Published: 11/4/2022 4:33:51 PM
Modified: 11/4/2022 4:33:34 PM
GREENFIELD — Progress on the new Greenfield Public Library continues to move forward this week, with the project reaching 70% completion while remaining on time and on budget.
“This job is going about as good as a public construction job can go,” said Project Manager Daniel Pallotta, of P-Three Inc., at a Library Building Committee meeting on Thursday. “In the middle of a pandemic and supply shortages, we’ve been blessed.”
Move-in is still anticipated by spring 2023.
In 2019 — seven years after the vision for a new library was first discussed — Greenfield voters approved building a new library with a 61% positive vote. The $19.5 million appropriation accounts for construction costs as well as the cost of the architect, project manager, furniture and fixtures, according to Library Building Committee Co-Chair Ed Berlin.
In addition to a $9.4 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Greenfield Public Library Foundation pledged to raise about $2 million, reducing the city’s cost to about $8.1 million. The foundation announced in January it had reached its $2 million goal. Since then, it has made $1 million in payments to the city.
Paving of the library parking lot was set to begin Friday, according to Pallotta.
“It’s going to look totally different once it’s paved, and once they take the staging down in the front, you’re really going to get a sense of (Architect Philip O’Brien)’s vision,” Pallotta noted.
Foundation seeks requests for proposals for donor wall The Greenfield Public Library Foundation is seeking requests for proposals from artists to design a donor wall.
The wall, to be located on the first floor at the bottom of the staircase (closest to the side entrance), will feature “the names of donors who provided leadership support of the construction of the new Greenfield Public Library,” according to foundation President Jeanne Canteen.
“We felt it would be a wonderful opportunity to do something creative for our new library,” said Canteen, who said there isn’t a set budget for this particular project.
Canteen said the new library is looking “fantastic.”
“It’s just so wonderful,” she said. “It’s going to be the center of the community.”
The full request for proposals is on the Greenfield Public Library Foundation website at greenfieldpubliclibraryfoundationma.org. Proposals are due electronically by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15.
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.