Library Building Update
March, 2005
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Our apologies for not updating sooner. We’ve been busy with many issues of this project. Here is our report in a nutshell:
We’re about 2 months behind schedule because of the incredible weather. This means a projected opening of the new library in early October of this year. The official completion date for the construction contract remains August 1, 2005, and it is possible that with continuing good weather, the work may accelerate, but we can’t count on this.
We’re still on budget. The budget is tight, but it was always tight.
We’ve resolved, to the satisfaction of all parties, and to the long-term benefit of the project, the repair and restoration of the schoolhouse component. You may have heard that there were problems when removal of the floor of the old schoolhouse permitted a detailed look at the space underneath the structure. The foundation was unstable and the wood sills were seriously rotted in places. The recommendation was to demolish the schoolhouse and build a replica using modern materials. This required approval from the Norfolk Historical Commission. After consideration, the Commission requested that a way be found to save this historic structure. An initial scheme call for erecting a steel support at the perimeter, but this proved problematic. Work is now proceeding on
building a concrete foundation around that portion of the schoolhouse that is exposed to the outside. Then structural fill will be added to the space under the building and a concrete slab poured as a sub-floor. This should stabilize the building.
We’ve applied to the Norfolk Community Preservation Committee for the $70,000 cost of this work. The schoolhouse is one of the few historic non-residential structures left in Town and saving the actual building, though challenging, seems the right thing to do. The Historical Commission is now working on plans to restore the interior of the schoolhouse to its nineteenth-century appearance. The Community Preservation Act Fund will be asked to support this work as well.
Roofing work—delayed by the weather—is just about complete, windows are installed, and trim boards and siding will be going up in April. The exterior siding and trim is an artificial material made from cement-like materials called “Hardy-board.” This material is extremely durable and very low-maintenance, but looks like traditional wood trim and clapboard. It also holds paint longer than wood. We are also adding three dormers—just like the ones along the Main Street roof—to the roof along Independence Drive to break up this rather long section of dark roof.
Inside the building, interior partitions are complete and drywall work has begun on the ceilings. The interior is illuminated by two large skylights that will be lighted at night. This creates a dramatic effect in the main space.
We’ve launched our fundraising campaign with a $75,000 gift from the Friends of the Library. Our goal—which was in the budget submitted to Town Meeting back in 2000— is $250,000 to ensure that all furnishings and equipment are provided. We are looking for families who may wish to make a gift in memory or in honor of a loved done. There are numerous naming opportunities. To learn more, contact Robin Glasser at 508 528-3442.
Thank You!
The library would like to extend a big thank you to Lexi K., Caroline T., Sarah G., and Julia G. The girls donated $13.55, all the proceeds from their lemonade stand, to the new library. A grand start to our capital campaign for fundraising and equipment!
Update from the Building Committee
June 23, 2004
Construction on the library expansion has now begun. The Norfolk Permanent Building Committee executed a contract with G & R Construction of Braintree as the general contractor. Daedalus Projects, Inc. is the project manager throughout the construction period. The anticipated completion date is August 1, 2005.
The start of construction is the culmination of many years of work by many people. It’s hard to think back to the initial planning sessions in 1996! Although the project budget is very tight (see below) we still have a building that has all of the elements of the design that was approved by voters in December, 2000. There were two reductions in the size of the building: the extension into what is now the side garden area was removed from the plans, and the large basement area originally design has been reduced. All other elements of the design are intact and will be built.
Because the start of construction will add to the intensity of work being done in the Town Center, the Permanent Building Committee and Library Trustees decided that in lieu of a traditional groundbreaking, there will be a celebration in early September to thank all who helped.
