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The vision for a new Peninsula Public Library should be on paper very soon. An architect hired for the project recently told the PPL Board of Trustees that a preliminary rendering of a new facility in Lawrence could be completed by mid-May. Though discussions of a new library remain in the preliminary stages, trustees agreed that a new rendering would create a buzz in the community. "I am hoping it will give a concrete focus to what seems to be the growing enthusiasm and support of the library," said Joan Lepelstat, co-president of the PPL board. The architect, Roger Smith, appeared at a PPL board meeting on April 17, leading a planning discussion with trustees, librarians and members of the public. Smith's firm, Burton, Behrendt and Smith, has orchestrated library and educational construction projects across Long Island. The firm recently worked on the new 41,600-square-foot Manhasset Public Library, increasing its size from the original 16,500 square feet. Prior to and during last week's library
board meeting, trustees agreed that a new building must fit the needs of the growing population within District 15. Buildings spanning 27,000 and 36,000 square feet were discussed at the PPL meeting, dwarfing the existing 13,000-square-foot facility on Central Avenue. Initially, there were mixed views about which size to pursue, with the majority of the library board appearing content with 27,000 square feet with two floors and a basement, which would more than double the existing layout. No specific costs were discussed, but the price tag of the project in Manhasset was around $20 million. A 27,000-square-foot building would cost less than the one in Manhasset, or the 36,000-square-foot building that was also discussed. Before ground breaks on a new building, the library must first gain approval from the Lawrence village board before it floats a bond referendum for the public to vote on, because the proposed new library would be built on parts of the Long Island Rail Road station parking lot. Lepelstat and her co-president, Joel Shiff, appeared before the village board in January and ensured that the project would utilize undeveloped land in the station lot, which would not decrease the amount of parking spaces for commuters. PPL gained full ownership of its existing property on Central Avenue after the public authorized the transfer from the Lawrence school board in a special vote held in November. Holding title to the land, the library board can now put the property up for sale. Ownership of the property also gives library officials more authorization to secure government funding for a construction project. About three years ago, PPL officials presented a plan targeting Lawrence village's Zion Park for construction of a new library. Instead of taking away space from the park, the latest plans - dubbed "PPL in the Long Island Rail Road Parking Lot" - call for a new library in the train station lot. Lepelstat and her colleagues have emphasized that the new library will "not touch a blade of grass" in
Zion Pak. "We really want to focus very strongly on the relationship between the park and the library [by] utilizing the setting without touching a foot of the green - utilizing that as a public space," Lepelstat said. PPL has been searching for a new building since 1997, when voters defeated a referendum to build a new library on Rockaway Turnpike in Cedarhurst. In 2005, the Lawrence school board granted a land easement to the library from the sale of the Number One School property - to be used to construct an additional
driveway for vehicles to exit the current library property. Despite recent steps toward attaining a new home for the library, Lepelstat emphasized that plans for a new driveway remain in the works. Before a rendering is presented, trustees have set one more work session with Smith, scheduled for April 30 at the library. Comments about this story? Mcaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.PPL budget set for May vote If the public passes its proposal in May, the Peninsula Public Library would continue to operate with one of the smallest budgets in the county, according to one official. PPL's proposed budget increase for 2008-09 is 3.6 percent - going from the current budget of about $2.55 million to about $2.65 million. The only significant budget-to-budget change is the mandated increases in employee salaries and retirement and health benefits, library officials said. The increase in tax appropriation is expected to be 4.6 percent. Despite rising energy and fuel costs, the library budget only calls for a $1,000 increase in utilities. PPL Director Arleen Reo said that is achieved through contracts with the state, allowing the library to get the lowest price for utilities. Over the next year, the library will gradually add more classical and new films to its DVD collection, Reo said. Within the budget, funds are also set aside for the Overdrive program, a consortium of libraries that allows patrons to download books onto their palm devices, MP3 players and iPods. To use overdrive, other library services, or to find more information about the budget, visit www.nassaulibrary.org/peninsula. Joel Shiff, PPL's co-president, is running for re-election to the library's Board of Trustees. He is running unopposed. The vote for the library budget, in addition to the Lawrence school budget, election of school and library board trustees and two propositions, is on Tuesday, May 20.
