'Sticker Shock': Escalating Beverly Library Renovation Costs Debated

BEVERLY, MA — The estimated $18 million renovation cost of the Beverly Public Library — and proposals to pay for it — was the subject of the first of at least two City Council public hearings this week with some Council members expressing frustration that was once framed as mostly HVAC improvements has since expanded to include a near-full-scale renovation.

The project, which would include a new geothermal heating and cooling system as well as a new roof to prevent ice dams and necessary accessibility improvements, was estimated by city officials to cost about $10.25 million to the city after expected incentive grants, utility credits and money from the federal infrastructure bill.

(Also on Patch: Revamped Beverly City Hall Renovation Proposal Revealed)

Of that amount, about $5.8 million of the project would be funded, under the current plan, through debt service, including about $4.275 million in new bonded debt. Mayor Mike Cahill said, if approved, that will be included with the City Hall renovation project to create about $30 million in new bonded debt for the city.

"We know we need to do an HVAC replacement," Cahill said. "We know the building needs upgrades. I recognize, I understand, I want to say it out loud that it's 'if' you approve what we've asked you to approve. It's not when. (The Council is) the legislative branch of government. Everybody has been working on this project in good faith. And everybody who spoke (at the hearing) presented in good faith.

"What we've asked you to approve is what we believe is the right way to go. But it's not a when. It's an if. If you see fit, then we'll be great to move forward."

City Councilor Todd Rotondo said the total cost of the project was underplayed when the Council was earlier presented with an initial HVAC-focused replacement cost of $3.75 million.

"It really was almost dishonest," he said. "We weren't presented with a whole picture of the project originally. We were presented three (HVAC) options. I get it one was removed. But then coming back 20 months later and then it's gone from $3.75 million to $18 million. The ADA (accessibility requirement) got triggered, the soft-cost, this wasn't in there."

Beverly Commissioner of Public Works Michael Collins challenged that there was an insinuation that "we were lying to you" at the previous presentation nearly two years ago.

"I said that it came off as ... well, I guess, actually, I would say that then," Rotondo responded. "Was there ever a mention of the soft costs, the ADA costs, within the presentation that was given to us in June 2022?

"That full scope of the project was never presented to us."

Collins said that the full scope of the project had yet to be developed at that time and what was presented was only the differences between the geothermal and other HVAC upgrades.

"Even with the cost increases this is the project that makes the most sense for the city financially," Collins said. "And for all of our other goals, it will give us the project at the lowest total operating cost and the lowest cost of ownership over the life of the project.

"I still stand by that."

City Councilor Kathleen Feldman sought, and received, clarification that the HVAC system has to be replaced, and that replacement triggers a scale of renovation that would then require ADA compliance and realistically necessitate the new roof.

"Over 50 percent of these costs are going with any of the (HVAC) options," she said. "That's where the heart of the matter is. And that's where we didn't really as a Council know about those items before. Geothermal still makes the most sense for our city.

"But the sticker shock was a lot for all of us to handle."

The public hearing, which will include more chances for public comment as well as City Councilor questions and debate, was continued until the Council's March 18 meeting at 8 p.m.

"There is a lot of new information to process tonight," City Councilor Hannah Bowen said. "What's in front of us now is not, as Councilor Feldman pointed to, an HVAC project. It's a renovation that is almost on the scale of the renovation (of City Hall). That is sort of a different project than the initial conversations were about.

"I want to make sure we are having that full conversation."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)