NORWICH – More than twenty-one months after the commencement of rehabilitation on 24 East Main St., the once city-owned property has finally been closed on and buyer Chris Hayes, owner of Hayes Office Products, is planing to make use of the building by early to mid February.

The property has undergone extensive renovations since March, 2010 after the city received $200,000 in funds from the third round of the Restore New York Grant for the rehabilitation of the structure. While work on the property was originally scheduled for completion in June and work has taken longer than anticipated, the finished product has been worth the wait, according to city officials.

Hayes was the high bidder on the city-owned property last year and signed a sales contract with the city in September. He finally closed on the property Dec. 14 and according to him, only minor issues including the installation of a rain gutter and a ramp to make the building handicap accessible keep the building from total completion and prevent Hayes from obtaining an occupancy certificate. “There are only little quality issues to address just to meet specifications,” he added.

The upstairs of the newly renovated building has two high-efficiency, one bedroom apartments that will be rented out – hopefully to traveling business professionals seeking a short-term place to stay, said Hayes. “We’re hoping to work with local industries in temporarily housing some employees,” he said. Intentions are to make the downstairs retail space for Hayes Office Products’ commercial furniture sales, he added.