Renovation of public library nearly complete

Jason E. Silvers/Tribune photo Wes Cavin of Mulberry paints duct work in a downstairs portion of the Fort Scott Public Library on Friday. Renovations to the old library building, which began in August, are nearing completion.

Patrons of the Fort Scott Public Library will have a surprise in store this spring.

Although not yet complete, renovations at the library, located at 201 S. National Ave., are progressing. Plans are for work to be complete and to move the library from its temporary location in the basement of Memorial Hall by March, Lisa Walther, library director, said Friday. The renovation project began in the fall.

"We're still hoping to move everything back and move in by early to mid-March," Walther said.

Walther said a punch list of work items still has to be completed. The punch list involves a thorough check of the project by everyone involved.

"The architect and contractor will walk through with the entire contract in front of them and make sure things got done," she said. "If something needs to be repaired and things like that."

Once the punch list is done, Walther said "then we'll have a better idea on when we'll be finished. We're close but not there yet."

"Most of it is finished or close to finished," she said, adding work on Friday included installation of shelves in the children's area of the library, venting and painting in the meeting room.

"They've finished building the stairs but there's still some work to do," she said.

Home Center Construction of Pittsburg is the general contractor for the renovation project. Troy Bartelli, with Home Center Construction, said some of the work for the project has been subcontracted.

Bartelli said Friday workers this week have been finishing moving and adjusting shelves and cabinets. He anticipates all work to be complete within a couple of weeks.

In August, library staff moved operations and several materials temporarily to the basement of Memorial Hall while the current library building undergoes renovations. The original library building has been closed to the public during renovations.

Improvements in the library's third stage of planned improvements include making portions of the library compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as new flooring, walls, ceilings and lights, and some cosmetic changes. Tile is being installed in place of carpet, paneling was taken down from walls and re-painted, and ceilings feature new light fixtures.

Walther said she is hoping for a move-in date of March 13.

"That's a guess," she said. "I'd like to be done sooner than that. I'm estimating from after the movers move the books back in, it will take about three weeks. Everything we're keeping we'll be moving back in. Many books have been stored; we will be moving those back."