HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-07-10-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
Minutes of Thursday July 10 1997 Meetina joint with Cary Library
Building Committee in the library Oval Room, as approved July 15 and
August 19, 1997
The meeting was called to order by Library Building Committee Chairman
and PBC member Walter Pierce at 7 35 p m with PBC Chairman Bruckman and
other committee members Johnson, Kelley, Lucker (also of Library
Building Committee) Poinelli , and Touart present Library Director
Carol Mahoney, staff member Julie Triessl and Lexington Minuteman
reporter Les Masterson also were present Architects Stephen Hale,
Melissa Bennett attended to present library schematic plans (posted on
the wall ) and answer questions
Director Mahoney explained that the plans on display are essentially the
same as those submitted to the state in January and approved for state
funding at the end of April With state and Town Meeting approval for
funding, the only need is for the library trustees to raise S2 5 million
to supply the full amount needed to accomplish the project
As previously shown the committee, the plans posted on the wall showed
addition of 17 ,800 square feet to the 39,000 s f of the existing
building Some refinements have been added Both the Massachusetts
Avenue and the parking lot entrances will be covered porches and
handicapped accessible Both entrances are used about equally, Mahoney
explained The parking lot entrance will give equal access to both the
main level and the lower level The main entrance was described as
unifying the building as well as restoring its original design Because
the addition will no longer break into the 15-foot side yard setback for
the zone, there will be no need for a variance on this item from the
Board of Appeals
Other features of the building design noted were monitor skylights to
bring more daylight into the center of the building The overall height
of the building will be within that allowed by the zoning code Build-
ing envelope surfaces will contain three materials - stone, brick and
stucco Snow melting at entrances and other critical areas is planned
Because of the expanded floor area and the limited site, there will be
an off-street parking deficit This is a constraint throughout the
Central Business District and one which the committee felt needs to be
addressed in the larger context of the whole area, or at least the
entire block Pierce mentioned that this has been discussed at an
informal session with the Appeals Board and on the floor of Town Meeting
last year
A public meeting room is planned for seating of 100 people Altogether
the new plan was characterized as of greater efficiency in use of space,
and even will provide some room for expansion, particularly in the
stacks The reading room, which will be alongside the Massachusetts
Avenue windows will be augmented by well -lit bays along outer walls of
the lower stacks Poinelli praised the plan for "good proportions "
The library schedule, just reactivated as of July 1 , calls for project
completion by the first of the year 2000 From July through September
PBC Minutes of 7/10/97 - Page 2
1997 will be design development time, with the next six months to
prepare construction documents and specifications Bidding will
commence May 1 , with construction to start about August 1998 The
library plans to move out of the building about April 1998 and' move back
in about February-March of 2000 Bonding of the entire $7 8 million is
now being worked out State money, which will be substantially up
front , is expected to arrive starting in July 1998
Fundraising will kick off in October of this year The Library has
applied for its own 501(c)3 status , since it cannot use the town' s non-
profit rating Only $500 ,000 bonding will be needed for the next 12
months Mahoney noted that on July 1 , library building maintenance came
under DPW jurisdiction
Contract with the architects is being expanded, and the PBC will
participate in the contracting processes Poinelli asked for additional
documentation, which the library will supply Chairman Bruckman
suggested that the PBC might delegate some of their prerogatives
Recommended that the committee meet monthly with Library staff and
library building committee
The library has a subcommittee working on relocation and their report is
due in August Town, county, state and commercial buildings are being
explored Schools have offered to help Relocation plans include
expansion of the East Lexington Branch hours and functions , sending the
large print collection to the Council on Aging, sending paintings out
for cleaning and storage The historic collections will also be stored
The next meeting with the library building committee is scheduled for
Tuesday, August 5 at 7 p m at the library At the conclusion of the
library discussion, the PBC continued in session on the schools project
Proiect manaaer selection was narrowed to five people selected to be
interviewed William Babin, Carl Borchert , Louis Cogliano, Fay
DeAvignon, Paul LaPointe and Nancy Rubenstein Chairman will check this
list with member Johnson, who had already left the meeting
Meeting adjourned at 9 50 p m
Respectfully submitted,
Erna S Greene
Secretary