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A major library upgrade costing less than $1 per week for the average Rosendale homeowner

FAQs for the Rosendale Library Renovation

Why is the library doing a renovation?
  • Our families deserve a dedicated children’s room!
    • We’ve heard from families with young children that they want to enjoy visiting the library without disturbing other patrons. Our current one-room library does not leave any quiet space for study, or fun space for families to read to kids.
    • A children’s room in the library keeps all of the books appropriate for young children in one place, away from the adult collection. Young children can safely browse age-appropriate materials.
    • Families are using the library more than ever. Each week the library provides three popular pre-school programs where parents and caregivers form friendships, kids acquire a love of learning and develop early literacy and school-readiness skills, and families find books to borrow. 
  • Our community deserves an activity room where people can enjoy library programs, classes, activities, and events
    • The library has received feedback from the community about the types of activities people want to be offered at the library and in response, the library is offering many more activities than in the past. But without a separate activity room there is no quiet study space in the library. The library runs over 300 free programs per year. We host more than 3,500 parents, caregivers, and children per year at our family programs, and our popular adult programs offer the community a space to come together to work on crafts, discuss writing and books, practice instruments, and learn new things. Without a separate activity room, we are limited in the kind of programming we can offer, and are constantly juggling the competing needs of patrons who wish for a quiet work space and patrons who look forward to connecting with others through programming. Moving programming off-site to the Rec Center or Town Hall would require us to raise the library budget to hire more staff, and make programs less accessible for those without transportation who currently walk to the library.
    • Programs such as the Slow Jam for String Instruments are so popular that the library can’t accommodate all the participants while the library is open. The new activity room would provide space for our community members to enjoy programs like this one during library hours without disturbing other library users, and alleviate the need for staffing the facility during off hours.
    • The new activity room will provide the flexibility the library needs to meet the growing and evolving needs of the community. People in the community are asking for additional activities such as more poetry and book readings and more art programs for adults, and the library cannot accommodate these activities or future needs due to lack of space.
  • Our community deserves a modern library building with basic amenities
    • On average, people spend at least one hour at the library. Waiting in line for the library’s one and only restroom, especially during popular programs for the very young or the elderly is a hardship. If the restroom is out of order, the library is forced to close. Having more than one restroom at a busy public building is a basic necessity.
    • We get regular requests from patrons for a drinking fountain, and there should be one in a building serving the public. The renovation will include a drinking fountain that not only provides drinking water for anyone visiting the library, but reduces the number of plastic containers that go into landfill and keeps people healthy.
    • The last time the library building was renovated was 1975, before computers and the internet became a part of everyday life. Our new facility will provide more electrical outlets and charging points and better internet access to serve the modern needs of school work, and personal communication.
  • The library board is responding to community feedback about the facility
    • We’ve heard from the people in our community that this is what they want, and we’ve designed a space to meet their needs within a budget they find acceptable. We talked to over 283 members of our community as part of our strategic planning process and talked to even more people following our previous effort to relocate the library building. We heard from people that they want more space for gathering with their neighbors for events and opportunities that provide fun, education, enrichment, and growth, and they see the library as a trustworthy partner in creating that space and those opportunities. We also asked people what they would be willing to pay for a library renovation and developed a plan that comes in under that figure.
    • Through listening sessions that were conducted in early 2023, we learned that there are many people who wish the library would remain in its current location, and many who felt that relocating the library to the center of Main St. would also be a good move.
What will the renovation include?
  • The renovation will reconfigure the portion of the library that was constructed in 1977 (the part that is not the historic church), moving the basement stairwell in order to create a children’s room, and expanding the portion of the library facing Central Avenue in order to create an activity room. The expanded portion of the building also will allow space for a second restroom. The building is being configured so that community groups can use the activity room even when the library is not open, with access to the restrooms, and the library will remain secure. This will also eliminate any potential need to staff the library during those times, helping us keep the overall library budget down.
  • This proposed building expansion includes renovation of approximately 1133 sf of the existing building (the 1977 wing) and will add an additional of 868 sf. 
  • Moving the basement stairwell will allow the creation of a children’s room. The basement is strictly for storage of items that will not be damaged by moisture.
  • Expanding the portion of the library facing Central Avenue will allow for the creation of an activity room, lobby, and additional restroom. The building is being configured so that community groups can use the activity room when the library is not open, with access to the restrooms, while the library remains secure. 
  • The renovation will include insulating all of the newer parts of the library to make them more energy efficient, and will include installing energy-efficient heat pump mini-splits. The library will also have a backup generator in order to serve the public during power outages.
Will there be more parking?
  • The library has limited options for adding parking because of the size and shape of our parcel. We are exploring with the Town the possibility of widening the shoulder on Central Avenue next to the water catchment basin in order to allow people to park more safely and conveniently. The Friends of the Rosendale Library have committed to raising funds to pay a civil engineer to design plans for the shoulder widening, which may or may not need further approvals because of the catchment area.
What will be the cost to taxpayers?
  • For the bond of $1.53 million, the cost to the average taxpayer would be approximately $4 per month for a property assessed at $200,000. The yearly cost per household to pay off the bond would be approximately $47 per year for a property assessed at $200,000. This is an amount that the majority of residents who were surveyed agreed would be a reasonable increase for an improved library building. This amount assumes that the library will receive $350,000 in state CREST grants, and includes $100,000 from the library’s capital fund. These numbers have been provided by Fiscal Advisors & Marketing, Inc. The numbers are approximate because of changing interest rates and assessed property values. When the construction loan is paid off in 15 years, the library taxes will go down. See the detailed estimated tax impact here. The project cost is $1.95 million but the bond will be for less because the library has been awarded $350,000 in grants and has saved $100,000 in a capital fund that will be used for the project.
