Merging the modern and historic into a space to be enjoyed by all.
Colliers Project Leaders provided project management and commissioning services for the $15 Million renovation to the Town of Madison’s historic E.C. Scranton Memorial Library built in 1901. The original library building was designed by Henry Bacon, an eminent New York architect who later designed the Lincoln Memorial.
The renovation sought to preserve the Library’s historic architecture while improving the streetscape and expanding the floor plan. The square footage of the building increased from 17,000 to 37,000 gross square feet and a 45-space parking lot was added.
The facility includes meeting room space for non-profits, as well as businesses; study rooms, as well as study spaces scattered throughout the building; a “makers space” complete with a Cricut, a computer controlled cutting machine for crafting projects; a teen room with many shelves of YA books as well as a selection of board games and video games; self-checkout kiosks; public computers and a café area, where visitors can bring in food and socialize, read or relax at high top tables and chairs.
Even the perimeter outside the library is designed with the community in mind. Along the east side, the public is invited to sit at benches and the tables designed for checker and chess matches. The whole area is WiFi enabled and available to the public at large.
As Project Manager, we oversaw and reviewed the architect’s work as it relates to the quality and efficiency of the design work and provided services including:
- Assist in the implementation of site evaluation and testing
- Review and approve invoices for the project
- Review design documents for coordination, cost effectiveness, constructability and sequencing of work
- Facilitate and manage the cost estimate reconciliation process
- Establish total project cost estimates
- Coordinate the pre-qualification process with potential general contractors
We also served as Commissioning Agent during the design & bid phase, the construction phase, and the post-occupancy phase. Commissioned systems included a state-of-the-art geothermal heating and cooling system featuring solar PV and solar thermal energy, as well as an energy monitoring system with a kiosk display which shows the community real-time monitoring of the building energy use and displays the energy and environmental benefits the upgraded systems are providing.
