PlaceWorks Studios presented a final design update and budget revision for the Somersworth public library to the Somersworth City Council in June 2025, outlining an addition that would provide an accessible main entrance, a new elevator and reconfigured program space while increasing the project cost to a projected $7.3 million.

The project aims to address longstanding accessibility and layout problems at the downtown library, including a split‑level interior that leaves much of the collection inaccessible to people with mobility challenges and a children’s area and primary restrooms located in the basement. “We are creating the construction documents right now. We are here June 2025, but they’re due to be complete in July,” PlaceWorks principal Alyssa Murphy said during the presentation.

Design lead Josh Lacoste described the addition and elevator as the central accessibility fixes. “The addition of the elevator is really the key piece that makes this entire building…provides an accessible route to every floor of the building,” he said. The team proposes a limited‑use (LULA) elevator in a left‑side addition, a street‑level entrance, a reconfigured circulation desk, a multiuse meeting room that can be secured for off‑hours use, and a new children’s area on the second level.

Designers said the addition will require removing four mature trees on the site. The plan also calls for a new roof, replacement of most HVAC equipment with electric heat pump systems, new LED lighting and controls, upgraded electrical service and an extended sprinkler system. The team said the addition’s envelope will exceed code for thermal performance; solar panels were not pursued because the existing roof reportedly cannot support significant additional loading.

Budget and schedule details were a major focus. PlaceWorks said a 2023 estimate of about $6.1 million rose to a projected $7.3 million in April 2025 after adding scope (roof and HVAC replacement), market escalation and unexpected geotechnical work at the addition site. The team said about $500,000 in soft costs has already been spent and was grant‑funded. Construction documents are expected in July 2025; the designers have used a planning assumption of roughly 44 weeks of construction for estimating purposes and advised involving a construction manager to refine phasing and staging.

Councilors pressed on safety and operations. “Putting children in a basement is probably not a good idea with no sprinkler system,” Councilor Vincent said, asking whether basement spaces would be altered or reused. Designers said the primary public restrooms and the children’s area would be relocated above grade in the new plan and that the building’s sprinkler system would be upgraded as part of the project.

Several councilors raised cost and lifecycle questions and asked whether demolition and a new facility would be cheaper or more functional. Councilor Gibson and Councilor Goodwin both noted the high per‑square‑foot estimate; Goodwin said the site’s downtown location and prior design work weighed in favor of renovation. Councilor Gibson urged clearer breakout of construction management and overhead in the budget; the design team explained construction management fees and overhead account for on‑site supervision, temporary facilities and open‑book subcontractor procurement.

Designers acknowledged some uncertainty in the estimate: the soil at the addition proved “suboptimal,” they said, contributing to the increase. They also noted contingencies have been included in the budget: design contingency, construction contingency and an owner’s contingency. The team recommended a construction manager be retained to test value‑engineering options and advise on phasing so the library can remain operational as much as possible during work.

Other technical details discussed: the new addition will include a reconfigurable meeting room for roughly 12–15 people that could be used off hours with controlled egress; the plan calls for single‑user accessible restrooms on the new floors and preservation of some basement fixtures to meet total fixture counts required by code; security upgrades for door control and other systems are planned but camera decisions remain pending as construction documents finish.

Councilors and staff wrapped the discussion by agreeing to continue review. City staff said they will schedule a formal workshop with the council later this summer to decide whether to move forward with construction; the design team will finalize construction documents in July. No formal vote or contract award was taken at the meeting.

For now, the project remains a proposal with a finalized design and an updated budget; the council must weigh cost, phasing and preservation concerns before authorizing construction.