Lyme Town Campus Center

March Meeting Postponed

2012-03-01T13:23:00.004-08:00

The meeting of the Lyme Town Campus Center Committee has been postponed to Thursday, March 8, 2012. The meeting will begin at it's usual time of 5pm.

Library Use

2012-02-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

During discussions about the Town Hall and Library building project, people often ask about library use. It's hard to build a full picture by glancing at the parking lot as you drive or by counting the number of books the person in front of you is checking out. Luckily, libraries keep statistics. Here are the numbers for the fiscal year ending in 2011.

1,141 Lyme residents held library cards.

11, 464 people visited the library.

16,088 items were borrowed.

Of the items borrowed, 84% came from the adult collection and 16% from the children's and young adult collections.

Lyme readers borrowed 10, 580 books and magazines. They also borrowed 3,943 DVD's and videos, 1,537 music CD's and audio books and 28 museum passes.

944 searches were done on the library's ICONN and Job Now databases.

56 programs were offered and 402 people attended.

The library sponsored 43 children's programs with 211 participants. These included story hours for preschoolers, the very popular after school series and the summer reading program.

The library hosted 19 adult programs with an attendance of 191. They included regular book club meetings, a book launch for a local author and a talk about Social Networking for Older Adults. For information on upcoming programs, go to the library website.

Comments

2012-02-04T17:17:00.000-08:00

Comments come in many forms. There are opinions, questions, suggestions, and even the occasionalcompliment. Whatever you want to say,your comments are important to the Town Hall and Library project.

Remember we are all neighbors, so you should feelcomfortable using your full name. But if you are a bit shy, you can use yourfirst name only. You can also choose touse a pseudonym or to make an anonymous comment.

No matter how strong your opinions, remember that you areaddressing your neighbors and keep it civil. All comments are moderated, and while all points of view will bepublished, nasty and abusive posts will be deleted or edited. The moderator will make note of anything thathas been censored within the comment post.

How to Make aComment

First go to the blog page at www.lymetowncampus.blogspot.com. Then find the post you wish to commenton. Go to the bottom of the post andclick on the word comments which is in red at the bottom of thepost. If you receive email copies of the blog, you must go to the web page. Youcannot comment through the email version.

When you click on comments, a box will open for you to enter your text. When you are finished, move to the line just below the comment box and use the drop-down menuto select a profile. If you wish to usea name, or pseudonym, select Name/URL. You do not need to have a URL. Just leave that blank. You cannot publish a comment withoutcompleting a profile.

If you are satisfied with the comment, click on Publish. Then go to the top of the page and select Home to return to the blog.

Comments are moderated, so an email notificationwill be sent to the moderator who must approve it before it will appear on theblog. Comments are moderated to catch any abusive posts - which has never happened, and to remove spam comments - there have been a few. There may be ashort delay, but most comments will be posted the same day.

If you have a problem posting a comment or have questions, email the moderator at lymetowncampus@gmail.com.

Be a Guest Blogger

Would you like to become part of the blog? Submit your idea or draft post to lymetowncampus@gmail.com. The moderator will work with you to createand publish your post. You must, however,use your full name on the post.

In the News

2011-12-20T15:29:00.000-08:00

The town hall and library project was in the news recently. In case you missed the articles, click on the links below.

Lymeline on 12/7/11 (You will have to scroll down to the date)

The New London Day on 12/8/11

New Exterior Drawings

2011-11-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

Bruce Tuthill has created two wonderful drawings of what the new Town Hall and Library will look like. He has done a wonderful job creating buildings that fit the character of Lyme. Only one criticism - have you ever seen the Town Hall without a pick-up truck parked in front?

If you would like a PDF version of these drawings to download or to print, click on the word Perspectives here or in the right sidebar.

Lyme Town Hall

Lyme Public Library

Back to the Library

2011-11-19T11:15:00.000-08:00

Before the town meeting, we had been reviewing the space problems in the library. There is no office for the Library Director, who works out of a cubicle divided from the rest of the library by magazine shelving. The rest of the staff fare only slightly better.

The first thing anyone entering the library sees is the circulation desk. It is where patrons return and check out materials, and because Lyme is a small library, it also serves as the information desk and reference desk.

The location next to the door is good in that the staff member at the desk has a clear line-of-sight to most parts of the library, and she can greet patrons entering and leaving the building - great for security, visibility and interaction, but during the winter it is also cold and drafty.

The desk itself is attractive, but it was not designed for use in a 21st century library. The circulation computer and scanner take up most of the counter. It is hard to check out more than a few materials at a time, and staff members don't have space to work on other tasks between patrons.

Only one person can work at the desk at a time, so if the librarian is helping one patron with a lengthy transaction, a second staff member cannot step in and help other waiting patrons.

The Project Moves Forward

2011-10-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

The town hall and library project passed two landmarks this month. On Thursday, October 6, the Town Campus Center Planning Committee, after reviewing the comments and questions from the town meeting, unanimously approved the conceptual design. The designs were then sent to the Lyme Board of Selectmen who also voted to accept them at their October 17 meeting. The plan is to bring the project to the town for a vote prior to the annual town meeting in the end of May.

Between now and May there will be a lot going on.

The architect and the committee will continue to refine the design and squeeze the budget.
The fundraising subcommittee will begin working toward the $1 million minimum goal for the project.
The committee will step up its informational activities and continue to collect comments and suggestions from the public.

To view copies of the plans and the preliminary budget, click on the links in the right sidebar.

