By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The Library Building Committee (LBC) is looking to cut between $2 million and $3 million from the new building’s proposed cost, William Rawn Associates Architect Kevin Bergeron said during a recent forum.
LBC Chair Russell Boekenkroeger, who also serves on the Board of Library Trustees, recalled that the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved an extension for the $9 million state grant included as part of the library project earlier this month. The town requested the extension, which runs through Tuesday, April 30, after
Fall Town Meeting rejected two warrant articles associated with the project last October.
“We got a majority of the votes, but we did not receive the two-thirds majority that was necessary to move the project forward,” said Boekenkroeger.
Boekenkroeger said the LBC decided to hold forums about the library project in order to give residents an opportunity to provide feedback about it.
“We want to hear that input,” said Boekenkroeger.
Bergeron agreed.
“Your feedback is going to be very valuable to the process,” said Bergeron. “We are here to listen.”
Bergeron said the LBC is eyeing a Special Town Meeting sometime in March where the library project will be voted on a second time. If the Special Town Meeting votes are successful, he said a debt exclusion vote will be appearing on the Town Election ballot on Tuesday, April 9.
In order to schedule a Special Town Meeting, the Library Building Committee will need to collect 200 signatures to request the meeting. The Finance Committee will also need to approve placing the debt exclusion vote question back on the warrant. The Planning Board also needs to approve getting the land article back on the warrant. Under the proposed plan, the new library would be built on a portion of the Reedy Meadow Golf Course if the project moves forward.
Bergeron noted that the new library’s cost estimate from last fall totaled $34 million, which included $31 million for the new building, $2 million to repair the existing library so it could be repurposed and $1 million for site work at the Reedy Meadow Golf Course.
“Since Town Meeting, we have looked at our specifications and our cost estimate,” said Bergeron. “We have found between $2 million and $3 million that we feel very comfortable can be pulled out of the project. We are talking about something that has a $22 million or $23 million cost to the town.”
Bergeron recalled that the new library’s modern design was poorly by townspeople received last fall. While the new library’s design is still being reworked, he said the tentative plan entails installing clapboard on the outside of the building to give it more of a Colonial design.
“We want a building that fits in with Colonial Lynnfield,” said Bergeron. “We have been looking at Town Hall, the existing library, Centre Congregational Church and, more importantly, the Meeting House. Those buildings have white clapboard and black trim on the windows. We are going to study making the building more opaque as opposed to glass.”
Bergeron also said the LBC is looking to incorporate “heavy timber” into the new library building’s interior design.
“We have been very inspired to design this building from the inside out,” said Bergeron.
Bergeron said the revamped design will include outdoor reading areas by the Children’s Room, Teen Room and Adult Reading Room. He said the reading area by the golf course’s fourth hole has been “pulled back farther away” to prevent people from potentially getting hit by golf balls.
“We have also added more trees for screening,” said Bergeron. “We are acknowledging that the corner of the building that is closest have the facade and the windows reinforced to make sure the building does not get damaged.”
Bergeron noted that the MBLC will allow the Library Building Committee to reduce the proposed new building’s 25,638-square-feet slightly, but he said the town cannot receive the grant if the building’s size is significantly reduced. He said a smaller new library can be built on Reedy Meadow, but said the $9 million MBLC grant will be taken off the table.
“There is a limit to what we can do and still qualify for the grant,” said Bergeron.
Bergeron also said that the town is exploring different “renovation options” for the existing library if the building project gets voted down again. The town has hired Tappé Architects to undertake the feasibility study for the existing library.
A woman in the audience said she supports the library project because there is no meeting space in town.
“There is no place to meet in town,” said the woman. “Yes there is the Meeting House, but that is small. There are also meeting rooms at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the current library, but those are small. We have run out of space.”
Clark Road resident Darlene Kumar said the new library would benefit the town’s children.
“I have two teenagers who would use the library to study,” said Kumar.
Library Director Abby Porter said the new Teen Room would be perfect for adolescents because they would have their own dedicated space.
“I want teens to feel welcome in that space,” said Porter. “They could come to the library after-school to play video games, use the computers and work on projects together.”
A local mom said she would “love” having more teenagers hang out at the library instead of in front of stores at Post Office Square and The Centre at Lynnfield.
Another woman said the proposed new library’s meeting spaces would be more welcoming to residents than the new H. Joseph Maney Meeting Room that will be constructed as part of the Town Hall renovation project and the meeting room that has been incorporated into the new Fire Headquarters’ design.
“It’s not the tax collector’s job to monitor kids,” she said.
Huckleberry Road East resident Kendall Inglese, who previously served on the Board of Library Trustees, suggested that the new library’s windows look similar to the existing library’s palladium window.
“I know that doesn’t fit in with some of the modern things you are already doing, but that could be incorporated into the front,” said Inglese.
Another woman in attendance said the new library should not have a flat roof.
“A lot of people after Town Meeting said the building looked like an airport hangar,” said the woman. “Flat roofs are not Lynnfield at all. That’s a turnoff. It’s less welcoming and feels like a warehouse.”
Baldwin Lane resident Michele Cole said she opposes the library project in its current form.
“I think we all agree that something needs to be done with our current library,” said Cole. “I am not opposed to having a new library or having an addition put on the current one, but a lot of people think the size of this one is ridiculous and they have a hard time with the cost. A lot of people don’t see the need for a library this size.”
In response to a question from Inglese, Porter reiterated that the library will not need to hire more staff due to the new building’s site lines.
“I don’t think people realize how many people work part-time at the library,” said Porter. “We have a really good part-time group who work a small number of hours per week. We just need to shuffle people around.”
Bergeron thanked all of the residents for giving their feedback about the library project.
The LBC will be holding two more forums about the building project on Thursday, Feb. 1. The morning session will take place from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Al Merritt Media and Cultural Center. The evening session will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Al Merritt Media and Cultural Center.