The approved budget for the project is as follows:
Norfolk Public Library Expansion Project, 2004-2005 Project Budget
Construction
Low bid |
$4,143,000 |
Furnishings |
$319,000 |
Project Expenses
Printing |
$8,000 |
Survey |
$7,400 |
Materials testing |
$20,000 |
Legal |
$2,500 |
Advertising |
$900 |
Moving |
$0 |
Temporary quarters |
$60,000 |
Project management (including clerk) |
$234,000 |
Geo-tech borings |
$7,200 |
Bond cost |
$24,000 |
Land cost |
[excluded] |
Misc. |
$6,000 |
Professional fees
Architecture, engineering and furnishings consulting |
$438,000 |
A/E additional services |
$18,500 |
A/E expenses |
$25,000 |
Contingency
Construction contingency |
$200,000 |
Project Cost Before Adjustments |
$5,513,500 |
Project Cost Adjustments
Cost reductions—construction |
$-160,000 |
Cost reductions—furnishings |
$-60,000 |
Cost reduction—project management fee |
$-14,000 |
Cost reduction—testing |
$-5,000 |
Cost increase—Builder’s Risk Insurance |
$15,000 |
Adjusted Project Cost (Total cost) |
$5,289,500 |
Funding Sources
Mass. Brd. Library Commrs. Grant Funds |
$2,048,218 |
Norfolk approved Town funds |
$3,000,000 |
Gifts, grants, fundraising |
$250,000 |
Total funds available |
$5,298,218 |
Over/(under) budget |
$8,718 |
Update from the Building Committee
March 28, 2004
The Library expansion project received its site plan approval from the Planning Board on March 11. The decision sets reasonable requirements for the project and does not impose any conditions that will raise the cost. Just before the decision was filed, the Norfolk Building Commissioner, Robert Bullock, issued an opinion that the Town’s business district zoning (the “B-1” district), requires a Special Permit from the Norfolk Zoning Board of Appeals for any parking. This interpretation came as a complete surprise to everyone who had worked on this project. Prior to Mr. Bullock’s ruling, everyone (the Permanent Building Committee, the Planning Board, the architects, the attorneys) had defined the site for zoning purposes as having a “front yard” bordering Main Street, two “side yards,” one bordering Town Hill, the other Independence Drive, and a “rear yard” bordering Liberty Lane. In the building Commissioner’s reading of the B-1 district zoning the library site has three front yards
because each of three sides borders a right-of-way. This, he claimed, triggered the Special Permit requirement for any parking, since the B-1 District allows parking “in a rear or side yard,” but not in a “front yard.”
Under pressure of time, it was decided not to contest this ruling but to seek two forms of remedy. The Permanent Building Committee (PBC) has applied to the Norfolk Zoning Board of Appeals for a Special Permit and the Library Trustees have placed an article on the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting changing the zoning. Should the ZBA action be completed by the time of the Town Meeting, the Trustees’ article will be withdrawn.
In the meantime, the PBC decided to proceed with the bid process and the project has been advertised in the state central register inviting interested contractors to obtain bid documents at the Norfolk Town Offices. General contractor bids are due back May 4, and it is anticipated that the contract will be awarded shortly thereafter.
Library relocation efforts have been underway for many weeks now and a summary can be accessed on the Library’s home page. Details are given below:
Norfolk Public Library Temporary Relocation and Services Plan
March, 2004
The Public Library is required by the contract with the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners to maintain services during the 14-month construction period. Because the front of the existing building will be demolished at the start of construction and because of problems of access during construction, as well as cost considerations, the library must be evacuated from the existing building before construction begins. There are five components to this Temporary Services and Relocation Plan that provide for:
Ø (1) Moving library materials and equipment out of the existing building and returning them to the new building;
Ø (2) Establishing sites for temporary services;
Ø (3) Creating office space for staff;
Ø (4) Providing short-term storage for books and materials that will continue to be used;
Ø (5) Providing long-term storage for equipment and materials that will not be needed during the construction phase.
The Library Trustees, working with the Permanent Building Committee, the Town Administrator, and other Town officials, are proposing the following steps to establish sites to achieve the five objectives above.
1. Use the services of the Department of Corrections to move the materials, furnishing and equipment to short-and long-term storage and to return the materials to the new building at the close of construction. This service will be at no cost to the Town.
