A structural engineer cannot examine the condition of the old library until the asbestos is removed.
The former Chicopee library now sits vacant.CHICOPEE – The City Council will continue to debate if it should authorize the money to remove asbestos and gut the former library to determine its structural integrity.
The council voted 11-2 to send a request to spend $250,000 to its finance committee for more study. The money would be spent to do preliminary work on the building so an engineer can examine the library.
The proposal is to eventually renovate the library, connect it to City Hall and use it for school offices. Before any work is done, an engineer has to determine if the structure is solid enough for a second floor to be added in place of the existing mezzanine, Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said.
“I’m suggesting we need to get the information. We don’t have a whole lot of options, we have put it out to bid four times,” he said.
Several restaurant owners have considered buying the library but found the building unworkable. The one serious buyer, who wanted to convert it to a museum, backed out for financial reasons.
Bissonnette asked the City Council several months ago to approve $160,000 for the same project. It rejected the expense and since then construction prices have increased.
The money is to come from the sale of real estate account.
Councilor Jean J. Croteau Jr., spoke in favor of having the work done, arguing the asbestos will have to be removed even if the building is sold or demolished.
“If we sell it, we have to sell it clean,” he said. “At some point we have to deal with this.”
Councilor Gerry Roy agreed saying it is important for the School Department to know if the building is available so they can make plans. The school offices are housed in the Helen O’Connell building, which has structural problems.
But Councilor James K. Tillotson said he feels the $250,000 is the start of a large amount of money the city will have to pay to renovate the building and he is not sure if school officials want to move there.
He said he believes renovations will cost anywhere from $5 to $15 million.
“This is a major enterprise,” he said. “Where we going with this adventure?”
The School Committee did discuss the issue two weeks ago but has not taken a vote to endorse the proposal. Several members said they were concerned about a lack of parking while others said they liked the idea of moving downtown.
Bissonnette said he is expecting to purchase a boarding house next to City Hall and raze it for parking. The property is owned by the Valley Opportunity Council, which is working on a plan to purchase the Kendall Building and eventually vacate the boarding house.