September Public Meeting Summary Part III - Questions and Comments

2011-10-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

At last here is a summary of the questions and comments portion of the September meeting. Please note that it is a summary and not a transcription. Some items have been edited. Comments are always welcome.

How does the current cost estimate compare to the previous version?

Based on the preliminary cost estimate dated February 17, which was $5.6 million, there is a savings of $1 million.

Will the ceiling height in the town hall meeting room (the former church building) be raised?

Yes, we have funds in the budget to remove the current eight foot ceiling and to repair and restore the existing tin ceiling. The design allows us to use the whole space, and the building will be returned to its full size with the ceiling at the original 14 foot height.

I think you’ve done a great job on the library, particularly because we can look upon the library as a community center as well as a library. The fact that the children’s area has been expanded is a great step forward, and a meeting room for local organizations is sorely needed. The program room will allow the library to put on cultural programs which is a great community service. Another community service is the computer center, and you have laid that out very nicely. Also thinking about the children’s section, the town does have a senior center which it shares with Old Lyme, but outside the school, this is Lyme’s only children’s oriented center. I think that is an asset for any town. It’s a great plan, though I wish it were larger. But it is still very well done.

Thank you. Regarding meeting rooms, if you look at both buildings on the site, you go from a six person conference room to a 15, a 70 and to a 100 person meeting room. If we need more space we can still come here to the school which can hold up to 250. It gives us flexibility and allows multiple groups to meet at the same time. Members of the committee and the library went to other towns of similar size and saw their libraries. What they brought back has been put into this design.

Why should we build a new library when we have a perfectly good building that could be expanded?

We looked at a plan to put an addition on the currently library, but by the time you take it apart and rebuild it, it would cost less for a new building. The current building is slab-on-grade, so each time you want to do something such as install plumbing or wiring for computers, you have to cut the slab.

Taking the old building down gives us a clean slate. The proposed building is only around 2500 square feet larger than the current building, but we were able to include so many great features. One feature is the noise control. In the current building, noise from the children’s room is a problem. Right now, when the kids come in, the adults leave.

What happened to the ball field?

It is still there. The buildings will be centered around the green space made up by the ball field and the town green. When you come by, you will see the town hall, the library and the school with this large open green space between the buildings.

I’ve been to libraries where people bring their laptops in. Will that be available here?

The library currently has wireless, and it will be in the new building as well.

There is the same number of computer stations that you have now. Is that enough?

There are 4 stations in the adult area, but there would be space to use one of the library’s laptops or to bring your own device. There are also an additional 3 computers in the children’s room. At the moment, there are no computers in that area.

How does this design reconcile with the fact that, in very few years books will be a thing of the past? Is this library built for the future? What research did you do to determine what we need in the year 2020?

We have asked several library consultants about the future, and it is very hard to know where libraries are going. We have created a building with open space and which is flexible. Shelving is on wheels, so that it can be moved around. Some material will never be digital, so there will always be a need for some book storage, but if the number of books decreases and you need more room for computers, the shelves can be swung out and replaced with computers. We have planned a building adaptable for the future needs.

Why do we need a building when we can get everything at home off the internet?

Libraries have access to computer resources that are not available to you at home, and libraries provide services that you cannot get over the internet. We have found that, as in for example the new Colchester library, people enjoy coming to a new library to work instead of staying at home alone. As a previous speaker said, it becomes a community center as well as a library.

Have you been able to project what the operating cost of this new facility will be compared to the current building?

At this point no, but we will be able to do that further down the road. In the case of the library, one major cost is staff, and the building has been designed so that it can be run without any increase in staff. It is arranged so that one person can see what is going throughout the library – the front door, the children’s room and the stacks.

Running costs is something our engineers calculate when we get to that point in the project. The buildings will have geothermal heat, but it is hard to know if there will be savings. Darien is the only library in Connecticut which has completely geothermal heat, but they are 40,000 square feet.

The charge that the selectmen gave the committee was to look at the lifetime cost of the building – not only what it will cost to build but also what it will cost to run. That is why we are going with items such as geothermal heat.

In either of the buildings, has there been provision for equipment for presentations such as large flat screens built into the meeting rooms?

There will be audio visual equipment, but there are no details at this time. Other libraries in the area, for example, have excellent systems with smart rooms and theater quality sound systems.

This ended the first question and answer period. Dan Hagan outlined the next steps in the process.

The committee will meet on the first Thursday in October, and their charge will be to review the conceptual design in light of the information from this meeting. They will formally approve the conceptual design and turn it over to the selectmen to review and to approve in October or November. The hope is to come to the town some time before the next budget in May to approve the project.

Once the design is approved by the selectmen, the committee will begin fundraising and they hope to come to the town this spring with some fundraising completed.

In the meantime, the committee will continue to work with the architect to further refine the conceptual design and to continue to find ways to squeeze costs.

This is really two projects. If the funding doesn’t come in here you want it, will the town have the ability to look at it as two projects?

Our direction is that this is one project and that it will stay one project. We are going to fund raise for the project, not the town hall or the library.

There may be some people, I heard it expressed tonight, who may not be as happy with the library. I think everybody agrees with the town hall, but there may be some people who think the library should be scaled down if you don’t make the funding. There should be some provision for that.

The committee sees this as one project – two buildings on one site. Furthermore, the Board of Selectmen believes that it should be one project for a whole host of reasons. They believe that there is a need for both buildings, and there is an economy of scale in construction. We would be doing the taxpayers a huge disservice if we try to do it incrementally. One project makes sense in terms of the long term objectives for the town and in terms of financing.

