We are coasting toward the finish line! Both patrons and staff have adapted very well to operations on the 2nd floor, and our patrons have enjoyed seeing the gorgeous new teen room and other features. Work continues in the less-visible areas, as well. Changes to the basement level are virtually complete. Plus, the construction crew is hard at work on the 1st floor in the lobby, checkout, and staircase areas. Our beautiful new staircase is growing inside the barricade cocoon. The photo included here gives you a sneak peek: its smaller footprint allows more patron space on the first and second floors! Other features of the staircase include built-in seating and display space. We're also really looking forward to the new set of front doors, which will make the library even more accessible. Plus, they will be much easier for staff to lock, making our work smoother and our library more secure after hours. We know you have one big question: when will both floors be accessible together? Right now, we're hoping for mid-May. We can't properly express how much we appreciate the patience of our patrons as we look forward to unveiling these much-needed updates. It truly is exciting to see the project come together around the wonderful community that visits our library. |
The library is open! While work continues on the first floor and central area, we are providing services on the second floor only. A protective wall wraps around the center of the space, separating the library from the construction that's still happening. Our new teen room is providing space and computers for patrons of all ages, and we've moved fixtures and retasked shelving in order to provide a selection of adult fiction and first floor materials for checkout. It's been a fun week, seeing regular patrons and showing people around the space to see what they can expect for the next several weeks as the project finishes up.
On the first floor, bathrooms are being gutted, and the lobby and vestibule are taking on a new shape. The Checkout Desk has been removed, waiting for a new piece of furniture. On the second floor, concrete has already been poured to create the new square footage, and a new staircase has been put in place. Our team has been fantastic, always game to move shelving, furniture, and books, plus being so flexible in providing service in new ways. We are still enjoying working with McKee, who have been wonderful partners in this project.
We're giving everyone a heads up that the library will likely be closed Monday, March 4 through Saturday, March 16. The construction crew will replace the central staircase at this time, which will mean cutting the retiring staircase into small sections in order to remove it. Also, a crew will be installing steel support beams to expand the second floor. This work will create an incredibly loud and potentially dangerous environment for our patrons, thus the closure. Also during this time, the library team will prepare for providing service on the second floor. After this closure, the library will be open on the second floor only. Patrons will enter from a side door and use the elevator. We will have more details for you soon about curbside and other services during the closure, as well as visiting the library when we reopen. Thanks for your patience, and stay tuned!
This week, we first heard the sounds of demolition. Even though the jackhammers and saws and added conversation are loud, the music they form are a relief to all of us! The project has had a long journey, and we can't wait to see the results! We've had to get creative this week with the relocation of materials and furniture on the second floor. The specialty mover that we planned to use didn't have availability as soon as we needed. The library team and the general contractor team put their heads together and came up with a workable solution, with the general contractor doing most of the work! The move is hard to plan, because the items don't go back in the same places that they were in, and the new locations will be inaccessible as the staircase is replaced and the floor infill happens. We think we have it all worked out now. An area of concern emerged as demolition in the basement level began. We see signs that the asbestos in the basement may not have been completely abated in 1996. We'll see what the test results say and work through it! Because our patrons have no access to the 2nd floor at this time we've worked to add options for fiction readers, teens, and younger children on the 1st floor. Patrons have been very understanding, and we appreciate that more than any of us can say! We continue to enjoy interacting with the crew on this project. They are friendly and incredibly professional! We're excited to announce that construction will soon begin on our renovation project!
Construction begins on Monday, December 4, on the second floor and basement. Library services will be available on the first floor only during this time, projected at two months. We will not hold children's programming in December, and library book clubs will meet offsite. Sometime in February, the first floor will close for construction, along with the center staircase. Library services will be available on the second floor, with entry through the side (parking lot) entrance. This stage is projected to take three months, with a completion date in April. We are helped through this process by McKee Associates (general contractor), Dimension IV (architecture and design), Monroe Heating, PDC, and Yerges Moving. Ray White, our architect, has been a part of the project for a long time—he was also the architect when this building was transformed from the clinic into the library. We are thankful for all our donors, supporters, and users, who make the library a priority in the life of this community. We're so happy to be here. Follow this blog for updates! |
Monroe Public Library RenovationVisit this blog for mostly-weekly updates on the building project. Archives
April 2024
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