Greenwich Library Connections *** See Note Below
... Elizabeth Mainiero of Cupolo Consulting will lead the meetings. Ms. Mainiero has been hired by the Kent Library Association to guide the board, staff and community through a planning process that will identify the strengths of the current facility and its services and consider the options for the future including space needs.
After more than 20 years as a library director, including the last 10 in Greenwich where she oversaw five building expansions, Ms. Mainiero has worked as a consultant with more than 15 public libraries in Connecticut and Rhode Island in develop long range plans and building programs. ...
Please see:
Persons Available to Serve as Building Consultants
| This list is not a recommendation by the Connecticut State Library |
I wonder if Kent residents have read this:
Greenwich Time - Library project delayed
08/06/2008 - Books aren't the only thing overdue at the Byram Shubert Library.
So is a $4.8 million expansion project at the library, which has evoked harsh criticism from Byram neighborhood leaders and residents.
Located next to New Lebanon School on Mead Avenue, the finished library was supposed to be open next month for the start of classes.
Those who have been monitoring the project said there is no way the building will be done on time, however.
"The community is p----d off," said Michael Bocchino, president of the Byram Neighborhood Association.
Bocchino said the pace of the construction, which has been going on for a year-and-a-half, is unacceptable; he placed the blame on the library's board of trustees for its management of the project.
"This is one of the most mismanaged projects in the history of the town. It's pathetic," Bocchino said. "I would be surprised and shocked if they're done before Thanksgiving break."
At the construction site Tuesday, several exterior walls on the building were still waiting to be put up, in addition to most of the windows.
Jason Cea of Marco Martelli Associates Inc., the New Rochelle, N.Y., manager of the construction project, declined to comment and referred all questions to the library's board of trustees.
Roberta Denning, president of the library's board of trustees, attributed the delay on the unavailability of certain building materials, such as windows, which she said are taking longer than expected to arrive.
"We're rying to get it done by the end of September. It looks like we're going to miss that by a few weeks," Denning said.
The board, she said, has been very good about keeping Byram residents up to speed on the progress of the work and sends out monthly status reports to neighborhood leaders.
"We want it to be done just as much as they do," Denning said.
Denning would not respond to Bocchino's criticism of the board and its handling of the project.
Alan Monelli, the town's building superintendent, said his department has no oversight over library construction projects, other than offering technical advice that may be needed. No requests have been made for the town's assistance, he said.
When the project is finished, the library will be nearly double in size thanks to the estimated 5,000-square-foot addition. The 33-year-old facility, a branch of Greenwich Library, has seen a higher volume of visitors in recent years.
Since late last year, the Byram Shubert Library has been renting space at St. Paul Lutheran Church, across the street from the construction site.
"It would be good to have the full-service library back," said Stan Olszewski, 55, who uses Byram Shubert about once a week.
Olszewski looked skepticalwhen told that the project had been scheduled to finish in time for the start of school.
"Maybe next school year," he said.
Rebecca O'Neill, 43, who was on her way into the library with her two daughters, said she can't wait for the project to finish.
"It's just an inconvenience because sometimes they don't have the books here," O'Neill said.
Neighborhood leaders said the library plays a key role in after-class activities for students of nearby New Lebanon School.
"The kids down here are suffering," said Joseph Kantorski, a Byram Neighborhood Association member who has been monitoring the project. "It was a vital center of the community."
The project's original price tag was estimated at $2.7 million. That figure has grown to $4.8 million,
with the town contributing $1.3 million, a state grant accounting for $500,000, a Community Development Block Grant paying $650,000, and private donations totaling $2.2 million.
Taught Me To Always Google:
07/31/08 Ace Reporter Chris Fountain Was The Only One Smart Enough To Do A Simple Google Search On Worth Construction
08/07/08 For what It's Worth Adds Up The Costs In Byram
Here is one of For What It's Worth's posts today:
Race to the bottom - newspapers vs. condos
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1 comment:
Please be aware that Mainiero retired from Greenwich Library 10 years ago, in 1998. The Library Director in Greenwich during the Byram addition has soley been Mario Gonzalez. There is no connection between any Kent Library building project and the Greenwich library project.
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