2. Create a center for temporary services at 227 Dedham Street, Route 1A. This space provides about 750 square feet for limited library services. The Library’s Public Access Computers (PACs), a circulation desk, and limited display of materials (CD’s, DVD’s, Videos, etc.) can be housed here. There is ample parking, bathrooms, and the building is handicapped accessible. The facility can be open 7 days a week. The rental cost is $1,100 per month or $15,400 for the 14-month construction period.
3. Move the part of the collection that will still be circulated to trailers located behind the Highway Department. Of the current holdings of approximately 40,000 items, it may be possible to store 25-30,000 in the trailers. Access will be via a leased van, typically twice per day. In addition to the local (Norfolk) collection, the Library will still have access to an additional 3-4 million items through the SAILS network. These items are delivered once per weekday via a separate van service.
4. (A) Create office space for staff by finishing the existing vacant space on the second floor of the Town Offices. This space, originally allocated to the Norfolk Arts Council, provides ample space for the cataloging functions, as well as office space for library staff. The cost of finishing the space (mainly electrical, drywall, painting, carpeting) is being estimated.
(B) Create a space for younger library users to select books on the first floor of the Town Offices, plus an office for the Library Director.
5. Provide long-term storage at a facility operated by the Department of Corrections. This is currently under discussion with DOC.
Budget (estimated): |
Route 1A rental |
$15,400 |
Route 1A build-out |
$2,000 |
Trailer rental |
$5,000 |
Trailer Adaptation |
$3,000 |
BookCrate lease |
$5,000 |
Town Hall Office |
$7,500 |
Van rental |
$4,500 |
Associated Moving costs |
$3,000 |
Total |
$45,400 |
Funds available |
$60,000 |
Update from the Building Committee
February 2, 2004
The Library expansion project was formally presented to the Planning Board on January 22. The Design Review Board was present at the meeting and gave a report that was very favorable to the project.
Andrea Langhauser, who is the Planning Board member responsible for the project, then led the Board and its planning and traffic consultants through a review of major project issues. The result was a list of seven issues that the Planning Board wants addressed. These are:
1) Revise Traffic analysis to include the impact of the Phase 1 & 2 and Town Center Project roadway changes;
2) Include a lighting and sidewalk plan that integrates with the Town Center Project;
3) Solicit comment from the Board of Health regarding the old septic (crush in place vs. remove);
4) Provide a truck traffic plan for any earth removal/importation;
5) Revise the parking lot drainage so that there is no basin to basin connection.
6) Show crosswalks on Liberty Lane and Main St. and supply information on how the project will comport with the “pedestrian-friendly” goal for the Town Center;
7) Check that parking calculations (exclusive of handicap spaces) meet new zoning requirements.
The Planning Board continued the hearing on the project until February 26, 2004. There was sentiment expressed that if the above issues were adequately addressed it might be possible to close the hearing on that date.
The Library staff and Trustees continue to explore options for re-locating library services to another site during the construction period.
Work continues with the Permanent Building Committee, the architect and the project managers, Daedalus Projects, Inc. to reduce costs of the project so that it fits within the funds on hand. The goal is to trim elements of the project without further reducing the size of the building. A part of this review is examining “soft” costs which have risen over the past weeks. These include fees paid to the architect and project manager, and contingency funds. There has been serious discussion of the need for a fund raising campaign to guarantee that the new library will have all elements intact.
Update from the Building Committee
December 3, 2003
On December 1, the Norfolk Permanent Building Committee approved submittals to the Planning Board, the Board of Health and the Design Review Board. These include all of the remaining public approvals necessary to allow the project to go out to bid and have work commence in the Spring of 2004.
The submission to the Planning Board is for Site Plan Approval. Major issues are the configuration of the parking area, the requirement to have all storm water retained on site, and issues of landscaping, lighting, sidewalks and related items.
The Board of Health will be reviewing the design of the septic system.
The Design Review Board “reviews design presentations based on aesthetics and impact on the historic context of existing structures and their surrounding properties. The Board tries to work with applicants in finding mutually acceptable solutions with issues on architecture, painting, fences, materials, masonry, plantings, etc.” Our presentation to them will emphasize that the exterior design of the new Library is intended to make the building look as much like the existing one in color, materials, height and massing as possible, and that we are linking the building to the Town Hill and preserving its historic elements.
