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Port Washington library renovation is under way; brief closures possible as lobby flooring and carpet work proceed
Summary
Construction on the Port Washington Public Library began during the meeting; staff warned of short closures and possible reductions in reserve-fund use if the library receives supplemental grant money. Contractors will start lobby flooring work immediately, and carpeting will require moving unstable shelving and may force a brief full closure.
Construction work at the Port Washington Public Library began this week, and library leaders told the board that lobby flooring removal and carpet replacement will start immediately, likely causing a few days of full closure when carpet tiles are installed and shelving must be moved.
Tom, library director, said, “The project started today. They actually are breaking walls down. They have everything sealed.” He told trustees that contractors would “start ripping out the flooring in the lobby” the following morning and that the next few days will be the “worst part” because crews will be “really gonna be hammering.”
The work is funded in part by a flexible facilities grant. The library received an email from the grant administrator saying the library may be eligible for additional funds that must be requested by next week; Tom said Roger is taking charge of that grant request. “You have to start building by July 1. We already have,” Tom said, noting the library has met that start requirement for the grant.
Staff told the board that carpet replacement will be complicated by shelving that is not stable enough to be wrapped and lifted easily. Tom said staff likely will have to help movers shift materials to one side of the building while work proceeds on the other and that doing so efficiently will probably require closing the building “for a few days.” He said the contractor plans to install carpet tiles rather than a continuous roll, which should speed installation once shelving is out of the way.
Tom said the front entrance is open for now but that patrons may be directed to use the Grand Avenue entrance to limit disruption. Communications staff are posting notices: Tom praised Rosalia for social-media and email updates, saying users have given “a lot of positive feedback.”
Board discussion touched on costs and reserve funding. A trustee asked whether any supplemental grant award would reduce the amount drawn from the library’s reserve fund; staff said that would be determined after the city processes any grant award.
The director warned that contractor availability remains uncertain in the region and that some other applicants to the same grant had difficulty finding contractors. That scarcity was cited as a reason some unused funds may be reallocated to applicants who can use them, creating the possibility of a small supplemental award for Port Washington.
Board members asked staff to continue coordinating with the city administrator and the grant administrator. There was no formal vote on additional work or on accepting funds during the meeting; staff said they will report back to the board when the city has processed any supplemental grant request.
The library expects the larger renovation contract to run through the fall; the project schedule in the packet lists a target end in November but shows contingency scheduling into early January. Tom said he expects the renovation to be substantially complete by year-end if crews do not uncover additional issues.
Trustees asked staff to provide notice to patrons before any full-day closure; staff said they will give as much advance notice as possible and post updates through email and Facebook.
