Plainedge community members approved a $16.9 million bond resolution for a new library building, with the Tuesday, Oct. 7 vote tallying 876 yesses and 425 nos.
According to the library, the added cost to a home with an average assessed value is estimated to be approximately $125 per year, or $10.41 per month.
The new building will include an expanded children’s center, makerspace/STEM lab, large common meeting rooms, quiet study rooms and reading areas, an outdoor courtyard and children’s terrace, a young adult space and more, according to the board.
Plainedge Library Board President Ann Doxsey said in July, when the bond vote was announced, that the board had spent the past year analyzing the current needs of the facility and said that libraries are more than just a place for books.
The library board said the new building will address structural challenges currently present, which include spaces that don’t meet current codes and leaks that impact structural integrity.
The board said the new building will also be sustainable, energy-efficient and primed to host community programs and activities.
The current library building, located at 1060 Hicksville Road, has stood since 1968. The library did not provide a timeline as to when the new building is expected to be open to the public.
The new 24,000-square-foot library will be built on the site of the current facility.
The library board said it will also use $3 million from reserves for the construction of the new library.
