With added repairs needed to the roof and windows, the St. Charles Parish Library board asking the St. Charles Parish Council for a change order and contract extension on the West Regional Library renovation project.
The requests for a 15-day contract extension and $30,734 change order to cover the added costs will be on the council’s Aug. 15 agenda for consideration.
“A good bit of the change order deals with roofing and the windows,” said Library Director Leann Benedict. “We knew there might be issues with windows in the public area.”
Benedict said the contractor, Dynamic Constructors of Metairie, determined the windows leaked and warranted repairs, as well as additional work needed on the roof. The added price also includes the addition of an IT closet on the second floor of the building, which will improve Internet speed by housing data cable, and removal of the popcorn ceiling.
Other than these changes, Benedict said the renovation is 50 percent done for a project.
If the requests get council approval, the project will then cost $1.8 million and completion date will be extended to Jan. 14.
Benedict said the renovation will include a number of improvements, including an increase of the number of public computers, as well as the addition of a computer lab, more study rooms and a larger meeting room, which will be available at no cost to the local community.
The project also includes better lighting and accessibility in an addition to a new entrance to the planetarium from inside the library.
The project architect is + One Design in Baton Rouge. The West Regional Library has been at a temporary location, 12439 Highway 90 next to Perque Carpet and Pizza Hut, since March 14.
The location, which is being rented for $4,000 a month, will provide about 4,000 square feet, Benedict said. Half of the location will be used for storage with the other half for public and staff areas. It will still include access to six public computers, photocopiers, a small browsing collection, and requests will be taken for materials from the parish’s library system.
As soon as the renovation is complete, Benedict said they also plan to bid out construction of a Norco Library, a projected $1 million project. The library is currently housed in a rental building.
Be the first to comment