Between progress on both the town’s major construction projects, the streetscape will change “dramatically” in the coming months for passersby on Concord Avenue.
As of this month, the structure of the new library is entirely framed, concrete is being poured, and brick is starting to go up, according to Clair Colburn, chair of the Library Building Committee. CHA Senior On-Site Representative Tony DelGreco said progress has also been made on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), electric, and plumbing systems.
“It’s really moving along,” Colburn said during a recent walkthrough of the site. “In the next month or two, it’s going to change dramatically, so it’s exciting.”
All stairways have also been installed with the exception of the wooden staircase in the main entrance.
“I think [the project is] going really well,” Colburn said. “We have a great partnership with CHA, the owner project manager, GNR, who’s the contractor, and Oudens Ello, who’s the architect. [They’re] really working well together to work around any weather problems or some of the problems with supply chains— that kind of thing.”
Previous Coverage
- Belmont Breaks Ground on New Library
- Library Project On Time, Within Budget
- Crucial Step in Belmont Library Revamp: Demolition Begins
- Belmont Library Clears Critical Hurdle
In terms of tariffs on imports of steel levied by President Donald Trump, Colburn said the town was lucky to have procured, delivered, and installed the steel “before that became an issue.”
“We’ve been pretty lucky having things move pretty seamlessly,” she said.
In November 2022, Belmont voters approved a debt exclusion of $34.5 million for the library, and community donations accounted for an additional $5 million. The cost per household is $232 per year per $1 million assessed value. The $34.5 million cost includes design fees, construction costs, contingencies, and temporary needs (relocating library services, for example).
The former library building closed on Nov. 22, 2023, and library services were dispersed around town. Adult library services operate from the Beech Street Center; children’s services have moved to the Benton Library on Oakley Road, and some staff and administration work is done at the Chenery School.
Design Plans
The design outlines plans for a two-story, 40,460-square-foot library, representing a roughly 11,000-square-foot increase over the former building. Those plans include a main area with views through the building, a children’s room with views out to the “golden bowl” and pool, a laptop bar, soft seating, and outdoor seating including an outdoor patio on the second floor. It also includes quiet study areas, outdoor areas for classroom and event space, and a designated Friends of the Belmont Public Library books sale and sorting area. There will also be a room available for signing out after hours, accessible through a separate entrance.
“We needed more space,” Colburn said. “The teen’s room [in the old library] was completely jerry-rigged. The biggest expansions are the children’s and teen’s rooms, and having more group study rooms.”
According to Colburn, the project is still looking at a completion date in early October.
“What that means is library staff will be able to start moving books in,” she said. “We’ll probably have a soft opening before the holidays and then a grand opening at the beginning of January 2026.”
