Edgartown's New Library: Questions & Answers

View architect's plans for our new library

The Edgartown Library Building Committee, our project manager, Rick Pomroy, our project director, Jill Hughes, and our architects are hard at work on plans for the new library building. The first payment of the state's $5 million contribution to the project has been received by the town, and the library site will be prepared -- by taking down the 1924 Edgartown School building -- this summer. We expect to be soliciting bids for construction of the new library this September.

On the town's current schedule, we will be moving into our new library sometime around the end of the first quarter of the year 2015.

Some history:

At our Annual Town Meeting on April 10 and town elections on April 12, 2012, Edgartown voters overwhelmingly supported plans to build a new public library on the property currently occupied by the 1924 elementary school building. At their October 2012 meeting, the state Board of Library Commissioners announced the release of a provisional grant of $5 million to Edgartown, the state's share of the construction project.

Voters in April transferred the Warren House property next door to our current library building, on North Water Street, from the purview of the library trustees to the selectmen, and the Warren House has now been placed on the market for sale. The Warren House property had been purchased in 2005 as possible expansion space for our library -- now that Edgartown is building at the school location, this property is surplus to the town.

How much will this project cost?

The project budget is $11 million. Edgartown has $5 million in state grant funds, and voters have agreed to a $4.9 million municipal bond issue. The balance of $1.1 million has already been paid by the town through allowable credits. About $350,000 of the $4.9 million bond will be used to meet the energy-efficiency standards of the federal LEED program; this money will be reimbursed to the town when the new library wins its LEED certification -- usually about 6 months after the building opens.

What will happen to the Carnegie library building?

The Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust has agreed to take the lead in planning for adaptive community uses of the historic Carnegie library building.

Where can I get more details about the new library plan?

Please feel free to ask us at the library for more information.

Library Project Documents