The Blackstone Library addition recently hit two significant funding milestones and also dealt with a subtle design change required by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

On April 13, the State Bonding Commission approved a $1 million grant to offset the project's $5.2 million cost. Also on April 13, the Blackstone Library celebrated meeting, within one year's time, a $100,000 challenge grant issued by Branford Community Foundation (BCF). Set to be distributed over four years, the $100,000 grant is the largest single contribution to an organization in the history of the BCF, noted BCF Executive Director Liza Petra. Donations from 600 individuals of between $10 to $1,000 were matched, thanks to generous contributions from community members, said Library Trustees president Andy McKirdy, in a press release issued by the library.

"This significant milestone demonstrates tremendous public support for the renovation project," said McKirdy.

The Campaign for the Blackstone is committed to reaching an overall goal of raising $800,000 to help pay for the project. The total raised, to date, is $686,000, said McKirdy. For more information on the project and how to donate, visit the library website here 

Following the project's latest financial updates, on April 19, Branford's Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) approved a special exception modification to the library addition design. Architect David Stein (Silver, Petrucelli & Associates, Hamden) explained the adjustments were made based on a recent SHPO review of the project.

The SHPO felt the design too closely echoed the building's 19th century architecture, with the most notable offender being a verdigris, dome-shaped roof over the entry way.

"From their perspective, they felt that the addition blended too much with the building; and from their historical oversight, they felt that we needed to treat the building in a way that you could tell that this was an addition (and) wasn't originally there," said Stein.

Stein said his firm felt the addition had been designed as an "homage" to the Blackstone's architecutre while asserting a modern identity with exterior features including sliding entrance doors and windows. But when it came to entryway's roof top, the SHPO "...felt the dome was too much of what currently exists," said Stein.

To address that, "...we essentially created more of a very shallow pyramid roof," with a slight overhang as another modern touch, said Stein, who shared a rendering of the roof change at the meeting.

The SHPO also felt the addition's water table too closely mimicked the original building. Water tables are bands of stone engineered into masonry buildings to deflect water way from the foundation and lower floors, and can be treated as a decorative element. To address the issue, instead of carrying the original water table design through to the addition, a "finer line" will wrap around the new exterior, said Stein.

Ahead of the library's April 19 presentation to the PZC, the modified design was shared with Branford's Town Center Revitalization Review Board, which gave a favorable review and recommended PZC approval. Because the request was a modification of a special permit and involved minor changes, the PZC accepted the application for review on April 19 and waived a public hearing (PZC chairman Chuck Andres did offer anyone at the meeting a chance to speak about the agenda item; no one did).

The PZC voted unanimously to approve the modifications with four conditions: the design will consider proper pitch of the entrance roof for aesthetics and interior/exterior functionality; possibly increasing the clear story windows (transom windows) for a more aesthetic appearance (without changing the interior design/ functionality); use of the same stone materials as the building façade on the water table, with a different finish  as the building block façade. The fourth condition seeks consideration of the thickness of the new rooftop overhang about the entryway doors.

The next step for the project will be putting it out to bid for construction. Downes Construction Co. LLC (Hartford) is the project's construction manager.