A $75,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven (CFGNH) has put the Campaign for the Blackstone over its $800,000 fundraising goal and cleared the way for a groundbreaking celebration set for Friday, Dec. 6.

In a statement, Robin Sandler, president of the Blackstone Board of Trustees, said, "...we are thrilled that we can fulfill our pledge to the Town of Branford to raise $800,000 in support of the library renovation project. The success of Campaign for the Blackstone reflects generous support from our community, and recognition that the library will continue to grow and evolve as a critical community resource."

The $800,000 goal is the library's share of costs to assist with the $5.2 million bonding project approved by the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) in January 2018. The RTM decision including having a portion of the $5.2 million cost be paid by a $1 million Connecticut State Library grant, together $800,000 or more generated by the Campaign for the Blackstone. The town will responsible for the rest of the project cost, approximately $3.4 million.

On Nov. 15, led by Trustees past-president Andy McKirdy, a celebratory group gathered at the big campaign thermometer that's been in place since August of 2017 on the library's Main Street front lawn. McKirdy, who stepped down after completing his second, three-year term as Trustees president in July, has been helping to lead the library's efforts on the project since 2012. With help from Library Director Karen Jensen, he pulled away a purple banner to reveal the new total filling the meter to the $800,000 mark.

McKirdy noted it was full-circle moment, as the campaign had kicked off with a big assist of a $100,000 matching grant from Branford Community Foundation (BCF) and crossed the finish line with help from the GNHCF.

"The nice thing about this occasion is that when we started our campaign about a year and half ago, we got a boost from the Branford Community Foundation with a $100,000 matching grant. And now, at the end, it's the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven that's put us over the top. And so, as a community and the library also, we're tremendously advantaged in having two very generous foundations that support us and support the community," said McKirdy.

He also thanked the many individuals and groups who rose to the challenge of the BCF matching grant as well as those who have contributed in other forms.

"Community foundations are extremely important, and they kind of sandwiched our capital campaign; but we're equally indebted to the other people who made up the rest of the $800,000," said McKirdy.

The successful BCF matching grant challenge was kicked off in January 2018, matching donations up to $1,000 to a total of $100,000. The funds will be distributed over four years. In April 2018, the campaign received a further boost with an auditorium-naming donation of $150,000 made by an as-yet anonymous donor.

A press release announcing the new $75,000 grant from the CFGNH noted the funds, to be distributed over three years, are made possible through the foundation's 44-62 Fund, which refers to exit numbers along the I-95 corridor reaching local communities which CFGNH programs benefit (see the press release here).

Breaking Ground Dec. 6; Library Open During Construction

On Nov. 15, Jensen said more details on the Dec. 6 groundbreaking ceremony would be released soon. She also shared that the renovation and construction work on the library is expected to take one year. Jensen emphasized that the library building will remain open to the public during all phases of the project.

"I think that's important to note," Jensen said. "People are still asking if we're going to be open. We're going to be open, all the collections will be available. We're not storing anything."

Jensen said the only downside to the public will be the temporary loss of programming use of the auditorium's library, which will be used as what McKirdy described as a "swing space" during the project.

Construction and renovation work will take place in six phases. The first phase moves the Children's Room to the auditorium while work takes place in the top level of the building. More moves to the auditorium will follow as work takes place in other patron areas of the library, with the main floor work beginning once the top level is complete; and the final phase of work taking place on the ground floor, said Jensen.

When completed, the library renovation and expansion project　will add a 2,000 square-foot building addition at the rear entrance, using exterior limestone from the same Tennessee quarry which produced the library's original 1896 façade. The new entrance will have a handicapped-accessible vestibule with sliding doors, opening into a lobby with a circulation desk leading to the new children's and teen ground floor areas.

The addition will also incorporate two new ADA-compliant public restrooms, and an outdoor terrace, accessible from the second-floor auditorium inside and stairs outside.

Campaign Continues

Although the Campaign for the Blackstone has now fulfilled its obligation to the Town by reaching the $800,000 goal, McKirdy noted that some costs have increased since planning began and donations to help offset those costs will continue to be accepted through the campaign.

"We're actually going to continue the campaign for a while, because not everything that was in the original plan is affordable with the funds that are currently available," he said. "So, by continuing the campaign, we give the community a continuing opportunity to support the project."

For more information on the library project or to make a donation to the Campaign for the Blackstone, visit http://www.blackstone.lioninc.org/