One week after the town formally approved a funding plan for the $5.2 million Blackstone Library expansion/renovation (see the story here), a special zoning exception to allow the project's 2,000 square-foot building addition was approved, with conditions, by the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC). 

The addition, which makes up 60 percent of the project, will replace the library's current rear entrance door with a 2,000-square foot, ground-floor rear entrance on the Cedar Street side of the building. The exterior limestone will be sourced from the same Tennessee quarry which produced limestone for the library's original, 1896 façade. The new entrance will be topped by a domed, handicapped accessible vestibule with sliding doors. Through the doors, the space opens into a lobby with a circulation desk leading to the new children's and teen ground floor areas. The new addition will also incorporate two new, ADA compliant public restrooms. As an added feature, an outdoor terrace will top the new addition. The new terrace will be accessible from the second-floor auditorium inside, and outside via exterior stairs.

Additional conditions set by the PZC on Jan. 18 focused on addressing issues that could arise during future outdoor terrace use, particularly during after-hours events. The PZC set a time limit of 10 p.m. for outdoor events on the terrace and also specified there will be no amplified music or sound. The PZC also recommended adding a gate to the exterior terrace stairs to further limit outdoor access except for those permitted.

The library's new addition won't change the rear parking lot configuration at the library. Using a parking standard of one space per 1,000 square feet of building, the newly expanded library's total gross of 29,120 square feet requires 29 spaces, Town Planner Harry Smith explained to the PZC on Jan. 18.  Although there will be new signage and bollards added to the library's two existing ADA handicapped parking spaces in the rear (northern) lot; the total number of rear parking spaces, 32, will not change. With the additional nine parking spaces at the front (southern) entrance of the building,  total onsite library parking will remain at 41 spaces.

As well as adding on to one side of the library building at back, 40 percent of the $5.2 million Blackstone library project consists of interior renovations. In addition to moving the children's/teen area to the ground floor, plans call for moving adult fiction from the ground floor to the library's upper level. More meeting spaces and computer stations will also be incorporated as part of the renovation project.

Learn more about plans for the project here