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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-03-22-BFC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON AD HOC BUILDING FINANCE COMMITTEE Minutes of Meeting March 22 1996 at Cary Memorial Library, as approved April 8 , 1996 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Kelley at 7 42 a m with all committee members except Moore present Also attending were Reverend Peter Meek of the Library Trustees , Capital Expenditures Committee members Karen Dooks Ron Grammont and David Miller, architect Stephen Hale, and Cary Library staff Carol Mahoney and Julie Triessl Materials Distributed (in order used in presentation) Deferred Maintenance Analysis (using information from the Archetype Report) Engineered Systems Review (from Norian/Siani , Engineers) Construction Cost Control Smmary Proposed floor plans , upper and lower levels Final Draft Cost Estimate ( from C2E Cost Estimator, via Hale Architects & Assoc ) Deferred Maintenance Architect Hale began his presentation with a review of the deferred maintenance items at the library, from landscap- ing and roofing to heating and ventilating, electrical and lighting He also cited an October 1993 report by the Permanent Building Committee on Lexington Public Facilities Committee member Jenkins asked if the library would be asking the town for the $2 5 million (plus standard add-ons like contingency) to bring the building up to standard if no addition/renovation were done Responding in the affirmative, Hale also pointed to the low ratings and high age of most library systems on the second page of Sciani ' s "Engineered Systems Review " Budget for Proiect The present total budget is $7 698 million The library plans to apply for approximately one-third of that amount from the State Library Board one-third from Town Meeting and anticipates raising one-third through efforts of the Trustees and Friends of the library What is being applied for from the State is the full amount available for the project under the present library construction grant conditions When asked about the library' s ability to raise $2 5 million for construction costs , the library director responded with confidence, noting that raising money for a specific finite project is far easier than raising money for endowment or on-going activities of the library The New Century fund-raising is of the latter sort , a somewhat low-key drive for steady contributing Corporations would be more likely to donate toward a capital building program, Mahoney noted Committee members raised questions about saving existing systems that are still usable Answer Plumbing and some electrical are reusable but many systems such as the boiler are at or beyond life-expectancy and seriously need replacement Energy efficiency must be included in planning, according to state guidelines Hale assured the group that whatever heating system is installed (a dual-fuel system is envisioned) will be far more energy efficient per square foot than the present one There is presently no sprinkler system in the library The advantages Ad Hoc Building Finance Committee Minutes 3/22/96 - Page 2 and safety imparted by a sprinkler system have been weighed against possible water damage Mahoney noted that sprinklers would be con- trolled by zones and therefore water damage could be limited The Fire Department has required sprinklers Eagle said that fiberglass oil tanks were installed in 1989 , and they are single-walled only The tanks and their piping system will probably not meet new standards to go into effect in 1998 , and components would need upgrading He also noted that gas is to be deregulated in the near future, and this may have significant affect on the market Parking will be 15 spaces short of requirements after the expansion Mahoney pointed out that the state is flexible on this issue (Even though the Library itself is in a residential zone, its parking is part of the larger Central Business District parking shortage ) Variances from the Board of Appeals will be needed for the parking deficiency as well as for a reduction from the side-yard requirement In preliminary informal discussions with chairman McWeeney of the Board of Appeals , great sympathy for the library' s limitations was expressed Already the library has been discussing the possibility of satellite parking, probably for staff , at First Parish Church Peter Kelley recalled there was some understanding that the open space across across Clarke Street at the foot of Belfry Hill was promised as neighborhood recreation space when Hancock School was converted to housing Funding Request to 1996 Town Meeting (Article 14) The reason for asking the Town' s appropriation at this time is the time schedule specified in the grant The formal application must be submitted by April 10 , 1996, and the Town must appropriate by March, 1997 , construction must begin by December, 1997 Karen Dooks inquired about what would happen if the Library Trustees raised more than their $2 5 million portion Would this be used to reduce the Town's portion of the construction costs? Would this come up at Town Meeting? (Noted that the State library grants are for funding construction only, and not for furnishings and equipment within the building ) Mahoney commented that there is an assumption that the Town is responsible for the library' s mechanical systems Hale added that statewide library funding is 70 percent from local sources and 15 percent each from state and private sources BFC Action Chairman Kelley pointed out that the library was not included in the committee' s December report due to the farmative status of the library ' s plans at the time Upon committee' s request to learn more about the building plans , Hale rapidly reviewed the rationale for rearranging and consolidating library functions in the new plans high-level activities - unified circulation desk commanding a view of most traffic , Children' s and Young Adults ' rooms , audio-visual collections and Reference - are all on the upper level , adult stacks , gallery, meeting room, technical , mechanical and administrative areas and an auditorium that can have its own handi- capped-accessible entrance/exit on the northeast corner on Massachusetts Avenue, are planned for the lower level The concentra- tion and arrangement of the stacks and circulation desk should improve Ad Hoc Building Finance Committee Minutes 3/22/96 - Page 3 security and user fiendliness as well as enable the library to run more efficiently with less staffing Lighting was also a major considera- tion, with introduction of a deck of windows as well as five light- catching strips on the roof to bring daylight into the interior areas of the building Inside only the Oval Room and the two rooms on either side of the rotunda (to have its original high windows uncovered) will be unchanged, although the northwest corner present entrance will be restored to its original appearance Most of the facade along Mass Avenue and Clarke Street will remain unchanged except for the southernmost corner along Clarke, which will house the Young Adult area and a hip roof extension will be substited for the present cooling tower to be eliminated Landscaping will help control lighting from south-facing windows One other difference between present and new plans is the view into the library from Mass Avenue No more darkened cut-up layers of stacks , but bright areas for reading, periodicals and audio-visual materials Reverend Meek recounted how the library gathered information on citi- zens ' needs and wishes Each household in town (over 11 ,000) received a copy of the survey and over 2 , 000 responses were received Concerns about safety reinforced those already expressed by the staff , and the survey revealed a strongly perceived need for a meeting room, for children's programs as well as for other community gatherings The part of the library around the northwest entrance was originally constructed in 1908 and added to in 1957 and again in 1974-75 This proposal will be the third addition/renovation It will keep the same two main entrances , which now receive equal traffic ADA requirements will be met Agreeing to meet again at 7 00 a m Tuesday, March 26 at the library to learn more about the proposed building plans , the committee adjourned its meeting at 9 10 a m Respectfully submitted, Erna S Greene, Secretary