The Norfolk Permanent Building Committee has been completely supportive of the design and will encourage expeditious review by the boards concerned. The Architects from Best/Joslin Architects of Windsor CT, have the reviews as their highest priority. The Permanent Building Committee has also retained the services of Daedalus Projects Incorporated of Boston as project managers. They will coordinate design and construction work to minimize problems resulting in change orders and other problems. This is the first project in Norfolk that has used professional project managers starting in the pre-construction phase. Their involvement will hopefully make a difference in the course of the project and its outcome, as compared to other recent Town construction projects.
While the regulatory review process proceeds, our attention is turning to the issue of relocating the library during the construction phase. Our options are limited by the alternate spaces available and by a limited budget. We are exploring (1) moving to modular units located outside of the Town Center; (2) a combination of modulars and an existing structure (such as the old Town Offices), a minimal “storefront” operation, with books and materials stored elsewhere.
Everyone should realize that the level of library services during the 12-14 month construction period will be lower than present levels. The library staff will make every effort to maintain a reasonable of service for all, with priority going to children’s services. Our programs in the Norfolk Public Schools should not be affected by the relocation.
Finally, stewardship of the library project has, since shortly after the Town approved funds in December, 2001, been the responsibility of the Permanent Building Committee. This report is not the product of that committee, but is the work of the Library trustees and staff, and we take sole responsibility for its content.
Update from the Building Committee
The Library Trustees have decided to request by petition a Special Town Meeting to address issues of siting the public library in the Town Center. We did this because the special zoning ordinances enacted for the B-1 Town Center District in 1992 are largely inappropriate when applied to the proposed library building. They were intended to regulate and encourage commercial development. When applied to a non-commercial public building, they make a reasonable development impossible.
We think it imprudent to spend many more months and thousands of dollars discussing regulations that were never intended to describe the library that our citizens have approved and funded. We wish to give a Town Meeting the opportunity to once again collectively state that they want this library built on this site. We know that this will not be easy, since a supermajority of 2/3 is required for each article to pass.
We constantly receive questions about the progress of the library project, and we are concerned that we have not yet redeemed the trust and expectations of our fellow citizens who voted to raise their taxes to build our new library. We have also gone from being among the top projects in the state in terms of readiness-to-proceed, to being on the “watch list,” of the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners for projects that are not making satisfactory progress. So, in addition to the inappropriateness of the B-1 District regulations for a library building, we are also facing serious problems with the $2.3 million state aid if we cannot show substantial progress on the library project soon.
Here is a summary of the relief we will be seeking.
Parking. The Town Center regulations specify one parking space for every 200 square feet of useable building (or 92 spaces). We wish to adopt a standard of 1 space per 300 square feet (or 61 spaces). We will actually be providing 62 spaces (plus 3 handicapped). This seems to us a good compromise between the existing requirement of one space per 200 s.f. and the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners recommended standard of 1 space per 400 s.f., a ratio that has been used in dozens of library projects in a wide variety of community settings and has worked well. Our analysis has shown that 62 spaces will provide more than ample parking now and for the future. More than 62 spaces can only be achieved by: (a) invading Town Hill; (b) shrinking the building substantially; (c) building a 2-story structure.
(b) and (c) will invalidate our state grant, which was won in competitive evaluation with our innovative 1-story design. A 2-story structure also adds at least 20% to operating costs in perpetuity.
Fenestration. The regulation requires that 70% of the frontage (Main Street side) be windows or doors. This clearly is intended for display windows of commercial store-front buildings. For the library, we could provide a continuous window 3 ft. high by 70 ft. long, but this makes no sense. Our design extends the window arrangement of the existing library, including the historic portion.
