Sawyer Free Library Project City Building Committee

Mission:

The 2025 Sawyer Free Library Renovation and Addition Project integrates three distinct structures with complete renovations of the Library’s 1976 and 1913 buildings and an expansion of the footprint with a new 14,000 sq. ft. addition. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library is a next generation building and presents a leading example of sustainability for public buildings on Cape Ann and the North Shore.

The Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library is the owner of the property at 2 Dale Avenue and has ultimate responsibility for funding the project.

The City of Gloucester is the project and financial administrator under the terms of the MOU executed with the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library on September 22, 2022. While the City has not committed funding from local taxation, the City approved a $29M appropriation on October 25, 2022, which allows the City to receive funding from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library, and the Sawyer Library Foundation, and permits financing for the project.

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners has awarded the project a $9M Public Library Construction Grant.  The project is subject to MBLC building program reviews during the design phase and reporting throughout construction based on grant requirements. 

The following firms have been selected to carry out the Project:

  •     Owner’s Project Manager: Construction Monitoring Systems (CMS)
  •     Principal Architect:  Dore & Whittier Architects
  •     Design Architects: Oudens Ello Architecture
  •     Construction Manager: W.T. Rich

The Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library has managed the Schematic and Design Development phases of the architectural design. The project has received approvals from the Gloucester Historic District Commission, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board.

Mayor Verga appointed the Sawyer Free Library Project City Building Committee on April 13, 2023.

The anticipated schedule is as follows:

  • Bidding:  May/June 2023
  • Pre-Construction Mobilization:  July/August 2023
  • Construction:  September 2023 - April 2025

Agendas & Minutes

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