Proposal Unveiled for Doubling, Updating Mamaroneck Library

by Judy Silberstein

(November 8, 2006) The Mamaroneck Public Library is crumbling and its insurance carrier has threatened to drop its coverage if major repairs are not conducted by next year. The roof is leaking, all of the major systems are approaching “organ failure,” major functions are severely cramped, and the building is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. That was the bad news conveyed to members of the Larchmont-Mamaroneck League of Women Voters at their monthly breakfast gathering on Friday, November 3 by Helen Rafferty, head of the Library Board.

An artist's rendering of the architect's preliminary proposal for the Mamaroneck Library shows a contemporary addition, at left, wrapped around the original 1927 core building.

The good – but costly – news was that by renovating and expanding the building at the same time, the community could yield twice the space for much less than twice the cost of merely preventing the existing facility from collapse.

The bottom line? Construction costs are an estimated $10 million to renovate the 20,000 square foot facility that includes the 1927 original library facing Mt. Pleasant Avenue, the 1964 addition on Library Lane that connects to the Emelin Theatre and another one-story addition constructed in 1985. However, because of economies of scale, construction costs to build an additional 20,000 square feet would increase the price by “only” $5 to $7 million more.

What would the expansion entail? According to Ms. Rafferty, the Library Board conducted a competitive search for an architect to help them plan for a facility that respects both the history and the future of the library. Their search brought them to George Schieferdecker of BKSK Architects LLP, the firm that designed the Manhattan Children’s Museum, who happens to live in Mamaroneck a block from the library.

Mr. Schieferdecker unveiled, for the first time in public, his provisional designs that keep the historic 1927 core but wrap a contemporary, open, three-story addition around it. His designs reflect input from the community obtained through focus groups and a telephone survey. As envisioned, patrons would enter through the modern, handicapped accessible wing on Mt. Pleasant Avenue that would include, among other spaces, extra meeting rooms for teens and community groups, a café, and a roof-top terrace with a view of Harbor Island. There would be more room for children’s programs, computers, new media and circulation, all of which are experiencing increasing demand. Circulation, for example, is up 40% in the past 5 years, reported Ms. Rafferty.

Architect George Schieferdecker and Mamaroneck Library Board President Helen Rafferty described details of the proposed plan at a League of Women Voters meeting.

The interior of the library would be opened up to allow for better lighting, security, movement and use of space. The aim is to attain a “silver” environmental rating by incorporating “green technology” elements such as a green roof, large windows for added daylight, and ecologically friendly materials. Mr. Schieferdecker said the proposed plan calls for refurbishing the historical murals and bringing back the “lovely old reading room where you will be able to curl up with a book,” away from the noisy functions of an updated circulation desk.

Architect George Schieferdecker's proposal includes recreating the reading room in the original 1927 part of the Mamaroneck Library. Artist's rendering courtesy of BKSK Architects LLP.

Is all of this possible? “We have to look at the optimal; we have to look at the fiscal reality, and see how close we can bring those two together,” said Ms. Rafferty.

The Library Board has already begun fundraising for the project: an anonymous donation and a good deal from the property owner allowed for the purchase of the lot adjacent to the current facility. There remains $2.2 million in hand and plans are in place for a major fundraising campaign, developed with help from Joanna Nadler, a Larchmont resident and fundraising consultant. Initial responses from donors has been “way more positive than we allowed ourselves to hope," said Ms. Rafferty, “but private money will not be enough,” she stressed.

Additional money must be raised through the issuance of municipal bonds, she indicated, something the Library Board is not empowered to do. Since 1991, the library has been governed as an independent entity with its own board and budget approved directly by voters. Issuing bonds, however, must be done by Mamaroneck Village’s municipal government.

“As a board, we’re totally behind” the project, said Mamaroneck Village Deputy Mayor Bill Paonessa, who spoke at the LWV coffee. He admitted, “It is a lot of money – when people hear the figure they gasp. But what doesn’t cost a lot today?”

He praised the Library Board saying, “Their due diligence really can’t be questioned,” and adding, “This is something the Village has to invest in.”

Other praise for the project came from Miriam Curnin, former mayor of Larchmont and current head of the Larchmont Library Board. “We too started with a big old building,” she said, recounting some of the history of the Larchmont facility’s expansion in 1992.

What’s Next?

On November 16 the LIbrary Board begins discussions with the Mamaroneck Village Board over the design and cost. Following that, there are many more steps to go before the new library could become a reality. These include: formal support from the Mamaroneck Village Board; finalization of the design; and raising millions in private donations.

The most optimistic timetable, estimated by Mr. Schieferdecker, puts the start of construction at least 8 months away. Actual construction would take an additional year, during which library functions would be moved to a temporary location off site.

According to Ms. Rafferty, a multi-million dollar project in the near future is unavoidable, if only to keep the current facility from being closed down. As for the expansion, “This is the library we need now,” she said.

Front Page

Print This Page
Email this page