Build-to Line. The 1992 zoning requires a setback of the front façade either 11 or 19 feet. The intent was to produce a line of commercial shops with good resonance to a streetscape. Applied to our design, it would require that we swallow up the 1845 one-room schoolhouse that is the heart of the library. Our intent is to preserve and accentuate this element, one of the few historic non-residential buildings left in the Town Center.
The B-1 District regulations also call for a front façade (Main Street side) to have 60% of frontage at a height of 20 feet. We propose revising this to 10 feet, reflecting the new library’s one-story design that will fit into and not dominate the Town Hill.
Building Footprint. May not exceed 20,000 s.f. without a special permit. Our design since 1996 has called for 23,000 s.f. We propose a change allowing a municipal building of up to 25,000 square feet in the B-1 District.
Please note that with the adoption of these changes, we will still need to secure site plan approval from the Planning Board. The change in parking requirement, for example, affects only the number of spaces, not their configuration, paving and curbs, access and egress, etc. Likewise, the Planning Board still has review and approval authority over such matters as site drainage, lighting, parking lot and exterior structures (hand rails, guard rails, etc.).
What we seek to do is cut a swath through this thicket of inappropriate regulations and get the new library built. It can only enhance the future of our evolving New England Town Center.
We hope that you will support this initiative, and I would welcome your ideas and suggestions.
The steps we have planned to lead up to a Special Town Meeting are as follows:
Starting shortly we will be gathering signatures pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 39, section 10 on forms issued by the Commonwealth. Prior to that we will submit for review of Town Counsel and The Town Moderator the language of the several articles we are submitting for the warrant.
We hope to have the required 200 signatures in hand by Sunday, September 28, and will submit them to the Selectmen on Monday, September 29. We will have notified the Town Clerk prior to this that she needs to arrange to verify the signatures. She has indicated that this can be done in one or two working days.
We will be requesting the Selectmen to call the Special Town Meeting for Tuesday, October 28, 2003, on the same date at the same time as the already scheduled Fall Town Meeting.
The proposed articles are here
Update from the Building Committee
September 9, 2003
Good progress has been made on the library design, site and other issues, but the project stands at a crossroads. In recent weeks a potential solution has been found to the location and design of the septic system, and we will be working with the Board of Health to finish off this element.
The remaining issue is parking. The Town adopted a special zoning for the Town center in 1992. Under these special regulations, the library would require one parking space for every 200 square feet of floor area, or 92 parking spaces. This is twice the number required by the recommended state standard. Even if we could somehow fit 92 parking spaces on the site, it would be an esthetic disaster—we think no one back ten years ago intended that a revitalized Town center would be mostly asphalt. We are meeting with the Planning Board to try to resolve this issue, but we are also exploring the idea of Special Town Meeting to change the Town center zoning to meet the state recommended standard of one parking space per 400 square feet of library space. Should we choose the Special Town Meeting option, we
will need the support of everyone to ensure success.
Resolving the septic, parking and other site issues have seriously delayed our progress. The Mass. Board of Library Commissioners has warned us that unless substantial progress is made soon, we will be formally placed on the list of projects whose grant funds are at risk. With continuing hard work and the support of all who share the vision of what a new library can mean for our Town, we’ll achieve our goal. Please stay tuned for more information on how you can help.
Update from the Building Committee
November 4, 2002
Since the last update, the Permanent Building Committee has signed the contract for architectural services with Best Joslin, which was the Library’s Committee’s first choice for these final phases of the project. The architectural team is made up of three members: Ken Best, who will mostly be involved with the design of the building and Barbara Joslin will be responsible for the interior spaces. As limited members of the PBC for the life of this project, we have attended numerous PBC meetings with Best Joslin, and they are deep into the project.
Having developed an understanding the schematic design, Ken Best is now working out some of the specific design details, such as placement and design of the mechanical systems, roof design and structure, and septic design and location. We think we’ll be far enough along in the process to have a site plan completed by the end of the year. At that point, we will start to present the plan to the various town agencies, and hopefully begin the permitting process.
While the project is moving well along, we will not be breaking ground for quite a while. The equipment stored on the Library land and work being done on Main Street is not part of the Library project as many have asked; it is part of the Highway department’s project to bury to utilities in the center of town.
