Published in the July 26, 2017 edition
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Renderings for the proposed new Lynnfield Public Library will be released this fall, Library Building Committee Chairman Russell Boekenkroeger said during the institution’s 125th birthday celebration at the Meeting House Saturday, July 22.
Before Boekenkroeger gave an update on the proposed new library, Board of Library Trustees Chairman Bob Calamari noted library officials submitted a grant to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners to help finance the cost of a new Lynnfield Public Library.
“Our application has been approved and we have been put on the wait-list,” said Calamari. “We are in the queue for future matching funding for a new library facility.”
Boekenkroeger said having the library being placed on the wait-list is a positive step forward for the building project.
“In the history of the state giving out grants for libraries, it’s pretty much a guarantee that if the town does its part in this process, we will get the funding from the state,” said Boekenkroeger.
While Boekenkroeger said being placed on the waitlist is somewhat of a “disappointment,” he said there is a silver lining.
“It’s a blessing because the selectmen and the Finance Committee really did not want to have a gun to their head in terms of having to proceed with debt financing immediately,” said Boekenkroeger. “The way this has worked out provides the town with flexibility on how to proceed.”
Boekenkroeger said the proposed new library, which would be 25,874 sq. ft. and located near the Reedy Meadow Golf Course, is estimated to cost $21,426,278 million.
“The grant from the state would be a little over $8 million, and the town’s portion would be $13 million,” said Boekenkroeger.
Boekenkroeger said, “There is one more intermediate milestone that we have that doesn’t cost the town any money and doesn’t commit the town to anything.”
“That is approving the estimated total project cost that was part of the grant application in January,” Boekenkroeger continued. “I think we would like to see that proceed quickly and not go for a pause as we have built up to this over the last couple of years.
“That is something under consideration as we decide how to handle that,” he said.
Boekenkroeger said renderings for the project will be released in the next couple of months. The project’s architect is William Rawn Associates and the owner’s project manager is Design Technique, Inc.
“The watercolor and ink drawings are going to get done by the architect based on the present design,” said Boekenkroeger.
Boekenkroeger urged the birthday celebration’s attendees to closely monitor future developments with the library project.
“We want you to come out and rally behind this to try and take this project forward,” said Boekenkroeger.
In an interview of the Villager, Boekenkroeger said Town Administrator Jim Boudreau determined earlier this year the impact on a household would be around $31 for every $100,000 in assessed valuation.
“Anybody can do the math themselves,” added Boekenkroeger. “That is not anticipated to change as we go forward. Looking at present interest rates with an eye towards the future and how they are likely to change with the debt financing that would be involved, that is what it would be. At the end of the day and as a taxpayer, that doesn’t bother me that much.”
