with AEDA.

Brick deterioration on Lake Flower Apartments in Saranac Lake has allowed moisture to seep into the building, seen from its western face. (Enterprise photo — Jesse Adcock)

The paneling — which includes a sheet to be laid against the brick, a layer of foam and then a metal panel — both insulate and help to stop moisture infiltration into the building, Chatelle said.

Before work can begin, Chatelle said the damaged portions of brick need to be repaired.

Clarkin said the HHA hopes to have the project completed by the end of this year. Now that the project has been approved at this level by the village, Clarkin said the next step is to give that notice to the state. Then a bid package needs to be developed, before being put out to contractors.