GOLD COAST LIBRARY BUILDING INITIATIVE UPDATE

Article provided by the Gold Coast Public Library

At the Gold Coast Public Library's monthly Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, August 19, Russell Davidson of KG&D Architects presented three preliminary designs for the library's proposed new building. The library has entered into a contract to purchase the Halm Industries property, 180 Glen Head Road, where the new building would be located if the public votes to approve the project. 

To gather community feedback on the proposed designs, the library will hold a series of focus groups beginning on Thursday, September 10th. More sessions will be added to garner greater community feedback. 

 Prior registration is needed because only 50 residents can participate at each session due to the space limits of the Library Annex. Sign up in person, online at www.thenewgoldcoastpubliclibrary.org, or by calling the Library at 516-759-8300.

Given the proximity of the proposed site to surrounding neighborhoods, the board reiterated that it will continue to consult with those residents and the entire community regarding the future of the land not used for the new building.  If the library moves to sell any of the remaining land, that sale and subsequent use would be subject to public approval.

In July, The Library and Halm Industries signed a contract with a purchase price of $5.7M for the 5.3 acre parcel contingent upon voter approval of the total project-building/land purchase and the design and construction of a new library building--through a public referendum to be held in late fall or early winter.  Preliminary design estimates remain within the range of original rough calculations made at the outset based on generally known costs. At present, the completed project appears somewhere in the $17 - $19 million range, subject to a considerable amount of refinement yet to occur as a result of ongoing public input.


While residents of the different incorporated villages, the Town of Oyster Bay and a small number within the Town of North Hempstead have slightly different tax rates, all pay between 0.8% and 1.1% of their real estate taxes for library. The library's building initiative website will soon have available a tax calculator to help district residents see the projected share of cost for their properties.


For information on the Library's building initiative, please visit www.thenewgoldcoastpubliclibrary.org.  For questions, comments and concerns, please contact the Library's Director, Mike Morea by e-mail at  [email protected] or by phone at 516-759-8300 x102



 

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