Library withdraws review application

Milford — The big decision on the new library design that was said to be off - then on again - turned out to be off on Monday evening. On Monday afternoon, John Stieh, attorney for the Pike County Public Library, transmitted the library board’s decision to withdraw their application before the borough architectural review board. “...Rather than subject the (review board) to attempt to formulate recommendations ... without... a response to (Borough Consulting Architect, Peter) Benton’s comments, we have been asked by the Library to give notice that it is withdrawing without prejudice...” Stieh wrote . The library board’s decision to withdraw was based on the Dec. 15 receipt of a review and recommendations on the design from the Philadelphia architect, who is a senior associate at John Milner Associates (JMA). In the concluding paragraph of his nine-page report, Benton advised against review board recommendation for approval. “JMA believes that a high quality contemporary design for the (library) is possible, but that the existing design is not appropriate to the character of the district... JMA recommends that existing layout and plan configuration be rethought and a new contemporary design created using the character of the historic district as its inspiration and point of departure.” No one from the library and only a few spectators attended the Monday evening announcement at the review board meeting. A widely circulated and incorrect Dec. 17 library press release last week stated that the vote was to be postponed. Borough officials said no postponement could have been made before Monday’s meeting. Chair Kevin Stroyan said options were offered. “They had their choice of a postponement, our vote, or withdrawing. They chose to withdraw,” he said. The board voted its acceptance and concurrence with Benton’s findings. But asked by an audience member how a vote would go, Stroyan said the library must now re-submit; and “It would not be appropriate to speculate in the absence of an application.”