I want to thanks Bruce, Dan and the committee. I really feel that this joint project is going to enhance our lives in Lyme. This is a community that cares about its citizens; this is a community that cares about education;, and this is a community that wants to give its people, to the best of our ability, the kind of services we all look forward to and enjoy. As you all know, Lyme was named the best small town in 2010 by Connecticut Magazine. We were lucky at the time to receive that distinction, because we had an inadequate town hall and an inadequate library. This project is a wonderful way to bring us up to where I think Lyme should be.

What is the projected cost to the citizens, and what is the target for fundraising?

There is going to be a subcommittee of the existing project committee that will focus on fundraising. The committee is being formed now. The present goal is to raise $1 million or more. The $1 million is a doable number, but we would like to raise more.

It is the consensus of the Board of Selectmen that, even if the funding is approved in a town referendum, we will not proceed with construction until we have met our fundraising goal. We do not want to come back to the town sometime in the future because we came up short.

How will it affect the mil rate?

It is still a little early to come up with a real number, but we did speak to Bank of America. If we were to issue a note for the current preliminary costs less the $1 million for fundraising right now, the interest rate would be 1.88%. On a mil rate basis, that would mean ½ mil over 15 years. Of course interest rates may change, and the Finance Committee would have the final say in how the note was structured.

Can we expect any money from the state?

There had been library construction grants from the state, however, since the fiscal crisis, this program has been put on hold. We will be prepared, however, to submit an application in case it is reinstated. There is also a possibility that Lyme will qualify for a small cities grant.

At the last meeting we discussed that there may be some money for the geothermal heat. Do these grants still exist?

Yes, there is the possibility of energy grants from the state, Northeast Utilities, and other sources. It is too early to apply, but we will pursue this source.

Will the information be available to us?

The design drawings will be available at the town hall and the library. They will also be available through the town website, the library website, and the project blog.

At this point, selectman Steve Mattson made one last comment. He wanted to add another reason why it made sense to build a new library rather than renovate the old one. He pointed out that one of the biggest potential problems is how to run a town hall and a library during construction. By building a new library, both institutions could continue to operate during the construction of the new building. Once the library moved, the town hall could move into the old library building until the town hall renovation is finished. Finally the old library could be torn down. The process would be less disruptive and it would save in soft costs.

Project Cost Estmates

2011-10-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

Once he finished the design portion of the presentation, Mr. Tuthill addressed the estimated cost. He explained that at the current level of detail, he had to use several methods to come up with a cost estimate.

Town Hall
While the town hall addition can be estimated on a square foot basis, there are other items connected with the renovation which have to be factored in, including abatement of hazardous materials in the present building and new mechanical, electrical and lighting systems. The new vault alone, which is mandated by the state, will cost $85,000. The building will also include two new bathrooms and all new carpeting and insulation throughout. For each item, a square footage number was taken, a price attached to it, and a figure added into a spread sheet. The estimate is $1.25 million.

Library
The library is a new building which is will be built on a flat lot with few anticipated site problems, which allowed Mr. Tuthill to apply a cost per square foot price. His firm had just received bids for a slightly larger library in Connecticut of $250 per square foot, and he used that as a starting point. The final cost also includes removal of the old building which will require abatement of hazardous materials. The total estimate is $1.876 million.

Site Work
The site work estimate includes items like roads and parking lots as well as the digging of the wells for the geothermal heating system for the two buildings. The estimate is $400,000.

Contingency
At the current level of detail, a contingency of 20% has been used. The number is $625,593.

Soft Costs
Soft costs include everything to do with running the job which is not in construction such as architectural and engineering fees, permits, testing and inspection. It also includes furnishings for both buildings. The total is just over $600,000.

Total Cost Estimate
The estimate for the total project now stands at $4.758 million. This number has been tightened up since the last public meeting in March, and the numbers will be updated as the project progresses.

The table below is a copy of the slide Mr. Tuthill included in his presentation. You may download a Microsoft Word version of the preliminary budget from this post or through the link on the sidebar.

LYME TOWN HALL AND LIBRARY STUDY

PRELIMINARY PROJECT ESTIMATE

September 16, 2011

TOWN HALL EXPANSION $ 1,251,365

NEW LIBRARY BUILDING $ 1,876,600

SITEWORK and GEOTHERMAL WELLS $ 400,000

CONTINGENCY $ 626,593

SOFT COSTS $ 605,440

TOTAL PROJECT COSTS $4,758,998

September Public Meeting Summary Part II - The Library

2011-09-25T18:06:00.000-07:00

This is part 2 of the summary of the presentation made by architect Bruce Tuthill at the September 16 town meeting. It covers the library design. For PDF copies of the designs, go to the September 16, 2011 blog post, or to the link on the right sidebar.

FLOOR PLAN

The new design provides for 6311 square feet for the library and 456 square feet for the archives.
Entrance is through a lobby which serves to keep cold air out in the winter.
The book drop is off the lobby and is large enough to house items such as a snow shovel, a broom and sand.
Patrons enter into the main area where the circulation desk will be directly ahead and display areas to the sides.
While the library is larger than the current building, it is designed to be run without an increase in staff.
The circulation desk is centrally located so that the staff can monitor the whole building.
The office and technical area have glass windows.
The reference section will have low shelves so that the stack can be seen from the circulation desk.

Adult Area

There is a quiet reading area where the magazines and newspapers are displayed.
A study room for 6 people can be used for small meetings, study groups, tutoring or for quiet work.
A larger conference room will be used for larger meetings. It is intended to be multifunctional, and will also be available to people working with materials from the archives.
There are four computer stations with printers.
Tables are available for study and for laptop users.

