Something’s missing from the Hoboken Public Library, but it’s not a book or DVD! The scaffolding that covered the building for so long is gone! Now on view: the repaired historic copper cornice and downspouts, all faithful to the 1896 architectural design.
This “facelift” is just the first of many improvements, as the library embarks on a multi-year renovation program. Upcoming renovations will include preservation of the library’s historic limestone, terra cotta and brick facades, plus conversion of the basement into community meeting rooms and a bookstore for the Friends of the Library.
One change will be especially welcome and visible: replacement of the library’s existing single front door facing Church Square Park with historically accurate, full-height double doors. Restoring the library’s entrance to its original grandeur has been a cooperative effort. Hoboken’s Historic Preservation Commission identified the original design on architect Albert Beyer’s 1896 plans and provided contemporaneous photographic verification, and the Friends are underwriting the cost of the new “old” doors using proceeds from the recent Novel Night and Novella Night fundraisers.
Speaking for the Friends’ Novel Night Committee, Melanie Best said, “We’re very pleased to be able to fund the door replacement! Thanks go to all who have helped with this effort – Novel and Novella Night hosts past and present, event sponsors, and of course the guests who’ve made the events so successful.”
The work is the result of a project that began in 2010, when the Library’s Board of Trustees conducted interviews with Hoboken residents and found that community meeting space was a critical need that the library could meet. After considerable strategic planning, the trustees moved forward to hire an architect and obtain state, county, municipal and private-sector funding to cover the costs.
To secure additional funding earmarked for historic properties, the trustees applied for and secured inclusion on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places, which has paved the way for the New Jersey Historic Trust, a state agency, to provide $750,000 for the renovation.
City and county pitch in
That grant has been matched with $750,000 from the City of Hoboken, and Hudson County is providing another $124,000 for converting the library’s unused rear courtyard into a green, outdoor reading space. Board of Trustees President Allen Kratz, who researched and documented the building’s history and prepared the historic register application, noted: “In addition to offering more funding opportunities, registration will protect the library’s historic and beautiful features in the future.”
An important aspect of the renovation is the inclusion of design features to meet new flood-mitigation requirements, including the city’s new Rebuild by Design criteria, after Hurricane Sandy highlighted the building’s vulnerability to flooding. In addition, to ensure that rehabilitation meets the requirements for work on historic buildings, the trustees adopted regulations approved by the state for putting the project out to bid by contractors with historic preservation expertise and experience.
The Board of Trustees, library staff and various consultants are now doing a final review to align the basement design with evolving expectations for state-of-the-art multimedia library services. They are also working to reduce costs while maintaining the integrity of the plans. The next Library Corner will provide more information.
Meanwhile, civic support continues to play a vital role in enabling the library to serve the Hoboken community’s evolving needs for information. How can you help? One way is by attending Novel Night, Volume 5. This festive fundraiser, sponsored by the Friends, takes place on Saturday, Oct. 18 and proceeds will support the upcoming renovations.
At Novel Night, 21 Hoboken hosts will offer book-themed dinners with a variety of intriguing titles and cuisine choices, including vegetarian options, and some dinners will be hosted or attended by Hoboken authors. For more information about the dinners and online registration, please visit the website at www.hobokenfol.org/novelnight.html.
Tickets are $100 per person and tax deductible as allowed by law, and the reservation deadline is Thursday, Sept. 25. If you have any questions, please call (201) 618-7849 or contact us by e-mail at novelnight@gmail.com. BTW: If you can’t attend a dinner but would like to contribute to this effort, you can make a donation at the website.
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This column is brought to you by The Friends of the Hoboken Public Library, a non-profit group of volunteers dedicated to assisting the Library. For more information about the Friends and the activities we sponsor and to join the group, visit our website at www.hobokenfol.org. Membership brochures are also available at the Library.