Montauk Library’s $7.5M renovation proposal includes ‘fishermen’s center’

Officials want to spend $7.5 million to renovate the Montauk Library for the first time since the building was constructed in 1991, according to The East Hampton Star. The project would add 5,000 square feet to the space, but library officials said its footprint would expand by only 1,600 square feet. The extra room would be gained by filling in double-height interior areas. The expansion plan also calls for a 1,150-square-foot addition with a basement on the east side of the building to house a new “local history and fishermen’s center,” along with a gallery space, the outlet reported. The proposed renovation would triple the amount of children’s space in the library and create an area for teenagers, while also adding a cafe to its mezzanine level, a quiet study area, more meeting rooms and storage space, as well as building out a terrace and expanding archival space. Library officials hope to pay for the project with a 20-year bond that will be put to a vote at the Montauk Public School on May 21. If passed, taxpayers could expect to pay about $6.67 more a month or about $80 a year in bond service. Further discussion of the proposal and public comment will take place on March 17, March 18, April 27, May 1, May 7 and May 15. [EHS]