Library levy committee to host third town hall

NORWALK — The city library's levy committee is sponsoring a third "town hall" meeting next week to answer questions about the draft rendering for the proposed addition, along with any other questions voters may have. The question-and-answer session will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 21 in the library's downstairs meeting room. "We've had a lot of positive responses to the drawing, but also a number of questions," said Patrick Spettel, chairman of the levy campaign group. "And we want to make sure that people are well-informed about the project we hope to do. We want to be clear and informative, and we are happy to provide answers to questions." The drawing, released Oct. 1, shows how a new structure could look on the site of the former Hill's Interiors building. The sketch is not a commitment to a specific design but rather a concept so voters can better understand the basic idea, Spettel noted. The design sketch was provided without cost by Bostwick Design Partnership, a Cleveland architectural group that has renovated or built 260 libraries in 19 states. A bond issue to pay for new construction at 38 West Main St. will appear on the November ballot for voters who live within the Norwalk City Schools district. The library's board of trustees purchased the now-vacant building at 38 West Main Street in 2003, hoping to eventually expand both the library's home and services to the community. If approved, levy funding will pay for renovations to bring the original building into compliance with disability access laws. The project will seamlessly join the Carnegie structure with a new two-floor addition that would require demolishing the Hill's building. The sketch is merely informative and not a commitment to anything specific, Spettel emphasized, although any design will have the new structure's façade parallel to the Carnegie building's front wall to create a wider overall streetscape at the west end of West Main Street's second block. Other questions the levy committee has been asked concern parking and better access to the facility — especially for those who regard the library's front steps as daunting or inconvenient. Patrons will have access to the entire facility from both the front and rear at sidewalk level. Additional handicapped parking will be available behind the building, and a new elevator will make both floors accessible for everyone, Spettel said. The bond issue on the Nov. 4 ballot would provide $14 million for all the costs of demolition, project design fees and new construction. According to the Huron County Auditor's Office, the bond levy will cost $5 per month (or $60 annually) on $100,000 of assessed property value. The 30-year levy will generate $25 million from properties in the Norwalk City Schools district because the library is a school-district library rather than a community library. The extra $11 million will only go to paying interest on the $14 million the library will use for the project, and is not available for further spending.