Children’s Room

The children’s area is divided from the rest of the library by a glass wall with glass doors that may be closed to contain noise. Noise is a particular problem in the current library.
There is an entrance into the program room so that it can be used for children’s programs and crafts.

Program Room

The program room will seat 70 people and is designed to be multifunctional.
There is the entrance to the children’s room and a low sink so that the program room can be used for children’s activities.
A kitchen will allow for refreshments.
There is a closet to store tables and chairs.
A door leads to a terrace for outside activities.
The program room and toilets can be closed off from the rest of the library allowing for use outside normal library hours.

BASEMENT

There will be a basement under approximately one third of the building.
The basement will house the mechanical rooms and the IT room.
The rest of the space will be used for storage including the books for the annual book sale.
There is an entrance from within the building, an outside hatch for larger items, and a dumbwaiter for moving boxes of books and other heavy items.

ELEVATIONS

The library is designed to have a barn-type appearance in keeping with the rural character of the town.
The design has been kept simple to reduce costs.
It will have vertical siding, and there will be low field stone walls at the front and by the terrace.
It could possibly be painted barn red or white.

September Public Meeting Summary Part I - The Town Hall

2011-09-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

Approximately 50 people attended the town meeting on September 16, 2011. First Selectman Ralph Eno opened the meeting. He explained that the town hall and library buildings are coming close to the end of their lifetimes and that as part of due diligence, the selectmen appointed a committee to come up with conceptual designs for new buildings.

The meeting was turned over to committee chair Dan Hagan. He noted that changes had been made to the earlier plans using input from the March meeting and from other stakeholders. He then turned the meeting over to the project architect, Bruce Tuthill.

Mr. Tuthill stated that the new plans were designed to provide adequate space for both the town hall and library without overbuilding. Since the meeting in March, the size of the town hall had increased, and size of the library had decreased.

Mr. Tuthill began his presentation with a drawing of the site plan. It showed the town hall, the library, and the school flanking an open space which was made up of the current playing field and the new “town green”

The next drawing was of the town hall floor plan. Mr. Tuthill cited the role that the staff played in the design, by providing information on where space was needed and how things worked. The addition will almost double the current size of the town hall. The present building is about 2500 square feet. The addition will be approximately 2400 square feet.

The following is a summary of the points Mr. Tuthill made in his presentation along with the his drawings. Copies of the drawings may be downloaded in PDF format through the link on the right sidebar and from the blog entry for September 16, 2011.

OFFICES

· All the offices have an outside wall to allow for natural light.

· The offices of the first selectman, tax collector, assessor, town clerk, and the ZEO-building departments are grouped together close to the entrance. This allows easy public access to the most used offices, and the staff members who work most closely are grouped together.

· The town clerk has a line-of-site to the front door to monitor those entering the building

· The office for part time employees is at the other end of the building. They still share an office, but no longer have to share a desk.

· The vault has changed location, but it will still be 400 square feet, the recommended size for a town of Lyme’s size. The current vault is 100 square feet.

· The center area houses the washrooms, a copy room, a small meeting room/lunch room, janitor’s closet, IT room (the server is currently in the assessor’s office) and access to the basement.

· A storage room has access to the office area and the meeting room.

MEETING ROOM

· The current church building will be turned into a meeting room.

· There is an adjoining office for the registrar of voters so that the meeting room could be used as a polling place.

· There is storage for tables and chairs.

· There is a closet for AV equipment.

· A small kitchen area will allow for coffee and refreshments.

· The building is laid out so that the meeting room and the toilets can be closed off from the rest of the town hall. This will allow the meeting room to be used outside normal business hours while providing security for the town offices.

BASEMENT

· The addition will be built on slab.

· The basement under the church building will continue to be used as the boiler room.

· Improved access will allow the basement under the 1971 addition to be used for storage.

· Repair of a leaky bilco door will remedy the current water problems.

ELEVATIONS

The front of the building will look much like the current building, since the addition will be on the back.

The addition will be in keeping with the current style of architecture.

The design will maintain the architectural importance of the original church building, and the renovation will include all new siding and abatement of hazardous materials such as lead

Town Meeting

2011-09-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone who turned out this evening for the town meeting. As promised, here are the PDF files of the boards you saw this evening. Just click on the item you would like to see and the PDF will open in Google Docs. The presentation slides are rotated 90 degrees, but you can view them by downloading the file to Adobe Reader. If you do not have Adobe Reader, you can download it for free here. If you are having problems, use the email address above or leave a comment on this post.

Site Plan
Town Hall Floor Plan
Town Hall Elevations
Library Floor Plan and Elevations
Presentation Slides

See you at the school tomorrow night

2011-09-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

Don't forget that there is a town meeting on Friday, September 16. The meeting is at the Lyme Consolidated School and will begin at 7:00 pm.

The project architect, Bruce Tuthill, will present the latest conceptual designs, and the project committee will outline the next steps in the process. There will also be time for questions, suggestions and comments.

You are all encouraged to attend, since this is your chance to be involved in the design of these two important town buildings. If you cannot make it, a summary will be posted on this blog as well as links to a PDF of designs and cost estimates.

2011-08-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

Unlike town hall, the library doesn't have a problem with inadequate office space. There is no office space.

Most libraries have a small office for the library director, but Lyme is an exception. Tucked behind the magazine racks and the shelves that hold magazine back issues, is a space that serves as the library director's office.

