New Canaan Library to seek town capital support for 1913 'Legacy' building; committee formed and public input planned

Ellen Corvado and Cheryl Capitani told liaison members the library intends to include a capital request for the 1913 “Legacy” building in an upcoming town grant submission and that the request will be developed over the next few weeks for Board of Finance review.

Corvado said the library has formed an advisory committee to explore possible uses, preliminary designs and cost estimates and named Steve Carl and Lauren Patterson as committee leads. She said the aim is to restore the exterior in a traditional manner while creating a more flexible, modern interior supporting extended hours and additional meeting‑room capacity.

On process, staff said any plan must clear Planning & Zoning and that the library will seek input from the public: “I would really very much like to make sure that the public has a voice here,” Corvado said, adding that the library expects to meet with Planning & Zoning to review a recent parking survey and to discuss mitigation and scheduling to avoid program conflicts.

Corvado noted both design and cost challenges, including code upgrades such as ADA‑compliant restrooms. She said the library previously drew down about $2.4 million from the endowment in the move and that rebuilding endowment capacity will be a strategic priority. On outreach and construction, Corvado said she expects to engage local architect Amanda Martocchio and local builders to maintain historic integrity while enabling modern use.

The library said it will circulate a written capital request to the Board of Finance in roughly the next week and will not present detailed dollar figures publicly until after further board conversations and planning approvals.