The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

Children’s room of Wellesley Free Library to lighten up

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Wellesley Free Library, fall 2020
Wellesley Free Library

The children’s room of the Wellesley Free Library is temporarily closed for work on the serpentine wall, and to install additional lighting.

During the main branch’s reopening celebration earlier this month we noticed that despite the recent overhaul, sections of the renovated children’s area space were cast in shadow, mostly in the  stacks over by the restroom and water fountain area. Patrons and staff noticed as well, and now work has begun to fix the problem.

Library staff hopes the work will be complete in early December.

While the lighting issues are addressed, children’s materials can be accessed in the Wakelin Room.

childrens room wellesley free library closed

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Dedham Country Day School
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Wellesley League of Women Voters event: Hardy & Hunnewell School projects

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League of Women Voters, Wellesley

 

Join the League of Women Voters of Wellesley during a Zoom meeting on Wed., Nov. 17th, 7pm, to learn about the Hardy & Hunnewell School projects. After a presentation by School Committee members Catherine Mirick and Melissa Martin, there will be ample time for Q&A. Learn about project costs, anticipated state reimbursement, tax impact, and more. To register for this session, go to: https://bit.ly/3mC3Uk8.

Don’t forget to vote on December 7th.

(Mail-in ballots must be at the Town Clerk’s office by December 7th)

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Sneak peek: we storm the gates of the Wellesley Free Library

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The Wellesley Main Library, closed since April 2021 for a $2.8 million renovation (the Wellesley Free Library Foundation kicked in 600k), is readying to reopen later this month. The unofficial town happy place has been sorely missed by the 1,000+ daily visitors who cross the threshold of the 56k sq. ft. building. Some come for the books, some to meet up for work or social reasons, others for a place to use a public computer, or study. We cut the line and popped in for a sneak peek of the 17-year old library’s improvements. Originally timed to reopen in September, the library’s welcome-back date was delayed due to a slowdown in materials deliveries. Well, the supply chain can rattle all it wants—patrons are all but banging down the doors to be allowed back into their community resource.

In the meantime, know that the Temporary Main Library at 50 Central Street in Wellesley Square is permanently closed.

The Main Library is expected to reopen in late October.

The Hills and Fells Branches will remain open for holds pick up and browsing. Expanded Branch hours will be in place throughout the month of October (see below for hours).

Here’s what the public is in for when the 530 Washington Street building makes its dramatic comeback:

Wellesley library renovation
View from the Cameron Street side of the building (back entrance). The Welcome Center  (formerly known as the Circulation Desk) has been reoriented to face patrons as they enter the lobby. Self checkout stations will be set up against the blue wall, as will holds. The expanded lobby area has more room for books, popular materials, and browsing. Jewel colors have been used throughout the first floor, giving way to a sophisticated and calming color palette upstairs.

 

Wellesley library renovation
View from the Central Street side of the building (front entrance).

 

Wellesley Free Library renovation
A section of the Children’s Room. Overall, look for a larger and more open children’s area that will encourage learning through play. Most of the old furniture was donated. “They went as far away as the North Shore. Gloucester Schools came and took all the wooden chairs,” said WFL Director Jamie Jurgensen.

 

Wellesley library renovation
Artists Michael LaFosse (left) and Richard Alexander have created over 300 acrylic butterflies to “fly” above the space. “There’s a whole world up here,” LaFosse said. In addition, origami-inspired murals decorate several walls. The two are co-founders of Origamido Studio, a teaching and resource center/art gallery for their handmade papers and folded paper art. Together, Michael and Richard have authored over 70 books, kits, and video publications about their origami designs and hand paper making. The Studio has produced dozens of commercial installations and exhibits.

 

Wellesley library renovation
W for Wellesley. Nature, and the concept of bringing the outdoors in, is a theme throughout the library.

 

Wellesley library renovation
Origami-inspired mural, Children’s Room. By Jason Sawtelle, Blackbeak Studios

 

Wellesley library renovation
A row of second-floor meeting rooms. In all there are 2 new meeting rooms (for a total of 4); 7 new conference rooms (for a total of 9); and 3 study rooms.

 

Wellesley Free Library renovation
Second floor, with sight lines straight back to the Friends Reading Room (which anyone can use, even enemies, we suppose). Three rows of shelving have been removed to make way for lots of 2-person tables and chairs.

 

Wellesley library renovation
Ever wonder what happens to all materials you’ve returned to Fells and Hills branch libraries since April? They get boxed up and delivered to the Main Library, where they patiently sit in the Wakelin Room and await reshelving.

 

Wellesley Free Library renovation
New second floor lighting. Not that there was anything wrong with the old, flickering florescent tubes.

Thanks to WFL Director Jamie Jurgensen for the tour. She wouldn’t pose for a pic. Something about not being camera ready. No matter, we’ll get a nice over-the-shoulder red carpet shot when the grand opening takes place.

WELLESLEY LIBRARIES—LOCATIONS & HOURS

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Andrews, Wellesley

Wellesley Temporary Main Library’s last day coming up

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Wellesley Library, temporary location
Temporary Main Library, 50 Central St.

The Temporary Main Library at 50 Central Street will be open for its last day on Monday, September 27, 9am-8pm. Patrons can still access materials and pick up their holds at the Hills and Fells Branches. When placing holds online, select Hills or Fells as the pick-up location. Patrons will receive notifications when materials are ready to pick up. Both the Hills and Fells Branches will remain open and operating full hours (see below). In addition, those hours will be expanded as of October 3rd.

The Main Library is anticipated to reopen in late October.

Closed since April for a $2.8+ million renovation, the Main Library’s reopening date was planned for September, but slowdowns due to supply chain issues bumped that anticipated opening by several weeks.