Open to the rest of the library, there is no chance at privacy. Many of the book processing and catalog activities that would normally be done in a staff work room take place here, so space is short and the area is cluttered.

There is one consolation. It does have a window.

Meeting Canceled

2011-07-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

The August 4 meeting of the Town Campus Center Planning Committee has been canceled. The next meeting will be on 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Thursday, September 1, 2011 at the Lyme Town Hall.

For a full list of meeting dates, click on the tab above labeled Meetings.

Step Into My Office

2011-07-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

Offices take up a major portion of the town hall. This is where the business of running the Town of Lyme takes place. When planning for the new town hall, it was determined that desk space was needed for 13 departments.

First Selectman

Assessor

Tax Collector (a second desk is needed during tax season)

Zoning Enforcement

Building Official

Sanitation

Town Clerk

Fire Marshal

Open Space Coordinator

Social Services

Parks and Recreation

Registrar of Voters

Town Treasurer

At this time, six people share not only a single office, but they also share the same desk.

Thank goodness they seem to be well organized.

The new plan calls for four individual offices and two shared offices - but no more shared desks.

Back to Business

2011-07-01T11:56:00.000-07:00

Posts have been distinctly lacking in the last month. Excuses include:

· A residential workshop in the internet free wilds of New Hampshire

· The recent storm that knocked out power for four days

· Demands of a home-based business

· The siren song of early summer

· Just plane laziness

While there were no angry emails or comments, there were also no messages pleading for the next post. Alas, public service must be a reward in itself.

So Where Were We?

In June we finished what the architect had identified as code problems.

Town Hall

· Undersized document vault

· ADA compliance

Library

· ADA compliance

The next post will cover office space in the two buildings.

Comments

If you use email or a program such as Google Reader to follow the blog, you will have to go to the website www.lymetowncampus.blogspot.com to make a comment. Once there, scroll to the bottom of the post and click on the word comment.

The Library and the ADA Continued

2011-06-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

Once through the side entrance to the library, the ADA code violations continue. In order to provide enough space for books and other library materials, the book shelves have been placed as close together as possible. The ailes are too narrow to meet ADA requirements.

There also isn't enough space at the end of the rows. The project architect estimates that the library needs an additional 30% of stack space to correctly space the shelves.

The access problem doesn't end in the stacks. Chairs, tables and computer stations are squeezed together, and as in the town hall, there is no handicapped accessible bathroom.

Comments Wanted

2011-05-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

Bloggers live for comments, and the Town Campus Center Planning Committee is no different. In fact, comments are more important, since the committee wants to know what the townspeople want in a town hall and library and what you thing about various aspects of the project.

It's easy enough to comment. Just click the word comment at the bottom of a post and follow the directions. You may leave you name, but if you are shy, you may sign with an online username or stay anonymous. Just remain civil.

Alternately, contact the committee at the gmail address at the top of the blog. All messages will be passed on to the full committee.

The Library and the ADA

2011-05-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

The library has only one short stair at its front door, but their are additional challenges for the handicapped and disabled. There is a vestibule just inside the front door with a second door that leads to the library. While it helps keep cold air from entering the building, the vestibule keeps out anyone in a wheelchair as well. Once inside the vestibule, there is not enough space to maneuver a wheelchair and to open the second door.

There is a second entrance off the parking lot which leads directly into the library.

However, lack of space in the library means that the hallway leading from the second entrance is often used for temporary storage. The boxes in the photo are books waiting for the annual book sale.

Town Hall and the ADA

2011-04-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

Both the Town Hall and the Library do not meet current ADA requirements. As a town with an aging population, this should be a concern.

At the Town Hall, both front doors have stairs. (Remember all that snow?)

There is no room for wheelchair ramps. Anyone unable to use the stairs must enter though the back door.

Once inside, a disabled citizen is faced with narrow, crowded halls, tight spaces, and no handicapped accessible toilets.

Do You Have Plans Wednesday?

2011-04-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

The library is extending its opening hours every Wednesday evening through May 11. Instead of it's normal closing time of 5pm, the doors will stay open until 8pm. Library Director, Theresa Conley, came up with the idea as a way to make up for all the weather related closings over the winter.

While a boon to regular library users, the extended hours are also an opportunity for those who are not familiar with the current building and collection. Those who have been following the Town Hall/Library project can stop by and take a good look. Theresa and a member of the library board will be there to show visitors around, answer questions and record comments.

Town Hall Document Storage

2011-04-04T19:32:00.000-07:00

So if the Town Hall vault is too small, where are all the documents stored?

Many of them end up in filing cabinets in the hallway outside the town clerk's office.

And many more end up in the attic.

While the documents are available for use,
they are not secure and they are vulnerable to damage by fire and water.

Lyme Pubic Library - Almost 100 years

2011-03-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

Mention the Lyme Public Library, and most people will think of the the white clapboard building across the parking lot from the Town Hall. The current building is actually the Library's third location, and it's history goes back to over a half a century before 482 Hamburg Road was built.

The Lyme Public Library was founded in 1913. Yes, Lyme has had a library for nearly 100 years.

Its first location was on the lower floor of the Lyme Congregational Church.

By 1951, the collection had outgrown the space in the church, and the children's collection was moved to the Lyme Consolidated School.

In 1967, the Library Board of Directors formed the Lyme Public Library Building Fund Committee to raise money for the construction of a new building. The first library building was dedicated 40 years ago in 1971. This is the building that everyone knows as the library. It was expanded almost a decade later when the children's wing was added.

