Installation first above-ground part of project
Premium Content from The Daily Gazette - by Michael Lamendola
Date: October 8, 2011
SCHENECTADY — Contractors on Friday began installing the first of seven concrete trusses for the $3.5 million addition to the main branch of the Schenectady County Public Library on Clinton Street.
The trusses are 34 feet tall and weigh 38,000 pounds each. The precast arched concrete columns will provide the structural support along the east side of the new addition and are a major architectural feature of the project. Their installation is the first above-ground work since the project began in May.
Schenectady County Legislator Gary Hughes, D-Schenectady, chairman of the Library and Education Committee, said construction is on schedule and is expected to be completed in March or April.
“The intent is to have the main structure framed out and winterized so work can continue inside,” Hughes said.
The 6,700-square-foot, two-story structure is under construction in the parking lot adjacent to the library. Construction will involve no interruption of services at the main branch.
All of the trusses should be installed by the end of next week, and then work will begin on the placement of glazing and energy-efficient windows between them.
The trusses are designed to match the shade of the concrete that runs around the top edge of the existing library building.
A temporary wall has been constructed inside the library along the east wall. When the time is right, a hole will be knocked through the wall and the two buildings connected via an atrium.
“It is nice to see it coming together,” Hughes said.
Steve Fitz, chairman of the library Board of Trustees’ Building Committee, said the project remains within budget. “As far as the budget goes, everybody seems happy,” he said.
The addition will house the children’s library, replacing a 3,000-square-foot children’s section in the main building. The vacated section will be converted into space housing books and computers available to the public.
Local architectural firm Re4orm Architecture designed the contemporary structure. The front will feature a two-story wall of clear glass. One side will be opaque glass supported by pre-cast concrete buttresses. A two-story “monolith,” using bricks taken from the original library when the structures are connected, will front the structure.
The library trustees and the Friends of the Schenectady County Library are contributing $2.5 million and $320,000, respectively, toward the cost. The county is contributing $1.5 million toward the project. This is in addition to the more than $2.2 million it has spent to upgrade the central library’s original operating systems. The main branch was built in the mid-1960s.
http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2011/oct/08/1008_library/
Written by Michael Lamendola - Gazette Reporter
Premium Content from Schenectady County e|News. Volume 4, Issue 3, Page 9. Fall 2011. Publication of Schenectady County.
Transfinder Corporation announced at a press conference held at Proctors GE Theater that they are investing $4.2 million to renovate 440 State Street for the company’s new headquarters. Located near Proctors and purchased from Proctors, the building will undergo a major transformation to enable the company to accommodate up to 125 high -tech employees. At the same time, the renovation will preserve some of the building’s original architectural features in keeping with the classic look of the Proctors Block in downtown Schenectady.
“This is another milestone for Transfinder as we continue our growth toward market leadership in our field,” said Antonio Civitella, President and CEO of Transfinder. “The past three years have been remarkable for us as we experienced double-digit revenue growth, and expanded our organization from 32 employees to our current level of 54, with continuous growth expected in the next few years. We grew at this rate to serve an expanding client base that now numbers more than 1,300 school districts in North America. While we looked far and wide for a new headquarters that could accommodate us, we did want to remain in the city and be a major contributor to the revitalization that is taking place here. So we are delighted to make this announcement today.”
“Thanks Transfinder and Mr. Civitella for your commitment to our community and choosing to invest in the growth of your tech business here in Schenectady County,” said Gary Hughes, Ranking Member of the County Legislature’s Committee on Economic Development. “This is further evidence that our effort to attract new jobs and investment to our community is paying off. I want to congratulate our economic development team for this win and thank them for their efforts.”
“Transfinder is a national company that could have located its corporate headquarters anywhere,” said Acting Mayor Gary McCarthy. “By working closely with the County’s economic development team at Metroplex, we were able to bring this major new investment to downtown Schenectady. This project will help us continue the forward progress we are making every day to make Schenectady a leader in technology and new jobs.”
Metroplex is providing a $60,000 grant to help restore the façade at 440 State Street as well as a $150,000 grant toward building renovation costs. The project architect is James T. Pollard, principal of RE4ORM Architecture, which is located in downtown Schenectady. RE4ORM is responsible for some of the latest renovations in the city, including the Bow Tie theater complex, the new Center City and the expansion of the Schenectady Library, which is in the works. The contractor is Sonny Bonacio, owner of Bonacio Construction of Saratoga Springs. Bonacio Construction is responsible for building the Market Center at Railroad Place in the heart of downtown Saratoga Springs. Mr. Bonacio’s firm recently completed renovations to the Foster Building in downtown Schenectady.
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