When is the bond vote?
  • The bond vote will be on June 9, 2026 from noon to 8 p.m. at the library. The library needs to pass this vote in order to receive the $350,000 in state grants, and in order to be eligible to apply for the NY State Library Construction Grant in 2026.
How much will it cost?
  • The 2025 estimate for construction is $1,509,000, with an additional $329,000 in soft costs, for a project total of approximately $1,838,500. These estimates were calculated by a construction firm (The Palombo Group) who have extensive experience with public construction projects in this area. Because this is a public works project, it is subject to Wicks Law which generally drives up the cost of a construction project because the public entity must pay prevailing wage. (The project cost of $1.95 million is a conservative estimate to ensure that the project can be completed even if current conditions change significantly such as the cost of building materials and labor.)
  • The total project cost is $1.95 million but the amount that the library will need to borrow (the bond) is for $1,535,000 to complete the project. The reason the amount of the bond is less than the project cost is that the library has been awarded $350,000 in grants and has collected $100,000 in a capital fund. The average taxpayer would be approximately $4 per month for a property assessed at $200,000. This amount could be less depending on the library obtaining further grants and donations.
  • The library has secured two state grants totaling $350,000 and will be applying for further grant funding and fundraising from community supporters.
Why is the project so expensive for so little square footage?
  • Public projects are more expensive because of the laws that govern them. The total project cost includes all construction and soft costs, like attorneys and financial advisors who have to be involved in the bond process, putting up fencing around the construction site, renting a portable bathroom during construction etc. It also takes into consideration Wick’s Law. As a municipal project the library must pay prevailing wage, use RFPs, and each prime (electrical, plumbing, etc) will have separate contracts. It would be irresponsible to underestimate the cost of the project because then it could not be completed. Construction costs are rising constantly.
Who is the architect?
  • John Wasylyk, who designed the Phoenicia Library, worked on the initial design with the library board before he passed away in 2023. His business partner, Michael North of North Engineering and Design, is completing the plans.
Who is the construction contractor?
  • The library is currently working with the Palombo Group to manage the project. They built the Poughkeepsie Library and have undertaken many other public library and public works projects.
Will the library remain open during construction?
  • Yes! The library will squeeze into the historic church portion of the building and much of our collection will be in storage. This will save taxpayer money as the library will not need to pay rent on a temporary location, or pay movers to relocate the entire contents of the library to another location. There will be a temporary restroom outside the library. The construction is expected to last 18 months, start to finish. The library will continue to provide services and programming in this limited space, and patrons will still have access to resources from the library and the 65 other Mid-Hudson Library System libraries.
Will the expanded space change the cost of operating the library?
  • No, the expansion will include new insulation and a new more efficient, heat-pump HVAC system which will allow the library to heat and cool the increased space without increasing costs. Library hours and staffing will remain the same. The library expansion is designed in such a way that the library can continue to operate during its normal hours with the same number of staff in the increased space.
Will this construction alter the historic building?
  • No, the expansion will only affect the part of the building that was added in 1977. The historic church building will stay completely intact and unchanged. The library will be adhering to guidelines from the State Office of Historic Preservation.
When will the renovation begin?
  • We hope for the renovation to begin in 2026 and plan for it to take approximately 18 months to complete.
Can the Library expand into the basement?
  • Unfortunately not. The location of the library, the basement’s construction, and the costs associated with an elevator, which would be required in a multi-floor public building, make expanding into the basement unviable. 
Has the Library Board considered expanding on the east side of the building where the gazebo is?
  • Yes, the library board worked with an architect to draw up plans for an expansion on the east side of the building, and then worked with a contractor for construction estimates. The cost was nearly twice what it will cost to expand to the front of the building along Central Avenue. Protecting the mature trees on that side of the building and all new construction was considerably more expensive, with no guarantee that the mature trees would not die. Expanding to the east side of the building also included a complete renovation of the 1977 portion of the building.
Has the Library Board considered other locations where the library could move?
  • Yes, the library board worked with a commercial realtor to explore other possible locations that would be suitable for a library in the Town of Rosendale. Aside from the Belltower on Main Street, no suitable commercial properties were found that could meet the space and structural needs for a modern library.
How can I support the renovation?
  • To make a tax-deductible donation the Rosendale Library’s capital campaign by writing a check to the Rosendale Library or get involved with the Friends contact info@friendsofrl.org.
Where can I learn more about the project?
  • There will be an information session at the library on March 19 and March 23. Sign up to attend one here.
  • Information about the project will be posted to the webpage https://rosendalelibrary.org/renovation/ You can contact Rosendale Library Director, Katie Scott-Childress by email: director@rosendalelibrary.org for more information and questions.

Renderings

Floorplan of expansion/renovation with existing walls that will be moved in green. Existing stairwell to basement is moved to create space for a dedicated children’s room. Narrow entry hall is transformed to a small lobby with access to ADA accessible restroom. Placement of circulation desk allows for staff to monitor front door, activity room, children’s room, and reading room from one place.

New Activity Room for classes, more kids programs, meetups, discussion groups, gallery wall space, lectures and readings. Designed so that community groups can also use the space during hours when the library is closed. (Actual details and finishes may differ from rendering.)

A low-pitch roof over the entryway solves long-standing maintenance issues with the existing flat membrane roof. Placement of the addition preserves mature trees on the property and honors the historic church building. The exterior of the addition will be stucco (not necessarily the color depicted.) Historic preservation standards require us to use a different material for the siding so that the addition is clearly not part of the historic structure.

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