Southington PZC Rips Library Building Plans, But Still OKs Project

SOUTHINGTON, CT — The Southington Public Library has received the approval it needs from zoning officials to start building a new $16.9 million facility this year.

But the recent 5-2 Southington Planning and Zoning Commission vote approving a special permit to build the nearly 24,000-square-foot library hardly came with a ringing endorsement from members.

In fact, some members — even those who voted "yes" — said plans for the building and its new sign, simply put, are "ugly."

Those were the words Southington PZC Chairman Robert Hammarsley had prior to his "reluctant" vote for a project he said is much-needed, but aesthetically displeasing.

Two members voted "no" on the project, Republican Peter Santago and Democrat Caleb Cowles, an alternate who was seated for an absent member April 4.

With the approval, local officials can look ahead to work starting this June to build the library, with a completed project by December 2024.

What the library could or would look like hardly pleased zoning board members earlier this month.

Prior to the vote and discussion, representatives of South Windsor-based DRA Architects and SLR International Corp. out of Cheshire went over details of the project during a public hearing April 4.

Their presentation was mostly technical in nature and dealt with the library site's driveways, parking, patios, lighting, landscaping and interior and exterior building plans.

Once the new library is built, the old library at 255 Main St. would be demolished nearby.

One significant change is a noticeable reduction in available parking, with the library site currently offering 173 spaces and the new site expected to have 92 spaces.

According to Todd Ritchie, an engineer with SLR, this is because the current parking lot is "oversized" for the current library.

He said work would go on in two phases so the library could move into the new site prior to demolition of the old side.

PZC members had questions with several aspects of the plans, but mostly they issued displeasure with the actual look of the building based on what was shown to them.

Many on the PZC said the modern look of the building didn't fit with the character of the surrounding neighborhood, which was more historical in nature.

"When you first look at it, it doesn't fit the character of the town, I think. It looks like a factory," said Southington PZC Vice Chairman Robert Salka.

"It's just does nothing for me. I'm sure the internals are going to work for the town. On the outside, to me, it just looks like a factory."

Hammersley was, even, more critical of the plans.

"I think there's nothing attractive about the building that I saw, to be blunt," he said. "I agree, I don't like the way that this looks."

The chairman was also critical of the proposed signage for the library. "I think its going to be bland. I think its going to be ugly," he said.

Ultimately, design mandates are not part of what the PZC had to approve, but that is an issue that can be changed between the town's library building committee and the architects.

But the PZC's critical comments about what the building would or could look like represent another bumpy step in a process full of them.

In November 2021, voters approved spending $16.9 million for a 30,000-square-foot library for a project deemed necessary to meet fire and building codes, provide modern services and amenities and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

But throughout 2022, town and library officials learned cost overruns associated with the ever-present supply chain and inflation issues meant the $16.9 million could only fund a 24,000-square-foot building.

After much debate about whether to seek more funding from voters for a 30,000-square-foot library, it was decided to, simply, build to the amount of cash approved at the polls.

For the minutes of the April 4 Southington Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.

For all documents related to the special permit application for the library, click on this link.

For more information on the Southington Public Library building project, click on this link.

From Sept. 22, 2022: 'Cost Overruns Put Southington Library Project In Limbo'