1913 ‘legacy pavilion’ gets OK for library
NEW CANAAN — A few commissioners called it a “missed opportunity” Tuesday when the Planning and Zoning Commission approved a ‘legacy pavilion’ to sit on the campus of the new 42,642 square-foot library to commemorate the 1913 structure.
Seven commissioners voted in favor of moving the 1,200 square-foot section of the stone neo-Palladian Colonial Revival library built in 1913 near the western border of the property. Commissioners Daniel Radman and James Basch opposed the project, saying it was not in keeping with their definition of preservation.
A number of commissioners who voted in favor of the project also voiced concerns, but not the chairman.
Chairman John Goodwin said the project was “one of the most contentious” he had witnessed since he joined the commission in 2007, though he defended the outcome. “I think there is preservation here. Clearly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” Goodwin said. Some commissioners “feel that it's only preservation if it's in situ, and nothing's touched,” but “respectfully, I disagree,” he added.
The foundation for the new library is being poured this week, which was made possible when the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the project in July with the understanding that library officials would return in December with plans to memorialize the 1913 building.
Radman said that the town is only preserving 50 to 60 percent of the antique stone building. “It's a small town. We have very few historic, truly historic structures,” he said. He argued that the building should have remained in situ, where it has been for 108 years. Instead, he said, the town is “essentially just slicing in half a piece of history.”
The original plans call for the new modern library to be built while using the old library in the interim and then demolishing the 35,688 square-foot present library to have a town green. The current library consists of the original 1913 library and renovations done in 1936 and 1979. Commissioners, preservationists and experts disagree about how much of the original walls are salvageable.
Commissioner Chris Hering asked the library’s executive director Lisa Oldham about the “stewardship” of the library moving forward and if “the library would adopt this as part of the campus” and maintain it.
“We absolutely own this project, literally and figuratively. I've spoken to the bank,” Oldham said. “We've opened up a fund for the legacy building so that all the people who care so deeply about this building can start to contribute to ensuring that we can get this done in a timely fashion.”
Goodwin exclaimed that he was “encouraged” by the fact that the library intends to fund this and hopes it would be funded privately.
Earlier suggestions to memorialize the antique library made by library officials included a commemorative book, an exhibit of pictures and a plaque made from a stone from the building. Some commissioners, such as Radman disagreed vehemently.
At the last meeting in July, Oldham presented ideas for a small structure that offered a reconstruction of some of the elements on the face of the 1913 library.
After presenting the initial suggestions to memorialize the building, “we heard pretty clearly that that wasn't enough,” David Rucci, a library board trustee and member of the building committee, said. “We took to heart exactly what the commission said and it was important that you gave us that direction.”
Basch said that the present plans for the legacy pavilion are not consistent with the town’s Planning of Conservation and Development. Commissioner Kent Turner, an individual who helped author the POCD said that he was not happy with the outcome and that there were some “missed opportunites.”
“It's very unfortunate, but we have a process that we followed and here we are,” Turner continued.
Last month, alternative design were put forth by the New Canaan Preservation Alliance to keep the 1913 structure in place, something that Basch said was important to mention. He went on to say he preferred that scenario, in which the 1913 building would be retained in situ and portions remaining of the 1936 building “would be demolished and as a concession there would be glass folding doors,” which could be opened during events on the green.