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Library Expansion Project Detailed

On Sunday afternoon, a meeting was held at the Phoenixville Library to discuss plans for its expansion. The plan calls for an expansion across 2nd Street.

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The proposal puts priority on “protecting and enhancing the 1903 Carnegie library building,” especially in “retaining the reading room as a real reading room,” Carnevale said; on a larger children’s library, and space for young adult readers; on new dedicated space for public meetings, for materials collection increases and computer information access, and for staff services, though, Deveney said, the proposal as it stands “would require no increase in current staff.”

Deveney granted, however, that a larger facility would entail larger utilities bills. “But the proposal also provides for renovation of some utilities, and additions of new, more efficient equipment,” he said.

The concept plan proposes a three-floor addition to the Carnegie building, new construction that will also incorporate renovation of the library’s 1987 addition. “We promise you we will get rid of the ‘Taco Bell’ look,” Carnevale said.

A new main entrance will be placed off an entry plaza at Main Street on what is now Second Avenue. Parking is proposed diagonally (“a traffic-calming device,” Carnevale said) on sections of Main Street.

With the closing of Second Avenue, traffic would remain two-way only from Starr to B Streets, run one-way west to the library at Park Alley and one-way north on Park.
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For more, see the article in today's Phoenix.

Comments

Anonymous said…
The Library is community driven. It is a welcoming place for all who enjoy reading and education.
Carnegie donated his life's worth in the hopes that generations could benefit.
This town uses and needs this Library. How are you to explain to people who do not have the means to just go purchase a book or travel a distance because things would be disrupted or changed.
This library is located in the heart of town. It would be absurd to relocate it.
It is an important part of Phoenixville that should continue as a legacy for the next generation.
Lets take out the you,me,and I and replace it with we as a community.
sdarwkcabssa said…
why can't we have a branch library open up on the north side, maybe in the new building where they're having the college and the daycare? Where does it say you have to expand the current facility?
Anonymous said…
For pity's sake! The library needs a new home. They should have a big campus maybe on the PPG property with all the room they need for patrons. Then it will be located in the heart of town. Closing Second Avenue and making more problems for the people living there is just a plain stupid idea. Really ridiculous.
Solofloyd said…
To abandon the historic building would be an atrocity. It will be wonderful when this expansion occurs. The library will merge seamlessly with Reeves Park making a continuous area for library and park patrons without the worry of speeding traffic.
Anonymous said…
Finally a person who knows what they are talking about. Blocking off 2nd Ave will increase safety for all children playing in the park, increase property value for those living on the library block, and in short, benefit everyone in the community.
Jools said…
I have to agree with sofloyd and anonymous: I think this sounds like a good arrangement. Of course, I'm selfishly glad this means I'll still be able to walk to the library.

I sympathise with the call for a branch on the north side, though. That would seem like a valuable addition.
Anonymous said…
Closing part of a public road for a building expansion seems a bit of a stretch and sets a questionable precedent. I'm all for maintaining the historical integrity of the building, but a new modern facility would be nice too.
As far as keeping kids safe from traffic, I think proper education (of drivers, the kids, and their parents) will go much farther than randomly blocking streets.
Anonymous said…
Seems the only people in favor of the library's plan are those who don't live near it.

If any other facility outgrows it's building it moves, why hasn't anyone mentioned that it should just move? It has become a major problem not a friendly neighbor.

Just last week coming home I saw two kids almost get hit on Main Street by the library. I'm suprised there aren't skid marks on the street. You don't put a building that big in an area where kids are walking from beyond Main to the park to play or whatever. Someone will get killed.

They can also not do anything to that building and make satellite branches in any of the vacant or soon to be vacant buildings like Friendship Fire Co.

I don't like it when someone tries to push something on us when they don't consider anything else than one idea.

Really think about silly outrageous ideas before we all have to live with a big problem.
Anonymous said…
The people on second avenue are going to lose their shirts on property values plus they want to widen that alley and take at least 5 feet of private property from a very small yard.

Be sensible people this plan causes harm.
karlub said…
Harm? We live in a Borough. There's traffic. Anyway, we have one of these, now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3LGvQltM3o

Lower property values? Yeah, living right next to a great library with virtually private park frontage will really cause values to plummet.

I do apologize for being snarky. It isn't charitable, and I am a real let's get along cat.

It just seems that every time we want to improve something in this town we get paralyzed by NIMBYism, while huge and profitable development gets done in a comparative eyeblink elsewhere.
Anonymous said…
Harm? Yes, harm.

See what happens when no consideration is given to the surrounding areas on a controversial project? People in the community take sides and start fighting. Yes, the plan is not the best possible plan and it is harmful.
Anonymous said…
"take at least 5 feet of private property from a very small yard." From my understanding, that 5 feet is a borough right of way.
Karen said…
Borough right of way is correct, and she was told at LEAST five feet. That's a huge amount for a small yard.
Anonymous said…
Phoenixville Library Plan of Action





This is the plan of action to stop the Phoenixville Library from closing Second Avenue.



We believe the library should expand. We support it to expand. We only do not wish for Second Avenue to be closed and /or Reeves Park to be built on.



1) Second Avenue is a vital road used by local people traveling home from shopping.

2) The east/west and vice-versa traffic will not be stopped it will only be more concentrated onto the other avenues.

3) Park Alley behind the library cannot handle any volume of traffic.

4) Second Avenue is the quickest way for the Ambulance to travel from its station on West Bridge Street to the homes on the east side of Starr Street.

5) The traffic that will be shifted to Third Avenue will face a much more difficult time entering Starr Street because of the blind spot on the hill.

6) When not if the Library needs to expand in 10 or 20 years where will the go next.