According to a leaflet published by the library, "Both the original Library and the newer children's section were entirely paid for with private funds raised from the townspeople and with money from the federal government under the Library Services Construction Act and then donated to the Town of Lyme."

The Public Meeting - Part 2

2011-03-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

After Bruce Tuthill’s presentation, Dan Hagan opened the meeting for comments. The following is not a transcript but a paraphrasing of many of the questions and comments and of the responses from Dan and Bruce.

The Old Town Hall

The oldest portion of the town hall was once the North Lyme Baptist Church. The plans called for restoring the church and using it as a meeting room.

Q: The capacity of the meeting room is 100 people. Is that enough?

A: For most meetings. There are times when we may need a larger space, but in those cases other arrangements can be made.

Q: Did you consider moving the church?

A: Yes, but it would have cost too much to do so.

Q: If you open up the ceiling in the church, won’t that cause problems with acoustics?

A: It may, but the use of sound deadening materials would solve the problem.

Q: Why not use the old church as part of the library.

A: We can look at that, but the lot shape would make it necessary to build a long building parallel to the road. It could look too much like a strip mall.

The Silo

The library design includes a silo off the children’s room. It would be used for craft programs and story hours.

Q: Would inside of the silo be a single story? There won’t be anything like a spiral staircase in it.

A: The silo room would be a single story.

Q: How would the librarian at the desk be able to monitor activity in the silo?

A: The silo is for story hour and craft programs, and there would be a library employee to supervise both activities

Energy Efficiency

Q: The library faces south. Are you planning to use solar energy or another form of green energy?

A: The state calls for the project to follow LEED guidelines. We will most probably use geothermal heating. I (Bruce Tuthill) recently investigated solar power for another library, but it didn’t make financial sense. The payback was 20 years – about the same time you would need to replace the system.

Q: LEED has different levels. Which one would we build to?

A: The state requires we follow silver guidelines. We are not required to be certified silver – that is an expensive procedure.

Q: What would it cost to run the larger buildings?

A: It’s hard to say for certain at this point. Of course larger buildings will cost more to run, but much of that may be offset by more energy efficient materials, building methods and HVAC systems.

Finances

Q: How will the building costs affect the mil rate?

A: It is too early in the project to make that calculation.

Q: How will the town get the money to pay for the construction?

A: The town will bond the amount. We are also hoping the raise a portion of the costs through donations, fundraising and grants.

Q: How much additional will be needed for furniture?

A: An allowance for furniture is included in the cost estimate.

Parking/site

Q: Coming in and out of the parking areas between the buildings would be dangerous.

A: Of course the plan for the entrances would have to be approved by the DOT. A connector could also be added between the two parking areas.

Q: What type of materials will be used on the parking areas?

A: Part of it will have to be impervious materials, but the largest part will pervious to eliminate any run-off issues.

Q: Would it be possible to have trees along the south side of the library parking lot to keep the cars cooler in the summer.

A: Of course. It is a good idea.

Q: What will become of the Lyme Veterans Memorial?

A: It will be moved to the “Green” between the buildings.

Library

Q: How was the size of the library determined?

A: We started with a critical needs list and then used state guidelines to determine square footage. It is necessary to follow the state guidelines to apply for a library building grant.

Q: Will the library need additional staff?

A: There are currently at least two members of staff on duty when the library is open. The design allows the library to be run with current staffing levels.

General

Q: Will there be basements for storage under both buildings?

A: There will be a basement under the children’s room of the library. The current addition has a basement which is not used because of access problems. The new design will open that up for storage.

Q: What does the library cat think?

A: She hasn’t raised any objections so far.

Comments

We don’t need new buildings and I hate your designs.
I think it’s great that the library will finally have storage. We have badly needed space for the book sale – one of our major fund raisers.
It’s wonderful that the town is finally providing its employees with decent working conditions.

Whew! Done. If your question was missed and you want to add it or you wish to comment, please post below.

The Public Meeting - Part 1

2011-03-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

There was a good turn out at the public meeting this afternoon. Somewhere around 70 Lyme citizens showed up on a sunny spring day to find out about the progress on the plans for the Lyme Town Hall and Lyme Public Library and to offer their comments and suggestions.

First Selectman, Ralph Eno opened the meeting. He spoke about how the current buildings were reaching the point at which they would no longer be of service to the community and how the selectmen felt it was their duty to develop alternatives for the town to consider.

Dan Hagan, Chair of the Town Campus Center Planning Committee, provided background on the project and introduced the members of the committee. He turned the meeting over to the architect, Bruce Tuthill.

Bruce began with a brief outline of the problems with the current buildings. He then described the various alternatives that the he and the committee considered. In all options, the former church portion of the town hall was to be preserved. He supplied very rough estimates of costs to be used purely for comparison.

Renovate and expand the two buildings - $3,846,000
Construct two new buildings and renovate the old church portion of the Town Hall for use as a meeting room. - $5,615,000
Construct a single building to house both the town hall and library and renovate the church for use as a meeting room - $5,882,000

Finally Bruce presented the conceptual design that the committee chose to move forward with, a combination of options 2 and 3 - renovate and expand the town hall and build a new library. The rough estimate for this option was $4,977,00. Bruce stressed that this was not a final number, since the details of the design had not been finalized.

Here are copies of the drawings. The first shows the site plan.

The next shows the floor plans.

The last drawing is Bruce's rendering of what the new library might look like from two views and of what the site would look like from Hamburg Road.

The drawings are frustratingly small, but a pdf file of all three is available from the town website http://townlyme.org/
or from this blog . Alternatively, copies of the drawings are available for viewing at the library.

