News Photo by Julie Goldberg Nick Brege, director of facilities for Alpena Community College, talks Wednesday to the ACC Board of Trustees about replacing three sections of the roof at the Newport Center.

ALPENA — After 23 years of wear and tear, sections of the roof at the Newport Center at Alpena Community College will be replaced.

The college’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved Wednesday for IRT Commercial Services, out of Traverse City, to replace three sections of the roof. That will be around 67,000 square feet.

The building was constructed in 1996. Parts of the roof are original and need attention.

Nick Brege, director of facilities for ACC, said 23 years is about the life expectancy for a roof.

The cost is not to exceed $245,869, with a 20-year warranty. That is under the college’s proposed budget of $250,000 for the project, Brege said.

Brege said the process for replacing the roof started a year ago. He said routine maintenance has been completed on some sections over the past three and four years.

“It’s getting to the point now where roofing experts are looking at the seams that hold the roof membrane together and they’re recommending that we go a step further and restore the roof,” Brege said.

Brege said roofing season is just getting started, so the project should be completed in June and will take three weeks to complete.

President Don MacMaster said there are resources available to complete the project, so now is the time to do it. He said the bidding process went well.

“I think it’s the right thing to do and the price is right,” MacMaster said.

Julie Goldberg can be reached at 989-358-5688 or jgoldberg@thealpenanews.com. Follow her on Twitter @jkgoldberg12.