A Renovated, Expanded Library… The Time is Now
The Grafton Public Library’s Renovation and Expansion project is partially funded by a state grant administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. A Capital Campaign to assist in funding the project and future capital needs was launched in 2017; donations can be made at any UniBank location or mailed to Capital Campaign, PO Box 387, Grafton MA 01519.
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Construction Photo Albums
Construction
Demolition
Site Work
Groundbreaking
Overview of Site Work, November 2019
Construction Schedule, February 2021
Furniture, Fixtures, & Equipment, March 2021
Schematic Design (Furniture Layout)
- Lower Level Schematics, March 2021
- Upper Level Schematics, March 2021
- Landscaping / Site Plan, November 2019
- Donor Landscape Plantings & Materials Concept Plan, June 24, 2021
- Patio Layout and Materials Plan, June 24, 2021
- Patio Grading and Drainage, June 24, 2021
Construction Updates:
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- Clerk’s Update Feb 2019
- February 2019
- Clerk’s Update Jan 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
Project Size: 25,212 square feet (existing: 7,216 – 3,078 sq. ft. to be demo’d + 21,074 sq. ft. addition)
Upper Level: 13,363 sq. ft.
Lower Level: 11,849 sq.ft
Children’s Space: 3,630 sq. ft.
Teen Space: 3,108 sq. ft
Project Cost: $16,597,997
Eligible costs: $15.8 million. MBLC will reimburse ~48% of these costs. If costs go down, grant reimbursement will decrease; if costs go up, grant reimbursement will not exceed $15.8 million total.
Provisional Grant Award: $7,435,041
Tentative Construction Schedule November 11, 2019
- April 2018: Hire OPM. Scout temporary location
- May 2018: go out to bid for an architect
- June 2018: hire architects
- July 2018: sign contract with MBLC
- July -April 2019: develop design documents.
- March/April 2019: Move to a temporary location
- April-August 2019 develop construction documents
- August 2019: go out to bid for a contractor/subs
- September 2019: Hire a general contractor
- November 2019: BREAK GROUND
- November 2019-Spring 2021: CONSTRUCTION
- Spring 2021: Grand Reopening GALA?
- July 2021?: 1st reimbursement (less any monies received previously – this timeline could shift up by 1 year due to other libraries not getting their funding)
- December 2021?: Punch list completed, closeout
- July 2022?: 2nd reimbursement
- July 2023?: 3rd reimbursement
- July 2024?: 4th reimbursement
- July 2025?: final reimbursement
Preliminary Floor Plans, Site Plan and Elevations
Level 1 Upton Street Floor Plan 1-9-2017
Level 2 Common Floor Plan 1-9-2017
West & North Elevations 1/9/17
East and South Elevation 1/9/17
Grafton Public Library Building Program
About the Project
The Grafton Public Library, established in 1867, celebrated it’s sesquentennial anniversary in 2017. Originally housed in the Warren Block (1 Grafton Common) the Library moved to a permanent location in 1927, thanks to a generous donation from Jerome Wheelock. The original building, now nearly 90 years old, housed a collection of 5,000 items to serve a population of 6,000 residents, a public meeting room, a board room, and a librarian’s office. It was only open a few hours a week and children were not permitted to become members.
In 2016, the Library hosted over 77,000 visitors and circulated over 138,000 items. Over 45,000 items were crammed into a space intended for 35,000. The Library lacked a public meeting room, private staff areas, a secure climate-controlled space for historical items, comfortable seating, display space for the collection, and materials to satisfy demand. In short, the Library has become grossly inadequate in meeting the needs of the community of Grafton.
The MA Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) Grant was completed and submitted in January 2017; at a special Town Meeting in January 2017, residents voted for the Library to have jurisdiction over some of the adjacent acreage at 90 Upton Street for purposes of Library expansions.
At the May 2017 Town Meeting, residents voted to accept the preliminary building design, which includes meeting rooms, quiet study rooms, a teen space, a children’s program room, a quiet reading room, and ample parking.
Voters also approved raising and appropriating matching funding, moving the question to ballot for the May Election. The Library funding question passed on May 16, 2017. In July 2017, the Town of Grafton was awarded a provisional grant by the MA Board of Library Commissioners to cover 51% of the estimated eligible costs. In September the Select Board voted their confidence in the provisional grant, and to borrow the money for the project to proceed immediately.
Video on Demand: Town Meeting May 8, 2017
Video on Demand: Special Town Meeting January 9, 2017
Video: 3-D Rendering of proposed expansion
PDFS:
Community Forum Three: Monday, December 19, 2016 7pm
Video on Demand of Community Meeting December 19
Level 1 Upton Street Floor Plan
Community Forum Two: Wednesday November 16
Slides from Community Meeting November 16
Video on Demand of Community Meeting November 16
Community Forum One: Thursday October 20, 2016
Slides from Community Meeting October 20
Video on Demand of Community Meeting October 20
Other Documents of Interest
- Project Dog RFP for Architectural Services 2018
- Grafton Public Library Building Program
- Estimated Space Summary
- Collection Projection to 2035
- Focus Group Questions and Responses
- 2013 Blueprint
- 2012 Environmental Scan
Previous Library Renovation and Expansion Attempts
- Geotechnical Report, 1996
- Wetland Resource Delineation Plan, 2012
- 2010-2011 Rendering black & white 8.5″ x 11″
- West Elevation – color, 11″ x 17″
- North Elevation – color, 11″ x 17″
- East Elevation – color, 11″ x 17″
- South Elevation – color, 11″ x 17″
- Main Level, 11″ x 17″
- Lower Level, 11″ x 17″
- 2010-2011 Levels black & white 8.5″ x 11″
- Library History
- 2016-2020 Strategic Plan
- 2015 Annual Report
- Library Planning and Building Committee
- MBLC Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) with links to regulation 650 CMR 6.00, grant announcements & more
Pinterest Pages of Library Elements We Like
Town Meeting Presentation Monday May 9, 2016 (go to 41:10)
This project is partially funded by a state grant administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.