LEBANON - The arson-damaged downtown building that housed the Pregnancy Alternatives Center is getting a new roof, with a complete stripping down to the frame and rebuild planned for the coming year.

The center has found temporary lodging in a rental home on the same block and plans to reopen there on Oct. 13.

"We're celebrating right now," said Executive Director Debbie Tracy.

On Monday, construction crews began ripping the roof and rafters off the building, heavily damaged by a Sept. 10 arson fire.

The culprits have not been caught, but the Lebanon Police Department and the FBI are still investigating.

Shingles could be up on the structure as soon as the weekend and the roof is to be finished sometime next week, said Bob Gerig of B&B Gerig Inc.

Workers will then rip out the insulation, plumbing and flooring and save what they can of the frame in order to rebuild.

"At this point, we're planning to come back to this location," Tracy said.

The center has rented a home, at 193 W. Vine St., that came on the market a week before the fire.

"We approached the owners and they supported what we're doing. Actually, the whole neighborhood has been phenomenal," she said.

Workers will spend the coming days outfitting the home with Internet, phones and furniture in preparation for a grand opening on Oct. 13.

Tracy said what the center needs most right now is financial support. Information on how to donate can be found at the center's website, www.possiblypregnant.org

/lebanon.

The phone service has also been reinstated. The number is 258-3500.