Lansingburgh library fix is elusive

Insurance won't cover repair cost in Troy after flood damage

TROY – The Troy Public Library was counting on $189,000 from its insurance to reopen the Lansingburgh branch after flooding damaged the building, but its claim was denied, leaving library officials without funds to pay for repairs.

“Nothing. I got the letter Tuesday,” Paul Hicok said Thursday at the Lansingburgh branch at 27 114th St. about the news from Hanover Insurance.

The letter, Hicok said, stated, “The roof did not sustain damage from a covered cause of loss. The roof has been affected by wear, tear and deterioration. The wear and tear and deterioration to the roof caused the ensuing water damage.”

The roof was repaired in 2005 and has a 30-year lifespan, Hicok said. The insurance company, he said, hadn’t inspected the roof.

“The damage occurred during a rainstorm with heavy winds and rainfall on Dec. 17, 2023. Water came down from the roof and left about one inch of water on the floor, impacting the young people’s services area on the west side of the branch library the most,” Hicok said in a report.

It’s believed that high winds lifted up the shingles, Hicok said. That in turn allowed the water to pour down from above through light fixtures and a beam running through the center of the building.

Hicok said he will appeal the insurance company decision. But he’s also turning attention to finding funds to pay for the repairs. The Friends of the Troy Public Library has raised $8,000, Hicok said. The issue, he said, is coming up with the remaining funds.

The library will go to the city of Troy to see if funds may be available, Hicok said. In addition, the library will communicate its situation with the Upper Hudson Library System, where it is a member, state agencies and the city’s state legislators. The library

may be able to have some grants repurposed, but will seek new funds, Hicok said.

The library staff is trying to determine what can be done with the parts of the library that are useable. President Chester A. Arthur taught at the historic building in the 19th century. “We’re studying what parts of the branch can be used while we undertake renovations,” Hicok said.

The Troy Public Library Main Branch at 100 Second St. remains open.

At the Lansingburgh branch, part of the tin ceiling has been removed. The damaged floors were replaced with plywood and the walls in the flooded area have been stripped down to the bricks.

Photos by Will Waldron/times Union Paul Hicok, director at Troy Public Library, looks over repairs being made to the city’s Lansingburgh Library branch on Third Avenue and 114th St. in Troy on Thursday. Troy Public Library is seeking money to completely repair water damage after an insurance claim was denied.

The Lansingburgh branch of the Troy Public Library on Thursday.

Will Waldron/times Union Paul Hicok, director at Troy Public Library, looks over repairs being made to the Lansingburgh Library branch in Troy on Thursday.