The Library Board met 12/17/2024. One of the information items they received was an update on the Library Building Project.
I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download:
Library Executive Director Colleen Rortvedt told the board that there had been significant progress made on the site, to the degree that it was more helpful to discuss what was left to be done rather than to go over what was already done.
They still needed to complete the life safety systems. This would allow the building to be occupied and allow staff to work more freely in the building because right now staff can only be there working on building project related things and they have to wear Personal Protective Equipment when they are there. The systems that still need to be completed to allow this are fire alarms, egress and exit lighting, and the sprinkler system. Director Rortvedt noted that there was a lot of interaction between the fire alarm and sprinkler systems and that they were much more sophisticated systems than the system in the old building.
Unrelated to the life safety systems, there were still a lot of finalizing of things like doors and meeting rooms, and the existing egress stairs needed to brought up to code. Finally, there was a lot of testing that needed to take place, including on the electrical, plumbing, and audio vision and information technology systems.
Finally, all of the library’s collection of materials needed to be placed. Collection placement had begun but this final move turned out to be the most difficult of all of the moves they have done during the project. Director Rortvedt said that if you drive past the library you will see book shelves and books on the shelves and it might look like things were almost done but there was still a lot of calibration, testing, and certification that needed to take place before the building could open for the public.
At this point, they were not ready to give a date for opening day, but Director Rortvedt said that it still looking like it would happen “early 2025.”.
View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1142283&GUID=DB9AA5B9-D098-4BEA-AF22-A50919196ECC
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