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December 2018 Renovation Update

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Happy Season of Light!

Very soon we will be moving back home to the newly renovated Pratt Memorial Library Building.

Construction has been going well and we are moving forward on schedule. We slowed down a wee bit when our plasterers found that the ceilings of the rotunda and adult non-fiction area (the large fan-shaped room on the main floor) were in poorer shape than we realized, requiring more extensive work. Still, we expect that the renovation will be finished in late January.

From streetside you can see towering scaffolding through the windows and lights on every weekday. Every inch of the building is a construction zone, undergoing some sort of transformation. If you peek in the bottom windows you will see a temporary construction office and worksite in the Kirby Langford Room.

Not being part of a construction trade, it is amazing to see how each of the spaces is used and how well everyone works around each other. On most days you can expect to see people from D.A. Sullivan (our general contractor), Adams Plumbing & Heating, Baystate Painting, JRJ Plasterers, and M.L. Schmitt electricians.

Progress to date:

Upstairs, the rotunda, including its ornate plasterwork, the upstairs ceilings, and the director’s office ceiling and walls, have had plaster repaired; we have selected our paint colors and look forward to seeing the walls looking fresh and clean. 

Downstairs, most painting is complete and we’ve agreed on flooring choices for the children’s room; construction of brand new meeting and staff rooms is underway; and conduits are being installed for air conditioning and new wiring for the whole building.

It really, truly is in the details. Every larger project requires multiple small decisions. Even with architectural plans that are complete and detailed, when it’s time to actually apply those plans to the building there are always decisions to be made. 

We’re almost there, and we greatly appreciate your patience.

And just as a reminder, the library is keeping its regular hours, Mon. 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Wed. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Please use 413-512-3389 to contact us during the renovation.