City councilors ask questions about library redesign

City councilors got an opportunity this week to ask questions and air their concerns about an upcoming library redesign at the council’s Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday.

Last January, the Waltham Public Library was approved for the statewide Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program grant. The grant covers “an average of 45%-50%…of eligible costs” for library renovations, according to the WPL’s website. The project is currently in its design phase, and if the construction grant is approved, the library intends to invite bids from contractors in summer 2027.

Councilors asked the library’s director, Kelly Linehan, a long list of questions that covered topics from customer parking to how the library will operate while construction is underway. Linehan said on-site parking will continue to be an issue because of the layout of the historic building, but added that she would be open to discussing off-site parking solutions. Representatives from Finegold Alexander Architects, the firm assisting with the library redesign, noted that other municipal libraries they’ve worked with have moved to temporary rented locations during construction. Linehan also confirmed that the library’s current growth plans are taking into account future utility costs for the newly expanded space.

The current architectural plan will preserve the building’s historic facade, which several councilors said they appreciated. Finegold also intends to preserve large parts of the 1990s library addition by removing its outer walls and expanding the library’s footprint at the back and the sides of the building. 

Ward 1 Councilor Anthony LaFauci asked about the plan’s feasibility and cost effectiveness compared to rebuilding the addition entirely. In response, Finegold representatives said they could look into a cost comparison but said the current plan preserved recently updated mechanical equipment and that the firm is experienced in preserving and constructing around existing buildings.

Multiple councilors spoke in support of investing in renovations to the library, and Ward 6 Councilor Sean T. Durkee, who sits on the Library Building Committee, thanked library staff and architectural consultants for their work to date.

In response to a question from Councilor-at-Large Colleen Bradley-MacArthur, Linehan said the current plan addresses all her goals for the library’s renovation, including line-of-sight safety needs and space to support library program offerings, which have increased by 48% in the last year alone.

Linehan outlined the need for the expansion, noting that the library’s readership has grown significantly in the past few years and the building hasn’t kept pace. She explained that the library had to collect a year of public outreach data and present a 30-year growth plan to qualify for the initial grant application in 2024. She anticipates the MPLCP grant will cover around 35% of the library’s construction costs but not the cost of new furniture.

The library next needs to have its plan reviewed by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners to make sure it conforms to grant requirements. The library also needs to obtain an estimate of construction costs from Finegold.