District Library Board takes primary steps to get the new library built

The Belleville Area District Library decided to hire a Construction Manager as Constructor and to get architect Dan Whisler to put together a Request for Proposals for the position.
This was at the regular meeting of the board on Nov. 15.
Steps were taken to immediately move toward construction after the board expressed its absolute ecstasy over seeing voters approve its two proposals on Nov. 8 giving the new library the approvals needed to go forward.
“This is a big deal,” said board president Sharon Peters, referring to voting to hire a Construction Manager as Constructor over other options.
“It’s a big help for our staff,” said vice president Joy Cichewicz, noting the library staff won’t have to be making day-to-day construction decisions.
“Our staff still is running a library,” Peters said.
Whisler said he will bring as much leadership to the project as the board likes.
Whisler said it was important to get a topographic and boundary survey of the library site and surrounding parcels done as soon as possible for the city’s site plan approval process and building design and planning needs.
He said his architectural firm, Daniels and Zermack, will be starting on the final drawings of the project and any changes the board likes can be put into the final plans.
The board confirmed its bond financial advisers for bond sales and bond investment/asset management, as well as the bond attorney. The library’s attorney John Day will do contract reviews and land acquisition consulting.
They also will develop and finalize an Owner-Architect Agreement with Daniels and Zermack.
Whisler recommended environmental assessment studies of vacant or occupied parcels to be acquired. He said this is due diligence and part of the process.
There was a total of 15 recommendations from Whisler and the building committee will meet and consider options and decisions to send on to the full board.
Library board member John Juriga said he would like to see the general contractor get as many local contractors are possible to work on the construction, such as Davenport Brothers of Belleville.
Whisler said you get a lump sum of cost from the general contractor and don’t know who all has been included. He said if local workers are a priority for the library board it would have to have written guidelines on who is considered local.
Juriga said it would be those in the 48111 zip code.
“It has to be defined,” Whisler said, adding, “Do they live there? One of their employees lives there? Within 5%, maybe, award higher bid to local contractor?
“It has to be thought through and spelled out,” Whisler said.
The board discussed getting with Sumpter Township officials to see how long Sumpter needs to occupy the DPW building that is planned to be used for the Sumpter South Satellite Media Center. Also, they need to check with the owner of the house next door to see when that could be available. Originally, it was between March and May, but it could be sooner because she has been having heating problems.
They discussed temporary parking for employees during construction. Whisler said they will get down to the real minutiae during the design phase, with changes to what was first suggested.
“And now that it’s a real project that’s funded, maybe DTE will talk to us about moving the overhead wires,” Whisler said.
He said the library should get its construction manager by the end of the year. When asked by the board, what size project this would be considered, he said it’s about $10 million, a “medium-sized project.”
Whisler said the majority of the decisions will be by the full board and the building committee might meet weekly during the life of the project and do the heavy lifting.
Joy Cichewicz said it is important to tie up the agreement with the City of Belleville, make an agreement on maintenance of the satellite with Sumpter, and to contact the owner of the building next door that is being sold to the library.
When Library Director Mary Jo Suchy asked when they could break ground, Whisler said it would be from 10 to 12 months. And, then it would take from 18 to 24 months to build, he said.
Whisler said they have to ask the city when it is reasonable to close Fourth Street so the contractor can use it for a staging area. He said they will have several meetings with the city before they get to formal submission of the preliminary site plan.
Mary Jane Dawson, chairman of the marketing committee, read a prepared statement thanking everyone who helped pass the library proposals and giving a history of the district library. She made a motion that when the ground is broken a list of board members from the beginning will take part in “digging the dirt and cutting the ribbon.” Juriga seconded the motion and the board passed it unanimously.
At the end of the meeting board members thanked everyone involved in passing the bond proposal and told how happy and excited they are. Chairwoman Peters said they have to think up an appropriate way to thank people – and be inclusive.