New library is back at boro review panel

MILFORD — Following a confrontational first plunge last spring, sponsors of a new central library are back once again before the borough’s architectural review board. Mayelyne Syracuse, chair of the library building task force, appeared before the review board Monday, where she said the library will file an application for approval of the panel’s Certificate of Appropriateness as soon as possible. To that end, Review Board Chair Kevin Stroyan proposed a new joint committee to help iron out any disagreements about the proposed $8.5 million, East Harford Street project. Stroyan said the project will prompt questions and he hoped to include all the likely sources of those questions in the committee dialogue “at the same table.” Those taking part will include members of the review board, the library task force, the library board of directors and the borough council. Stroyan said the panel’s discussions would be open to the public and an initial meeting was scheduled for Monday, March 17 at 7 p.m. Syracuse came before the review panel after the borough council earlier this month allowed a revision from the borough’s standard project permitting process. In her preceding letter to the council, Syracuse sought an early architectural review, noting that other engineering and design portions of the permitting process will be costly, perhaps $200,000, to complete. That work could become moot if the overall design fails to win architectural review board approval or the board calls for substantial changes in the project. Based on the precedent of granting a similar revision of the process for developers of the Rite Aid drug store, the council approved the task force request earlier this month. Involving as many interested parties in the discussion as possible, Stroyan moved to avoid the controversy of last spring, when library proponents and other residents openly clashed over New York Architect, Fred Schwartz’ contemporary design. That basic design remains as these new talks begin, although some changes have been made, Syracuse said. She said the original 18,000-square-foot plan has been reduced to 16,500 to 17,000 square feet. “We’ve squeezed out some inefficiencies of space,” and added a basement space, where building “mechanicals” will be housed, she said. Syracuse said the task force wants to reserve space for vending machines or a coffee server, if not the full service cafe originally planned. Stroyan noted there had been concern in the business community about the library offering competing services in a cafe. “It could impact your septic system as well,” he added. Commenting earlier, Syracuse reported that progress on the project included the approval of an in-ground, peat filter septic system for the project. The system, rising only 12” above grade will avoid the need for a “turkey mound” and it’s obtrusive five-foot high mound. A large portion of the library effort remains in fundraising. Less the $775,000 land acquisition, the cost of construction will be over $7 million. Some $2.1 million have already come in private donations. Another $400,000 is budgeted along with some $500,000 in private foundation grants. But big chunks of county, state, and federal money are also plugged into the planning. Another $2.5 million is expected to come from county government and $500,000 in federal funding. The state is expected to be another $2.5 million donor through Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) and Keystone Grant programs. Syracuse said she was pleased at Governor Ed Rendell’s call to the legislature for the $750 million in RACP funding in the coming budget. These grant funds from the Pa. Office of the Budget are for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, and historical improvement projects. State approvals would need to come despite the recent apparent failure of the Mountain Laurel Performing Arts Center project, where then Gov. Tom Ridge helicoptered in to deliver a $15 million grant in 2001. Even given state approvals, legislative appropriations must be adopted to fund the projects, so the quest for supplementary grant funding continues. For example, the building’s “green” designing helps; its green roof makes the project eligible for private foundation funding for cutting stormwater runoff. Despite the pedigree of the design, Syracuse said the project planning is frugal. Quoting regional construction costs for comparable libraries in the Mid-Atlantic states, she said the average is $300 per square-foot, while Pike is working with a budgeted $260. “Our biggest challenge is to our great group of volunteer grant writers. About a half-dozen more are needed. The work is so time consuming. It would be too much for one person, even full-time,” she said. Concluding her arguments, Syracuse said it is important for people to remember that the new building is a central library and why that central structure is needed. “Library usage in Pike County is up dramatically. The population grew some 27 percent between 2000 and 2006, but regular library patronage has jumped 73 percent in the same period.” Similar increases cover all age groups and media. The new central building will provide the logistic basis for distribution programs that are impossible now, she said. “We’re planning new store-front branches, and additional book drop-offs. “For the elderly and homebound, a library by mail system like Netflix, where books are ordered online, and mailed with a return mail envelope. It’s efficient, the post office is going, anyway ... and we can service the far ends of the county, ” she explained. “Think about the value Pike County citizens get. It’s huge,” she said. Next month, discussions will begin to determine what the building central to all this will look like.