This ended Bruce's portion of the meeting, and Dan Hagan opened the meeting for comments and discussions. The audience had good questions and interesting comments, but even bloggers have to eat and have social lives. They will have to wait until tomorrow.

Watch This Space

2011-03-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

Interest in the meeting on Saturday is growing. For those who will not be able to attend, copies of the conceptual designs will be available on this site on Saturday evening along with a short summary of the meeting.

You can have the latest posts sent to you via email by clicking on the email option in the right sidebar and following the directions.

Mark Your Calendar

2011-03-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

LYME CALLS PUBLIC MEETING FOR MARCH 19, 2011 TO DISCUSS TOWN HALL AND LIBRARY PROJECT

The Town of Lyme has scheduled a public meeting on Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 2pm. The meeting will be held at the Lyme Consolidated School, and all citizens and residents of Lyme are encouraged to attend.

The Lyme Town Campus Center Planning Committee requested the meeting to update the community on the progress of the ongoing Town Hall and Library improvement project and to collect public comments and suggestions on the latest conceptual designs.

In addition to the committee members, Mr. Bruce Tuthill, partner in the architectural firm of Tuthill & Wells will be there to describe the design process and to present the conceptual designs. Mr. Tuthill was hired by the Town of Lyme in November 2010. He and his partner, Peter Wells, have designed several town halls and over 50 libraries in Connecticut.

The designs to be presented are conceptual, and it is important to have the opinions of the public before they are refined. “Bruce came up with a number of excellent designs, and the committee has been very busy narrowing them down.” said committee chair, Dan Hagan. “What we need at this point is to hear from the people of Lyme.”

In addition to speaking at the public meeting on March 19, comments may be made through the project email address, lymetowncampus@gmail.com, on the project’s blog, www.lymetowncampus.blogspot.com, or by stopping at the Lyme Public Library.

The Town Hall Vault

2011-03-09T09:40:00.000-08:00

Stop by the Town Clerk's office, and it is hard to miss the heavy metal door leading into a room lined with shelves full or books and document storage boxes. This is the town vault. The vault is intended to protect town documents from fire, flood and other disasters caused by man or nature. The current vault is 100 square feet.

A larger vault is one of the items on the top of the list for the Town Hall/Library project.

Since the 1960's the types of documents municipalities are required to maintain has been administered by the Office of the Public Records Administrator which is part of the Connecticut State Library . This office recommends a vault of a minimum of 400 square feet for a town the size of Lyme, and it would provide plenty of room for the future.

As Time Goes By

2011-02-16T14:28:00.000-08:00

Lyme had a good 40 years of use out of the original North Lyme Baptist Church building before the addition was added in 1972. It has now been another 40 years, and the town is again faced with a building that needs renovation and that the town government has outgrown.

Both buildings are 40 years older, the town has 40 years more records to store, the population of Lyme has increased approximately 40%*, and while we have done a good job of keeping local government small, the requirements made on local municipalities in Connecticut have increased.

The Town Campus Center Planning Committee and the architects have been developing several options for a Town Hall/Library project. There will be a town meeting at the school on March 19 at 2 pm to present the designs and discuss the designs.

Until then, future posts will continue to discuss the project. Feel free to leave comments on the blog or to email your ideas to the gmail address at the top of this page.

* According to the 1970 census, the population of Lyme was 1484. The 2010 figures are not out yet, but census estimates are that Lyme is now 2098. That is an increase of 938, or 41%

Church to Town Hall

2011-02-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

Records show that the North Lyme Baptist Church was purchased by the Town of Lyme on June 29, 1932. At a town meeting on March 6, 1933, the citizens voted "That the Town Hall shall hereafter be located in the building at Pleasant Valley formerly the North Lyme Baptist Church."

At first, the town officials and employees worked in the single, large space, but the building has long since been divided into offices, storage and work areas. By 1972, the town had outgrown the original space, and an addition was added. It included what is now three offices and the meeting room.

February Meeting

2011-01-31T14:17:00.000-08:00

The next meeting of the Town Campus Center Planning Committee is on Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 5 pm. Architect Bruce Tuthill will be presenting the third conceptual design for the proposed town hall and library project. The public is welcome.

The Steeple

2011-01-25T15:28:00.000-08:00

The steeple stood empty until 1871 when a bell was purchased and installed for the cost of $397.20. The bell weighed 945 pounds.

There is still a bell in the town hall steeple. It has been rung twice in recent history: once to celebrate Lyme's tricentennial and once to mark 9/11.

And who is the town bell ringer? Who else but our town clerk, Ruth. She was there to pull the bell rope on both occasions.

The Town Hall

2011-01-17T14:41:00.000-08:00

Ask any Lyme resident to imagine the Town Hall, and this is the picture that comes to mind. If the building has an ecclesiastical appearance, it is because it was originally built as a church.

According to the pamphlet The History of the North Lyme Baptist Church by

Rev. J.G. Ward, the current town hall was dedicated as a Baptist church on July 6, 1862.

This photo was provided by the Lyme Local History Archives and shows the North Lyme Baptist Church, also called the North Baptist Church.

Even back in 1862, the building was part of a “renovate or build” discussion. The present building replaced a meeting house which had been constructed on the same site around 1800. As time passed, the 1800 meeting house developed problems. In fact, in 1840, the steeple was cut off near the base because it threatened to fall down.

