Construction on a 6,600-square foot expansion of the Rochester Hills Public Library will begin the week of July 14and should be compete in six months. The main focus of the project is to make the drive-up window and return chutes easier to access. “Currently you can return materials from your car, but this is difficult due to the number of 90-degree turns,” said library director Christine Lind Hage. “In essence we will pull the south edge of the building out so you will approach the service windows in the same manner you do at a drive-up restaurant.”
Temporary book return chute.
A construction fence will appear around July 17 and that will necessitate the closing of the current pick-up window. “We will install a large metal book return outside of the library’s west entrance,” said Ginger Olson, Head of Circulation Services. “The temporary return box is already outside of the library’s west entrance, but will remain locked until construction actually starts.” The temporary return box will be open 24/7 during construction. Library users are encouraged to enter the library’s west parking lot down by the Rotary Gateway Park. Drivers should turn right in the northern most lane, which will provide easy access to the book return from the driver’s side of the car. The inside book returns will remain in service throughout the construction project.
For most of the construction period services and collections within the building will remain undisturbed; however, the second floor restrooms, teen area and adult fiction collection will be closed for a two week period when the new roof and structure is welded to the existing roof and structure. Also the construction staging area will consume some of the library’s parking during the construction.
The architectural firm of TMP Associates, Inc. of Bloomfield Hills has designed the project, which will be constructed by Frank Rewold & Son of Rochester. Both of these firms worked on the original building in 1992, as did library director Christine Lind Hage. “The 1992 project was a wonderful experience and the building has served us well since then. We’ve saved money over the years to make this improvement so it was not necessary to go to taxpayers for more money,” said Hage.
In addition to correcting problems in the drive up area the 6,600-square foot project will expand the area that the Friends of the Library use to sell used books online as well as at the popular in-library book sales.
The Rochester Hills Public Library is located in downtown Rochester off of University Drive and three blocks east of Main Street. The Library is open from 9 – 9 Monday through Thursday and 9 – 6 on Fridays and Saturdays. The Library’s website (www.rhpl.org) has information on how to register for a card and access all the Library’s services.
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