Architects Detail New Plans for Meadow Drive Library

Students at the will not be getting an expanded library, but an entirely new one instead according to designs recently presented to the .

In plans on display at the January 19 board meeting at the , H2M architect Veronica Burns outlined the new library wing which is proposed to be built on the northern wing of the school near the courtyard. The original plans had called for expanding the existing library on the southern portion of the building, adding between 500-600 sq. ft. of space.

According to Burns, the state education department now requires the walls of structures to be fire-rated, adding an estimated $100,000 to the price of the project, or putting a sheetrock wall up, which “would hurt the integrity of that space,” she said.

The new proposed library would be by the south wall of the Meadow Drive gymnasium and provide 1,900 sq. ft. with a 155 sq. ft. vestibule. The library would hold 10,000 volumes, which is similar to Hampton, and able to hold two classes of 24 students with a “storytelling area” capable of holding 22-25 students in the westernmost room. Burns stated that an automatic sunscreen could drop down in the area, covering the large window in the space when children watch films in the room. A “curriculum garden” would also be added outside of the library and student artwork would also be incorporated into the space on panels above the bookcases.

Architects made use of a trio of masonry piers that protrude from the gym wall into the library space, using them as pillars and building bookcases into them. Much of the natural lighting in the library would enter from a large section of windows along the western wall overlooking the current playground. Energy saving lamps similar to that turn off when there is sufficient natural light would also be installed.

“I’d rather not have all that natural lighting coming in from the southern side because it would just too much,” Burns said in response to a question from Trustee John McGrath about the orientation of the addition and windows.

The current area on which the library would be built is paved with asphalt and the addition would cover the entire asphalt according to Burns. Radiant heat similar to Hampton would be installed with an estimated monthly cost less than the existing cost at Hampton.

Basic construction costs would total $672,950 which includes site work and interior renovations. A contingency fund would add $67,295 along with $67,30 for inflation as well as “soft costs” of environmental testings and surveys of $59,318 for a total of $806,293, or about $325 per sq. ft.

The district already has $500,000 set aside in the current 2011-12 budget to help pay for part of the project according to Superintendent Dr. Michael Nagler, with the remainder being put into the capital project budget line in the 2012-13 budget.

“So of the $500,000 that we maintain every year for capital projects, next year’s project, $300,000 of that $500,000 will be part of this project,” he said. “Why would we do that? Several reasons: I think you’re getting a much bigger space and a much nicer addition. In trying to retrofit the current area it’s going to cost us more money to do that glass wall piece and the usable space is not going to be as big as this usable space.”

The project also opens up a space for an additional classroom should the need arise.

The district hopes to submit the project documents to the state education department by March 1. The estimated time for review is 3 months, with bids being submitted by June or July.

“We would start school with it not open,” Dr. Nagler said.

Besides the upgraded bus loop at , which Dr. Nagler said the district would try to do over 2 years due to cost projections being over $500,000, the only other project would be windows and doors at Jackson “and that’ll be in the millions. So I believe start saving for that with a capital reserve or we try to float a bond, which I am not recommending.”

The superintendent stated that the district would probably have to start a new capital reserve in the next budget, as it cannot legally use the current fund, which was dedicated toward the reconfiguration.

“The windows at Jackson are bordering on nonfunctional; like opening and closing nonfunctional,” Dr. Nagler said. “We’re gonna have to put money to try to repair them as best we can before replacing them.”