JULY 31, 2024

After years of planning, the first phase of construction work at the Amsterdam Free Library is finally underway.

Watching an excavator dig alongside the foundation of the historic Andrew Carnegie library in the initial days was admittedly nerve wracking for Executive Director Nicole Hemsley.

“I'm really excited about it, but it's a lot,” said Hemsley, who describes herself as a caretaker for the beloved community resource and landmark on the National Register of Historic Places.

The ongoing phase 1 project might not be “sexy,” but it's a vital step in the larger plan to preserve and improve the 121-year-old library at 28 Church St.

“The fact that we’re getting things taken care of that need to be taken care of and setting the stage to grow the library in phase two is the best part,” said Mary Donohue, president of the Board of Trustees. “Our community will know we’re doing the best we can by them.”

VMJR Companies is handling phase one construction. The firm submitted the lowest bid at approximately $2.4 million. The project is primarily funded through grants and library construction aid.

The initial phase involves exterior drainage improvements and waterproofing along the foundation to protect the structure and address moisture in the basement.

Single-phase electricity will be replaced with a three-phase transformer capable of serving the entire library when it is eventually expanded.

“This is one of the historic gems of Amsterdam,” Hemsley said. “A lot of phase one is fixing the historic building, prepping it for the addition and just upgrading it.”

The basement will be redone to house a new business incubator, conference space, offices, storage space and an electric room.

HVAC upgrades and related work will significantly improve year-round comfort in the library while enabling an aging ceiling unit in the children’s room to finally be removed.​

A pair of original eyebrow dormer windows apparently removed in a past renovation will be reinstalled in the attic at the front of the building to provide needed air intake for the HVAC system while returning a historic element to the building.

A small porch and side door leading to the basement off the parking lot will likewise be removed to reinstall an original window.
“We take very seriously that it's a stewardship of this building,” Hemsley said. “We're really trying to bring the building back to what it was.”
Phase one is expected to take around a year to complete with the library expected to remain open throughout construction. Replacement of the transformer may cause a temporary closure, but details on the timeline for that work are still pending.

Exterior excavation work forced the library’s exterior ramp and accessible side entrance at the basement level leading to the existing lift to be closed indefinitely due to safety concerns.

The main entrance remains open, but it is too close to the road to accommodate a temporary ramp up the steps leading to the front door. All patrons will continue to be assisted during construction with curbside service and other available options.
“Trying to do these upgrades, there are going to be a few sacrifices, and unfortunately, the ramps are one of them right now, but we'll do everything we can to help people,” Hemsley said.

The second phase of construction is expected to be sent out to bid as the ongoing work progresses. The project was split into phases due to pandemic-related cost escalations.

“When we first looked at doing this bidding out both phases, we had a little hiccup. When we approached it again, we decided to take it a step at a time,” Donohue said. “Now that we’re underway, we’re thrilled with the contractors and Nicole is doing a superb job coordinating. We’re encouraged we can keep moving along.”

Library officials are tentatively hoping to begin phase two as initial work wraps up next year. The second phase will involve the demolition of the existing single-story addition at the rear of the library to make way for a new three-story expansion.
The new addition will vastly expand programming opportunities and resources at the library. It will feature public meeting space, a multi-use community room, educational space, an instructional kitchen, modern bathrooms and more.

“This new edition literally is a game changer for this library,” Hemsley said. “We will be able to teach you anything you can think of.”
The project will also bring the library to full accessibility with the addition to be built at street level in order to provide an alternate entrance, a full-size elevator will replace the undersized lift and an adult hydraulic lift will be installed in the restroom to assist individuals with disabilities.
While the historic building serves as the foundation for the library, Hemsley said the addition at the rear won’t attempt to mimic the original structure.

“As you look at the outside of the building, it should be able to tell you its story, that it's growing, it's expanding, it's embracing a more modern world,” Hemsley said.
Reimbursable grant funding will support the second phase of the project, with additional fundraising efforts to be launched in the near future.

Library staff are already beginning to prepare for the demolition of the existing addition, carefully weeding out unused materials before portions of the collection and furniture are temporarily relocated.
Hemsley is developing plans to maintain operations during the work, hoping to keep the library open as much as possible. The pandemic prepared staff to capably provide curbside and remote services should the need arise.

“She is adamant,” Donohue said. “The intent is to keep the resource available for the community as much as possible with a minimum disruption of services.”

Although the multi-phase project may lead to tight quarters and disarray in the short term, Hemsley is confident it will all be worth it when construction is complete. She and library staff have been dreaming up new programs, activities and events they can’t wait to roll out when it's finished.

“People love this library and they take pride in it, and so do we, and we want to make sure that it is here for generations to come,” Hemsley said.