When the Main Library’s 1k daily visitors are welcomed back into the building they can expect to see an expanded lobby area with more room for books, popular materials, and browsing; a larger and more open children’s area that will encourage learning through play; a commons area on the first floor for patrons to meet up in a casual atmosphere; a second floor area with more tables and soft seating, as well as 7 new meeting rooms and spaces for quiet study. A new roof caps off the improvements for the 17-year old library, which has the 7th highest public library circulation numbers in the state.

MORE:

Wellesley Free Library redesign sounds nice

WELLESLEY LIBRARIES—LOCATIONS & HOURS

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Hunnewell School project price tag increases by $2.4 million—thanks, COVID

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The Hunnewell Elementary School project has received Zoning Board of Appeals approval from the Town of Wellesley, bringing the teardown and rebuild project another step closer to an anticipated groundbreaking in summer 2022.

Hunnewell School, fall 2020
Hunnewell Elementary School

Before that happens there are several details to be addressed by Compass Construction, the project management company tasked with building the new 75,000 square-foot, two-story, 19-classroom building. Senior Project Manager Jeff D’Amico reported to the Wellesley Permanent Building Committee that there are a couple of “hardship” areas that are making it difficult to fully comply with ADA ramp construction.

D’Amico identified one of the spots as the intersection of Hampden and Brook Streets, where there’s an electrical manhole in the way and “we need to lower the grade to make it work. A location like that doesn’t simply end up being a couple of grand. It can quickly spiral into the tens of thousands by the time you redo a curb ramp, mess around with the public utilities…so we’re going to look for clarification. Is this something the project has to take on,” he said.

In addition, the skyrocketing cost of building materials such as steel, aluminum, lumber, and PVC during the COVID-19 pandemic has added an expected $2.4 million increase to the project.

The total project budget at this time is $54,835,467.

“The number that was floated out at Town Meeting in December 2019 was $52,853,000,” D’Amico said, “So it’s about $2 million higher than we were about 2 years ago.”

During Special Town Meeting on Oct. 25 – 26, there will be a funding vote. From there, a townwide debt exclusion vote will take place on Dec. 7.

Hardy School update

The Compass team currently is responding to Massachusetts School Building Authority questions on the project scope and budget of building a new elementary school at the Hardy site.

Hardy School, Wellesley
Hardy School, Wellesley

Traffic issues loom large as Permanent Building Committee members all but tore their hair out when discussing how to increase busing and walking at a school site where it is estimated that 45% of the school population will be driven by their families.

The goal is to devise a plan that will eliminate queueing on Weston Road. When the idea was floated of implementing a circular drive that would go around the entire school, PBC member Suzy Littlefield observed, “That’s a lot of asphalt for 20 minutes a day.”

Vice chair Michael Tauer asked whether the Town’s priorities are “…having green space or is it letting people drive their cars to schools?”

A traffic study is expected to be completed by the end of the summer, at which time the issue will be revisited.

Construction on Hardy is anticipated to begin in 2023.

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Wellesley Free Library reopening date shifts to just before the frost is on the pumpkin

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The Wellesley Permanent Building Committee met remotely to go over the Main Library renovation project, as well as the many other projects in various stages of planning or completion the town has going right now. In addition to the library, agenda items included the Town Hall interior; and the Middle School, the Hunnewell, and the Hardy projects.

Wellesley library, renovations
Chain link fencing blocks cars from entering the Wellesley Free Library’s parking lot. There is a book drop to accept returns outside the parking garage entrance.

Wellesley Free Main Library

The main library has been closed since April for a $2.8+ million renovation, and originally was expected to reopen by the end of September. Slowdowns due to supply chain issues have bumped that anticipated opening to early October. The Facilities Management department was able to get an extension to keep open the current Temporary Main Library location at 50 Central Street until the end of September.

When the Main Library’s 1k daily visitors are welcomed back into the building they can expect to see an expanded lobby area with more room for books, popular materials, and browsing; a larger and more open children’s area that will encourage learning through play; a commons area on the first floor for patrons to meet up in a casual atmosphere; a second floor area with more tables and soft seating, as well as 7 new meeting rooms and spaces for quiet study. A new roof caps off the improvements for the 17-year old library, which has the 7th highest public library circulation numbers in the state.

Library patrons and staff aren’t the only ones anxious to see the job completed. Design and Construction Manager for the town, Steve Gagosian, grumbled about construction delays saying, “I’m going to have to draw a line in the sand with them and tell them they have to be out of the building by the end of September.”

It’s hard to be patient when it comes to Wellesley’s most-loved public space.

More:

Wellesley Free Library redesign sounds nice

Check back for The Swellesley Report’s updates on the Town Hall interior project, and the Middle School, Hunnewell, and Hardy projects.

Constructing these posts takes time

Please support Swellesley’s independent journalism and writing efforts by contributing or advertising.

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Roads to shut down for 3 days near Bacon Street bridge on Wellesley line

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Bacon Street and Route 135 from Weston Road to the Natick line will be closed July 23 – July 26 as work continues on the Bacon Street Bridge Replacement project.

Bacon Street bridge, May 2021
Bacon Street bridge, May 2021. Photo credit: The Swellesley Report.

During the closure, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) contractors will remove the old Bacon Street railroad bridge and move a new superstructure into place. A signed detour route for Bacon Street and the affected areas of Route 135 will be in place.

Bridge work will begin 8am on Friday, July 23 with the closure of Bacon Street. At 9pm Route 135 will be closed. The areas will remain closed throughout the weekend and until 5am on Monday, July 26.

Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area or seek alternate routes.

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Wellesley gets its very own ‘storrowing’ under Bacon Street bridge

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