Lastly, we have been told the state grant monies will be released to the Library Commissioners shortly, perhaps within the next few weeks. We look forward to continuing with the small detail work of putting this project together, and hope to have a final site plan to release early next year.
Update from the Building Committee
August 31, 2002
The last update from the Library Building Committee concluded with the successful town election last December. We had made a preliminary choice of RGB, Inc. of Rhode Island as architect and were looking forward to proceeding with the project.
The next events in the life of project happened simultaneously: with Town funding secured, the project now fell under the direction of Norfolk’s Permanent Building Committee (PBC), and our main contact at RGB resigned his position with the firm. Both events took the Library Building Committee by surprise, and we developed a new strategy as we continued our involvement with the project.
The Board of Selectmen named Harvey Boulay representative to the PBC, and Susan Nelson the alternate. We met almost immediately with the PBC, updated them on the project, including the resignation of the architect, and our plan to search for a new firm. We all agreed to issue another Request for Proposals (RFP) and bring on a new architectural firm to carry the project through design development, construction documents, and construction administration.
We received 18 proposals, narrowed the field down to 3, conducted interviews and ranked the firms. I’m pleased to report that in each of these steps, the Library Building Committee was in sync with the PBC. Bob Lowndes, the Chair, has been terrific about ensuring the Library’s needs are being met. The firm selected was Best Joslin. They were our number one choice, and we are thrilled to have them on board. As I write this update, the PBC has agreed to all the business terms of the contract with Best Joslin, and we are waiting for town counsel’s comments. We expect the contract to be signed within a few weeks, and then we are ready to move forward with the design development phase of the project – fine tuning the schematic.
In mid-August, Governor Swift signed the Capital Bond Bill, which provides the state grant funding for our project. In a couple of weeks, we expect to hear when the money will be in the control of the Library Commissioners to issue to those towns who will receive their funds this fiscal year (with Norfolk ranked second of 42 eligible towns).
Our focus over the next few months will be to work with the architects on the design development phase, to resolve the parking issue, adopt a plan to relocate library services during construction, and to meet with the various town boards for approvals and permits. We expect this phase to take about 12 months and hope to break ground on the renovation around this time next year. We’re really on our way now!
MBLC NOTES
September/October 2002
A Publication of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
Governor Signs Bond Bill Authorizing $75 Million for Library Construction
Following passage by the Massachusetts House and Senate, Acting Governor Jane Swift signed S2271, an omnibus bond bill that authorizes the expenditure of $75 million for public library construction, into law on Saturday, August 10, 2002.
"This is wonderful news and we're grateful to the Governor and Legislature for sustaining the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program," said MBLC Commissioner Deborah Hill Bornheimer, Board Liaison to the Construction Program. "Our Commonwealth has the richest array of public libraries in America. This bond bill will enable 41 more of these libraries from Oak Bluffs to Great Barrington to undertake major restoration or new construction projects."
"Now that the Bond Bill has been signed by the Governor, staff from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners will be meeting with the Governor's staff and the Executive Office of Administration and Finance to negotiate a budget for the actual expenditure of the authorized funds," said MBLC Acting Director Robert Maier. These offices have responsibility for state capital bond expenditures through a Five?Year Capital Budget that is limited by a variety of constraints to $1.3 billion per year. "However," he continued, "since 1992, through three administrations, the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program has had a place in the Governor's Five?Year Capital Budget."
Among the issues that will be addressed are the following: the timing of the actual release of funds, how many contracts the MBLC can issue at this time, whether or not the payment schedule for all projects can be maintained as it is outlined in the Regulations.
Following authorization of annual spending targets under the Five?Year Capital Budget, the MBLC will be able to vote Provisional Awards to municipalities for Approved Public Library Projects, in the order of the Waiting List. Should a Waiting List community be unable to accept a Provisional Award, awards will then be made to communities still remaining on the Waiting List.
Library renovation/building project election results
Yes 632, No 501, Blank 17
Thank you for all of your support.
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