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Politics & Government

Library Board Shares Renovation Plans with Public

Residents show up for information session explaining construction ideas.

While the crowd was small Sunday afternoon at the first of two public informational meetings on the future of the Deerfield Public Library, the enthusiasm was high for the proposed new facility at its current site on Waukegan Road.

A small but enthusiastic group of citizens listened to progress plans for an expanded library in 2013. “We appreciate people giving up a part of their Sunday to learn about our plans to renovate our 40-year-old library,” Library Director Mary Pergander mentioned. She reminded the public that there would be a second such meeting at the library on Thursday evening, June 16, from 7 to 8 p.m.

About a dozen people attended the first public informational meeting sponsored by the library board to share architectural design progress for the proposed new library.  Library Board President Ken Abosch set the stage by informing them on progress to date since the  was passed by voters last November.

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“Our aging library presents great challenges to the public and our employees. It is too small to meet the community’s demand for adequate services. We don’t comply with various building codes such as American Disability Act, modern fire codes, and parking lot traffic safety problems,” he said. “Based upon multiple focus groups, patron surveys, and a citizens informational group, we have amassed a wealth of data about our shortfalls which have now been shared with our architectural and engineering planners,” Abosch added.

He described these multi-disciplinary design plans as “charrettes” to be used as the basis for the board’s overall planning. He pointed to five design panels that he said Architect Douglas Pfeiffer, of PSA Dewberry Inc., Elgin, created and will be discussed later in the session.

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Construction plans include a 10,000 square foot expansion of the renovated library that will remain at the same site. But the structure will be expanded to the east and west ends of the building. The main entrance would be moved from the center of the building to the west near the corner of the new addition. Parking spaces and traffic flow patterns are also expected to change, he said.

Abosch said the library board chooses to remain at its traditional site, citing the public’s strong preference for remaining in the heart of the downtown area next to Village Hall, the Metra station, schools, bike paths, and other nearby amenities. He said the board realizes that parking on the site is tight, but he hopes to work out a deal with the Park District for using some of Jewett Park for library employee-only parking to free up more patron parking in the library lot.

“This past week we presented our concept for a renovated and expanded library to the Deerfield Plan Commission. They were impressed with our concept and planning and the attractiveness of our architectural design,” he said. Abosch said the next step is to have the Village Center Development Commission review the plans, then the Appearance Review Commission, and finally the Village Board.      

Abosch also suggested a possible project time-line. He said construction drawings could be ready by next winter; library facilities could be moved into a temporary site by next February to allow construction workers full access into the current building; break ground in March 2012 with construction expected to last up to 14-18 months; and finally move back to the renovated library in late summer or fall of 2013.

Responding to a question from the audience, Abosch said he found little support for a to purchase the vacant  at Lake Cook and Waukegan Roads for $8 million. “The building is 7,000 sq. ft. smaller than our existing 32,000 sq. ft. and soon to be 42,000 sq. ft. The site is not centralized within our village, it is located at a very busy intersection near the Northbrook line and presenting potential safety concerns for both pedestrians and vehicular traffic in the area. Finally, it counters the public’s preference when they approved last November’s referendum,” Abosch said.  

Following Abosch, Architect Douglas Pfeiffer referred to the five design panels that posed several site analysis issues, and then several architectural drawings of the proposed main and lower levels of the building as renovated. “We will keep the bones of the structure, but improve upon everything else,” he said.

He stressed that the dimensions of the library site will remain the same, only the building is being expanded by 10,000 sq. ft. He stressed that safety is paramount in designing entrance and exit onto Waukegan Road, as is safe traffic flow patterns and adequate parking facilities.

“In redesign of the main (street) level we hope to eliminate much of the current noise by using space buffers. The Children’s Department will be relocated from the lower level to the main level, while the adult section and the teen area will be moved from the main level to the lower level connected by two stairwells." The area will be accessible to private study rooms accommodating two to six people, close to computers, and reference facilities. A main gathering room will be added on the west end of the building for meetings and movies, and new HVAC equipment will also be added.

“We want this to be a completely new building. One that is modern, safe, and provides a significant presence on Waukegan Road,” Pfeiffer told the audience.

He said plans for new outside night lighting would make the building a landmark.

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