THOMASVILLE, N.C. (WFMY) - On the corner of Salem Street and West Main Street in historic Thomasville, North Carolina, sits a brick building facing the railroad tracks - the oldest two-story building in the town. And it's also going to be Robert Dacosta's new home.
Dacosta started working on renovating the second floor of the building earlier this year. He said his wife had hoped they would have already been moved in at this time, but a wet summer had pushed his timeline back, thanks to a leaky roof. And with Florence expected to bring more rain this weekend, he said the forecast is not looking good.
"I expect a lot of water damage," he said. "A lot depends on the winds and what damage it does."
Even with buckets catching the rhythmic drips from the ceiling, there are still water stains on the wooden floor throughout the building's second floor. According to Dacosta, he will not be able to work on certain sections of the house until the leaks are fixed, though he did receive some encouragement from his granddaughter Saturday morning in the form of a weather forecast.
"She said, 'Grandpapa, I don't think you're going to get hit by the storm,'" he said. "'I think it's going to turn up the coast and come to New York.'"
Dacosta has scheduled a roofer to come and fix his leaks this coming week, but if the storm stays too long, Dacosta said he will likely have to delay that appointment.
He said at this point, he is hoping he and his wife will be able to move into the building in October, even if it is only partially finished.
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