District Library to present site plan to Belleville Planners

The Belleville Area District Library Board plans to present the site plan for the new library building to the City of Belleville on Aug. 24 in hopes of it going before the planning commission at its Sept. 14 meeting.
Meanwhile, a special library board meeting was set for Tuesday, Aug. 22, to make sure the project is on budget. [On Aug. 15 that meeting was cancelled.] At the Aug. 8 regular meeting of the library board, architect Dan Whisler outlined some changes that were necessary for the schematic design of the building and these have been given to O’Neal Construction which is working on a construction estimate.
Whisler said they had to flip the staff lounge with the delivery/receiving area because the northeastern corner is 1½’ below the building grade.
“With daily delivery of books, hand trucks, we didn’t want to be going up and down stairs,” Whisler said, adding he has been thinking about reconfiguring the walls to allow for adding automatic receiving in the future. That would include bins and cost about $75,000.
Board member John Juriga said they are going to have to dig out six feet of bad fill and replace it with good fill, so they could adjust the grade then.
“It’s not been decided yet as what is the most cost-effective way to handle that,” Whisler replied, adding they have a challenge because from Charles Street and the H&B building to Roys Street there is a 3’fall across the site.
“This is all stuff we’re working through,” he said. “We don’t have a perfectly level site.”
Whisler said he now has a more decorative window pattern which is in keeping with the Belleville ordinance. And, there are some changes in plane —what’s going to be pushed in or pulled out, “creating shadow lines to make the façade of the building interesting,” which the Belleville ordinance wants.
Juriga said he has been studying up on building designs and is worried about “rain bombs” where water deluges down and floods buildings. He suggested steps to keep the water out.
Whisler said they always slope away from the building and barrier-free designs are needed to comply with ADA. He said the basement has a 12’ ceiling and the floor is at lake level. He said borings hit water at 5’ and that is believed to be “perched” water. The basement will have a sump pump.
“We will continue to work on the exterior façade as we work on grading,” Whisler said.
He said he expects O’Neal’s building estimate on Aug. 11.
At the special meeting Aug. 22, Whisler said he will present the 100% schematic design to the board and hopefully get its blessing so it can be presented to the City of Belleville.
“Hopefully, we’ll be on budget. If not, we’ll make adjustments,” he said.
“Whatever the figures of the [construction] estimate, we have to live within the budget,” Whisler said.
Whisler also presented ideas for a live roof and brought in a 25-pound block of sedums. He said it is instant gratification with the tray system, where the plants are already in place and don’t have to spread out from individual plantings. He said they used this tray system on the Ferndale Public Library.
Whisler said it would be nice to look out the upper window and see plants rather than a black roof below. It would cost about $75,000 and maybe it can be put in the plans as an option if it can be afforded.
Juriga said he has called State Rep. Kris Pagan and Congresswoman Deb Dingell’s offices for possible grants and plans to go to the Ford Motor Company for $75,000 since Ford has live roofs.
In other business at the two-hour, Aug. 8 meeting, the board:
• Approved payment of $23,151.08 to Comcast for work on the site. The board already paid AT&T and DTE for work. This total is $66,705.66 under budget;
• Heard a presentation by Whisler on the possibility of relocating the old library roof to the Fourth Street Square to use as part of the shading project there;
• Discussed the timing of work on the Sumpter site. Whisler said after the site plan is presented to the City of Belleville for the main project, they will start planning the Sumpter details. He proposed setting an opening date, maybe July 1, and work back from there in timing the work;
• Heard chairwoman Sharon Peters give information on initial steps taken to work with the Belleville Area Council for the Arts to marshal existing energies for art in planning art for the new library. Whisler said they will need a group shaking trees to raise money to buy the art and another group that would select the art. He said the library in Ypsilanti wanted to use local art. He said they are looking at places in the new building for art on a wall, sculpture, outdoor sculpture in the children’s garden, permanent art, and, perhaps, rotating art;
• Heard Library Director Mary Jo Suchy report that the Belleville Lions Club donated $1,000 to the library for books in braille, as well as books to add to the large-print collection. She said the library will host a Solar Eclipse Viewing Party from 1 to 3 a.m. Monday, Aug. 21. Free solar glasses from NASA will be available. In case of clouds or rain, the library will have a live feed from NASA. Also, Jonathon Richards, a part-time librarian, has planned an introduction to chess workshop for children ages 10 and up on Saturday, Sept. 30. Suchy said she will seek assistance from Friends of the Library in obtaining chess board for this event; and
• Learned the Library Network Board approved a seven-year automation contract with TLC Carl. The tentative date for going live with the new system is April 2, 2018.