After discussing whether to repair or build, the congregation finally hired a contractor for $1,100 to build a new church. He was to use as much material as possible from the old meeting house, and he was given 20 days labor in addition to his fee to help take down the old structure

As Rev. Ward reports, “The whole expense for the house and furnishings was $1,495.29, of which sum the ladies contributed $315.00.” What that is in current dollars can be calculated using the Measuring Worth web site. Depending on the method used, it could be the equivalent of between $26,600 and $3,650,000 in 2009 dollars.

Library Floor Plan

2011-01-04T19:45:00.000-08:00

The library suffers from the same problems as the town hall. Space for files, supplies, and materials is limited. Staff space and staff work space is in short supply, and the building is not ADA compliant.

Bruce pointed out that the bookshelves are overfilled and that they are spaced too close together to allow access to disabled patrons. To address these problems, he estimated that the stack space would need to be one third larger.

The floor plan highlights a problem that is familiar to anyone using the library when there is a children's program in progress. The current children's room, which is at the top of the drawing, is open to the rest of library, and noise carries through the building.

Town Hall Floor Plan

2010-12-23T18:43:00.000-08:00

Bruce Tuthill brought copies of the floor plans to the Lyme Town Campus Center Planning Committee Meeting on December 2. The plan for the Town Hall is shown below, and the library plan will be included in the next post.

For a PDF of both drawings, send an email request to lymetowncampus@gmail.com.

While he will be making a more detailed report at the January 6 meeting, Bruce presented some preliminary findings on the two buildings.

Anyone who has visited the Town Hall would be aware of the lack of office and storage space, but Bruce pointed out that the town records vault, the safe-like area in Ruth's office, is undersized. The State of Connecticut recommends a vault of 300 - 400 square feet for a town the size of Lyme. The present vault is only 100 square feet.

Finally, the current building is not ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant.

Taking Measure

2010-12-20T14:20:00.000-08:00

Because the town has two existing buildings, the first step in the design process is to conduct a full assessment of the current Town Hall and Library.

Here Bruce Tuthill is taking advantage of a Monday morning when the library is closed to take photos, to measure both the interior and exterior of the building, and to draw a current floor plan. His partner, Peter Wells, is next door doing the same at the Town Hall.

The tools are simple: a point-and-shoot digital camera, a tape measure, a calculator and a yellow legal pad. Bruce and Peter are looking at the condition of the buildings, their size and layout and how they are being used. Later, their engineer will look at the buildings’ structures and physical plants.

In addition, the two architects interviewed the employees who work at Town Hall, and the Library Director and President of the Library Board of Trustees. By speaking to those who spend their working hours in the two buildings, Bruce and Peter will better understand what works, what doesn’t work, and what people might need to do their jobs better.

The Lyme Public Hall is also interested in housing their local history archives in an expanded library, so Bruce interviewed their archivist, Carolyn Bacdayan, and assessed their holdings.

From the Ground Up

2010-12-09T15:24:00.000-08:00

The idea of expanding either the town hall or library or both has been knocking around for a couple of years, but the existing site wouldn't allow it. In 2009 the town was able make an exchange with the Nature Conservancy for a 1.4 acre parcel next to the library. The transaction was approved at the Lyme Annual Town Meeting on May 22, 2009. Here is a picture of the survey. Route 156 runs along the bottom of the drawing. The survey is also available on the town web site as a PDF which will allow you to zoom in and print a copy.

The property deeded to the Nature Conservancy is shown shaded and borders the Eight Mile River which has been designated as a Wild and Scenic River. The town now owns the piece of land north of the library with frontage on Route 156. It's an odd shaped lot, but it allows room for expansion.

LYME HIRES ARCHITECTS TO DESIGN TOWN CAMPUS CENTER

2010-11-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

The following is a press release that was sent to local media.

The Town of Lyme has hired the firm of Tuthill and Wells Architects LLC to develop a schematic design and project cost estimate for a proposed Lyme Town Campus Center.

The contract calls for the firm to design an expanded Lyme Town Hall and Public Library to be built on the current site on Route 156. In 2009, the existing 1.25 acre site was expanded when an abutting 1.4 acres was acquired north of the library. The goal is to tie together the two buildings and the site both functionally and architecturally, creating more of a town center.

The Lyme Town Hall currently resides in a former church building which dates to the early 19^th century. The present library building was built in 1971. Both a renovation of the existing buildings and new construction will be considered.

“I look forward to working with Bruce Tuthill and Peter Wells on our project.” said Dan Hagan, chairman of the Lyme Town Center Planning Committee. “They have extensive experience with this type of work and a genuine sense of Lyme - its rural roots, and respect for historical buildings.”

Tuthill and Wells, headquartered in Avon, have experience in designing town offices and libraries, having renovated or built over 45 libraries in Connecticut, including the Old Saybrook, Guilford and Groton libraries.

The choice of Tuthill and Wells began in the summer of 2009 when the Lyme Town Campus Planning Committee began developing a critical needs list for both the town hall and library. The list was presented in a public meeting in November and revised based on citizens’ responses. A request for proposals was issued in June 2010.

From the nineteen proposals submitted, the committee chose three firms to make presentations. In making a final decision, the committee not only considered the proposal documents and the presentations, but members also visited seven libraries that had been built by Tuthill and Wells.

“We are very enthusiastic about this project and anxious to begin the design work.” said Bruce Tuthill of Tuthill and Wells. “Our goal is to restore the historic portion of the Town Hall in conjunction with the development of a new Town Center that will reflect the rural character of Lyme. We look forward to working with the Building Committee on this very unique project.”

The schematic design is expected to take approximately three to four months to complete, and public comment will be welcomed and solicited throughout the process.