Peninsula Public Library withdraws from Lawrence village land deal

After months of public debate, the Peninsula Public Library board of trustees announced on Dec. 28 that it would not extend the contract term of the land deal it signed with the Village of Lawrence in September 2017 with the intent of building a new library.

The library agreed to buy roughly three-quarters of an acre near Zion Park and the Lawrence train station –– 500 yards from its current building on Central Avenue –– for $3.3 million, but the contract expired on Dec. 18, and, citing a lack of support from the village board, the library board decided not to move forward with the proposed plan.

“The village was therefore notified in November 2018 that the library could only extend the contract term beyond December 2018 and move forward with a school district bond referendum if the village board affirmatively supported the library’s proposed project plans,” the library board stated in a letter addressed to library district and Lawrence School District residents. Both serve the same constituency. “Because the village board declined to provide the library with the requested affirmative support or otherwise indicate an interest in working together to resolve any issues and keep going with this project, the library was not able to extend the contract. This may be a disappointing outcome, but the library cannot reasonably continue to expend resources on this project without the village’s affirmative and shared commitment to move forward.”

The library board noted that it had tried to address the concerns residents raised at an August village board meeting about the size of a new library and its potential impact on parking and traffic. The library board held a meeting in October after revising its plans, but was again met with opposition –– although not all of the concerns would have been the library’s responsibility.

“A number of village residents once again expressed concerns about traffic and parking,” the board stated. “Some issues were raised about how the village parking lot used by Lawrence residents and commuters would be arranged, although the library would not own this property and so only the village board could make this determination.”

Library officials based their updated plans on the results of a survey conducted in July, in which roughly 89 percent of 868 respondents agreed that more parking would improve their library experience. The existing building, at 280 Central Ave., has only 23 parking spaces, but the new plan included a parking lot with 38 spaces, as well as reconfigured parking at the Lawrence Long Island Rail Road station.

While the library and its parking spaces would be built on part of the lot used by commuters, the number of commuter spaces could be increased from 162 to 164, according to BBS Architects, Landscape Architects & Engineers and VHB Engineers.

Lawrence Mayor Alex Edelman said he was disappointed that the library couldn’t move forward at the Zion Park site. “Personally, I’m sorry that it didn’t go through. I really wanted it there,” he said. “Unfortunately, only the naysayers showed up to the meetings . . . I’ll do whatever I can to help any future site” for the library.

Edelman’s predecessor, Martin Oliner, a vocal opponent of the plan for a new library who lives across the street from the proposed site, has a different perspective, saying that while there would be an increase in available parking, it wouldn’t be enough to accommodate a larger building. “There were many issues,” Oliner said. “The idea was to solve the space and parking issues, and I don’t think it solved either.”

At the Lawrence Association meeting in October, North Woodmere resident Daniel Solow expressed his concern that the project would be abandoned because of the parking issue. Solow, who rides a bike and uses public transportation, said he was now worried that the next location the village and library agree on won’t be as centrally located as the current or proposed building, making it less accessible for a good many patrons.

The library’s “competitive edge is in its walkability,” he said. “Everything’s within a short walk — two bus lines stop basically in front of [the current building], and there are shops right across Rockaway Turnpike . . . Being on Central [Avenue] is key to the site.”

The library board said it is moving forward despite the disappointment, but emphasized that there remains a need for a much larger building. At 16,500 square feet, the current facility is the smallest library in Nassau County, but is among the top five libraries for circulation in Nassau County, according to PPL officials.

Library board trustees said that they need the support of the Lawrence School District Board of Education as well. “The library and school boards both serve the same 35,000 constituents of the school district,” the trustees stated in their letter.

“The library serves a vital role for each and every member of the school district. Hopefully, the school district residents will one day soon be presented with an opportunity to vote on a new library facility that will better serve the needs and interests of our vibrant community.”

Have an opinion about the library? Send your letter to the editor to jbessen@liherald.com.