There are many government organizations that must be informed of our displeasure to close Second Avenue and / or build on Reeves Park. We must contact all members of these organizations. Remember when government organizations are involved the loudest wheels get the oil.



Don’t think everyone else will do something. It is up to you to pass this message along. And EVERYONE must contact all the members of these organizations to voice their feelings





We must contact the Library Commissioners to come up with another plan. Like the expansion using the adjoining property to the North side of the building. To show that you are in support of this direction maybe make an offer to donate money to the library for that direction of expansion. Since the other way to get their attention is with money.



The library Commissioners information is



Library Commission President

Susan Meadows



Library Commission Vice-President

Deanna Kalmbach



Treasurer

Phillip Howse



Board Member/School Board Representative

Joshua Gould

125 Kleyona Avenue

Phoenixville PA 19460



Board Member/Superintendent Representative

Mary Jane Weiss



Secretary/Representative to D/SAC

Maureen Ash



Board Members

James Mackey

Joseph Koury

Lee Deveny

Lawrence Jilk



Library Board meetings are held the 2nd Monday of each month at 6:00 PM in the Community Room. The public is invited to attend.



Just a few more Questions need to be asked



1) Is the any one on the library board , School board , Borough Council or Carnevale Eustis Architects, Inc own have title to or are related to the owners of the property north of the Library?



2) How much are the people asking for the property to the north of the library?



3) Is moving the Building an option? (Don’t really want the building just the land)



4) How much is the library willing to pay and / or how much is the borough going to charge for the actual closing one of the longest avenues in the borough?



5) How much will it cost to reroute the infrastructure on Second Avenue?



6) This isn’t just an avenue to a few homes. It is an emergency route for medical & Fire Equipment to easily access the homes on the east side of Starr St. You cannot put a price on life.
Carnevale Eustis Architects, Inc is heavily involved in many build projects in and around the borough of Phoenixville. They have a lot of influence with the borough planning commission. Including the plan to close Second Avenue.



Carnevale Eustis Architects, Inc

181 Bridge Street

Phoenixville PA 19460

Phone 610-933-0197

Fax 610-935-3600

Email info@cearchitects.com



http://www.cearchitects.com/html/project.asp#





The Phoenixville Planning Commission is who approve the plans for building projects. Please contact them to voice your displeasure of the closing of Second Avenue.



Chairman

Debra Johnston

240 Griffin Street

Phoenixville PA 19460



Teena Peters

895 Oxford Avenue

Phoenixville PA 19460



George Martynick

217 Franklin Avenue

Phoenixville PA 19460



Michael Holt

146 Buchanan Street

Phoenixville PA 19460





James EL

No Address Listed



David Sanock

No Address Listed



Jennifer Faggioli

No Address Listed





The Phoenixville Borough Council is the ones who must approve the closure of Second Ave. Make sure they hear you.



Mayor Leo Scoda

312 Virginia Ave

Phoenixville PA 19460



Council President

Henry Wagner

137 First Avenue

Phoenixville PA 19460

484-363-4956



Vice President

Richard Kirkner

405 Ann Street

Phoenixville PA 19460

610-935-1397



Kendrick Buckwalter

1117 Ross Lane

Phoenixville PA 19460

610-933-8106



Carlos Cirelos

142 First Avenue

Phoenixville PA 19460

610-415-1370



David Gill

1235 Tyler Avenue

Phoenixville PA 19460

610-935-1198



Michael Speck

413 Nutt Road

Phoenixville PA 19460

610-933-5499



Jeffery Senley

403 Westridge Drive

Phoenixville PA 19460

610-935-2227



Borough Manager

E. Jean Krack

140 Church Street

Phoenixville PA 19460









And Last but not least the Phoenixville School District actually owns the land the library sits on. And they should be notified also.



PASD President

Mark Cassaday

579 Brighton Way

Phoenixville PA 19460



PASD Vice President

Jill Slawecki

342 Milligan Street

Phoenixville PA 19460



William Mea

138 Washington Avenue

Phoenixville PA 19460



Mary Croke-Parris

965 BlackRock Road

Phoenixville PA 19460



Paul Salinka

1025 Gay Street

Phoenixville PA 19460



Joshua Gould

125 Kleyona Avenue

Phoenixville PA 19460



Debbie Dawson

1093 Lincoln Avenue

Phoenixville PA 19460



Keith Wickstrom

27 Flintlock ln

Phoenixville PA 19460



Lisa Starczewski

573 Brighton Way

Phoenixville PA 19460





Please don’t think that others will make this contact for you. You must make your voice heard. Make sure you speak up.
Pike said…
To say that the library needs to grow is a wonderful idea, but grow and possibly disrupt the infrastructure of the town is a different story. There are many building in the town that are vacant and can be used as a "satellite" building for maybe the children's section of the library. Phoenixville is a town that has deep roots and prides itself on its historic looking houses and building. If this addition is put on will it mirror the existing building or will it be a new building not blending in with the rest of the town. Where will the addition be, will we be taking out the war memorial? Which is also a part of the town. Personally I think that if there are people posting on this blog that do not like in the heart of the borough, then they should not be doing so. This is going to directly effect those who live in the borough and have street parking. There no need to move the library, just move a section to a different location. To say it would make it more safe for children in the park, adding a building is not going to change safety that is up to the motorist on the road, they choose how fast they go and how much they pay attention. Your saying adding a new building is not going to distract motorist from rubbernecking and looking at progress, looking at the finish product and not paying attention to the road!! Those are all wonderful thoughts but till most likely not happen. Why not take the kids section, and put in one of the vacant building in our town and the library can use the old children's section for more books. In short I this that expanding the library will be more of a hassle for those who live in the borough.

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