MASSENA — It will take at least one more week before the rubble from the January fire downtown is cleared up and rebuilding can begin, village officials announced.

The landfill that takes asbestos-contaminated waste is full because of the abatement project at the Massena Central School District. As a result, the village has to wait until space can be cleared to make room for the rubble from the fire that consumed 13-17 Main St. eight months ago.

Village officials and the business owners waiting to rebuild are resigned to the wait. They are content that the work will begin soon, after the long process of obtaining funding.

"We would prefer to see it go on time, which was originally planned to be Monday," Village Administrator Everett E. Basford said. "Sometimes these things arise. We're just happy to get it done."

Immediately after the fire, the cause of which was never determined, the village agreed to help with the cleanup. It secured funds from a community redevelopment grant in mid-July.

The village has never before helped private business owners with a project like this. Mayor Randy G. DeLosh and most of the Board of Trustees have said they would be willing to help again, in the event of another fire.

The fire destroyed the buildings that housed Novosel Associates, Tony's Pizza — a town landmark for almost 40 years — the Hair Saloon and what used to be La Bottega. The owners of the buildings did not have the money to complete the cleanup and rebuild, so the village approached them and offered a hand. The village announced the cleanup contract had been awarded to LVI Environmental Services Inc., Massena, on Aug. 5.

"This has been going on for a month now," Kelly M. Greene, co-owner of Tony's Pizza, said. "So what's one more week?"