After delay, library project set to begin
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

Northborough - With the lawsuit filed by a rejected bidder now in the past, the town is now looking into the future regarding the Northborough Free Library's $7.7 million renovation and addition project.

"The contract has been executed," Northborough Assistant Town Administrator John Coderre said. "We have a meeting scheduled with Souliere and Zepka, who are going to be the general contractors on the project, and they're as excited to get going as we are."

A groundbreaking ceremony for the project is scheduled for Sunday Oct. 21 at noon at 34 Main St. On hand for the groundbreaking will be the library staff , trustees, friends, the fund-raising committee and local officials. The public is also invited to attend.

The project is two-fold: the renovation of a large portion of the existing building along with the tearing down of a 1970s addition and replacing that addition with a larger wing.

The project appeared set to begin in June with the preparations for relocation of the library from 34 Main St. to 71 Lyman St. The library moved in early August, but by then the plan for construction had been halted by a suit brought by Barr Inc. of Putnam, Conn., which was the low bidder for the project but was passed over in favor of Souliere and Zepka, who submitted the second-lowest bid, about $213,000 higher than Barr's bid.

A federal district court judge ruled in favor of Northborough's decision to pass over Barr's bid, but Barr appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals, which ruled late last month in favor of the town.

Of the $7.7 million the project will cost, $4.9 million will be funded by the town, $2.2 million from a state grant and $600,000 from local donations and fund-raising eff orts.

Coderre said the timing of the project has obviously been altered because of Barr's lawsuit, and it will be taken into consideration when Souliere and Zepka and Northborough meet to discuss schedules, progress reports and deadlines.

"We will give them an extension, which will really be just adding time on to the end of the contract," Coderre said. "The starting and ending time will be subject to weather conditions and several other factors as well."

Coderre said Souliere and Zepka has been busy during the delay, planning how to best approach the project and which parts of the project will be done in what order.

"The contractor is in the process of mobilizing and setting up the project, ordering the supplies and materials needed and setting up a delivery schedule," Coderre said. "They're really anxious to get started and we're excited to know that this project is finally on the way to becoming a reality."

The Northborough Free Library will be housed in the Accusoft Building on Lyman Street for the duration of the renovation and addition project.