Somersworth council hears library expansion plan, accessibility upgrades as projected cost rises to $7.3 million

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…