Johnson Roberts Associates provided a rendering of the Storrs Library’s proposed terrace renovations at the Aug. 17 Select Board meeting.
Photo credit: LongmeadowTV
LONGMEADOW — The Longmeadow Select Board reviewed renovation plans for the Richard Salter Storrs Library at its Aug. 17 meeting. Library Director Jean Maziarz said it is in “some serious need of renovations” as the building is not fully ADA-compliant and water infiltration damages continue.
The proposed eight-figure project would need to be put on the Town Meeting warrant and approved by voters, with Maziarz eyeing it for the fall Town Meeting in November.
Maziarz said the Board of Trustees matched a $100,000 grant last year to conduct a feasibility study from Johnson Roberts, which concluded in April.
Johnson Roberts Associates Principal Philip O’Brien presented the study and said the main entrance is not ADA-compliant. The heavy doors and ramp turns present maneuvering challenges for strollers, wheelchairs and walkers.
The proposed solutions include a larger entry vestibule, larger accessible doors that open in sequence, a new straight path ramp with landings for patrons to rest and a snow melt system on both ramps and stairs. The existing ramp has an electric snow melt but the stairs do not.
He said the lobby is difficult to move around and inefficient, citing that access to stairs, toilets and meeting rooms are not visible, the circulation desk and staff spaces are separated which complicates teamwork and the toilets are small and in poor condition.
Suggested improvements include a new quiet study room, expanded office space, moving the circulation desk away from the stairs and adjacent to the office, making the stairs open and visible, adding accessible restrooms on the first and second floor and improved access to the meeting rooms.
O’Brien said the front terrace is a beautiful and historic space but isn’t utilized well.
The first set of steps would be extended out from the building and accessible slopes from the sides would allow an easier entrance to the building and grass areas. It restores the historic aspect while opening the outdoor space to more programs.
“It looks a lot like it has been, historically,” O’Brien said. “We don’t want to mess with the historic image, we just want to make sure it’s accessible and usable.”
O’Brien said the second floor is well-utilized but difficult to get around the tight spaces. A toilet and a janitor’s closet would be added near the elevator and the furnishing would be rearranged to take advantage of the space for four new meeting and study rooms.
The rooms are enclosed behind clear walls and include TVs on the wall — reducing noise, distractions, providing privacy, improving learning and allowing for virtual meetings.
The study also suggested adding a new maker space in the basement for more program opportunities and renovating the basement staff lounge to provide better support space for staff. There would be new public and staff bathrooms and an ADA-accessible ramp leading into the maker space to replace the current steep ramp.
A 2012 town facilities report found the library’s HVAC system to be at the end of its life and the majority of it is in need of replacement. Each new component will increase energy savings by 20%-40%, reducing energy consumption and improving efficiency.
There are code violations in the electrical system and the building’s service will need to be upgraded. All lighting fixtures and fire alarms would be replaced, and a new sprinkler and security system would be installed, including new CCTV monitoring and card access at exterior doors.
The building is in need of exterior envelope repairs, such as brick pointing, wood and base material replacement, stair and ramp repairs, roof drainage system repair, basement sump pump installation and exterior repaints.
O’Brien said the water infiltration is becoming a problem and the wood is rotting out, which are things that tend to get worse.
The work can be done as a single project or five-part, multi-phase project, each to commence two years apart.
Johnson Roberts estimated the single-phase project would start in 2027 and end in 2029, with construction costs projected around $11.99 million and $14.8 million for the total project.
The multi-phase project is estimated to start in 2027 and conclude in 2035, with construction costs at $14.96 million and total project costs at $18.69 million.
The feasibility study shows that the “cost of doing nothing” includes increased gas and electricity costs and continuing deterioration with frequent emergency repair and rising construction costs. Failure to address ADA-compliance also increases town liability and limits resident access.
Select Board member Vineeth Hemavathi asked what the repair sequence would be in the multi-phased option.
O’Brien said doing the terrace first would allow an accessible entrance while the main entrance is being worked on, but the water infiltration is the most critical damage and repairing it first would prevent any additional damage.
Maziarz added that she did apply for an ADA municipal grant but won’t hear a decision until December. The state grant would kick start the front terrace and exterior envelope work for 2027.
Hemavathi said that the terrace is beautiful but there is a lot of potential for what the space could mean for the community with expanded programming.
“The library already does such a good job of offering programs that so many residents in our town make use of,” Hemavathi said. “I’ve got two little kids. I was just at the library today, so I’m well aware of the role that the library plays in our community.”
Maziarz said the terrace renovation is an opportunity to utilize a space the library can’t right now.
“What’s also happening with the terrace project is, we’re addressing water infiltration that we’re getting every time it rains,” Maziarz said. “Every time it rains, staff is vacuuming up water and the DPW is coming and we’re removing all the damaged materials that are down there, every time it rains. It’s not just making things pretty, it’s addressing some serious issues as well.”
Select Board member Josh Levine asked if there were other funding opportunities beyond the ADA grant, and Maziarz said the library will seek any opportunity it can find.
“I have to say it’s a lot of money, I’m a taxpayer too, but a public library is so vital to a community that I think it’s just greatly needed,” Maziarz said. “We’ve already reached over $300,000 in private donations toward the project. The board has also committed to contributing a substantial amount from their endowment fund, launching a capital campaign and applying for any grant, every grant we can find. We’re very committed to making this happen and bringing the cost down to taxpayers.”
Levine said it is incredibly important and that the library is a “point of pride” for the town. He said, “when you have that in your town, it sticks with you.”
Select Board member Shelly Maynard-DeWolf said the library is an asset to the town and that the price point is big, but she appreciates the plan’s effort and detail. She asked Town Manager Lyn Simmons if Finance Director Ian Coddington could look at the phase proposals to help the Select Board understand what the expenditure could do to the town’s debt.
Simmons said she and Coddington could have something for the Select Board’s Sept. 21 meeting.
Select Board Chair Dan Zwirko said the “cost of doing nothing” is important, and that the numbers should be looked at as if the board isn’t doing anything at all. He said he fully supports the project and that it’s a time for the community to stand together and build an inclusive environment.
More project information, such as the full feasibility study, can be found at longmeadowlibrary.org/building-renovations/.
