A little more than four months after work on a new senior center began, an $8 million town library project is getting underway.
Jo-Ann Konieczny, chairwoman of the library trustees, said there was a commemorative groundbreaking on Oct. 16 at 11 a.m. at 50 Middle St.
The project has been delayed, in part, by the need to demolish the former Hooker School building and clear that site.
In June, Orlando Annulli & Sons Inc. of Manchester, Connecticut, was selected by the Select Board as the general contractor after submitting the low bid of $6.1 million. There are an additional $1.9 million in other estimated costs, including fees, furnishings and contingencies, related to the project.
The new library is supported by a $3.9 million construction grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, $3.8 million from the town and a $300,000 goal in private fundraising.
As of last week, the Select Board was notified that there is a $141,310 shortfall in revenue available for the project, in part because fundraising is $80,000 below the goal.
It’s uncertain how this shortfall will be made up, though it could come from reducing the furnishings and equipment budget, or from any money in the contingencies account that remains.
The contingencies budget for the library project is already paying about $50,000 to the Springfield Catholic Diocese so the senior center can operate from Most Holy Redeemer Church until its new $7.1 million senior center opens in April. The library project also will need an additional $30,000 to meet the requirements of the landscaping approved by the town Planning Board.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.