Facility to triple in size.
By:Vanessa S. Holt
BORDENTOWN CITY The small brick building on East Union Street that has served as the local library since 1941 will triple its size in the next year, adding a parking lot, a second floor and expanded areas for children and patrons of all ages.
The Bordentown Library Association (BLA) began looking at the possibility of expansion in 1971, and over the years it raised close to $1 million for a new library to serve the greater Bordentown area.
Originally slated to open in 2003, the project has moved slowly over the past year, but construction will finally begin this spring, said county officials.
Burlington County Freeholder Vincent Farias, who oversees the county’s library system, said work is expected to begin by April and will take about a year to complete.
"This is going to be a home run," he said Tuesday.
The $2.4 million bid for the project will be awarded to Altchem Environmental Services of Southampton, Pa., within the next 60 days, said Ralph Shrom, freeholder spokesman.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the new library was held in October 2001. The building was originally expected to be completed in 2003, but the project was delayed to allow for additional planning time, said officials.
The total cost of the project is expected to be $2.795 million, said Mr. Shrom.
A total of $941,000 was raised by the Bordentown Library Association toward the project and the county agreed to put up $1 million.
Additional funding secured for the project includes $225,000 in state grants and $389,000 from the state library system, officials said.
The original bond ordinance for $2.1 million will be amended to take the additional costs into consideration, said officials.
"I’ll be honest, it took a little longer than I would have liked," said Mr. Farias. "But the reason it took a little longer is that we wanted to make sure it was built the way they wanted it.
"The reason this library is being built is because of the Bordentown Library Association; they raised almost $1 million for it."
The existing library will be closed during most of the construction period, but county officials are searching for a temporary location for the library during that time, said Mr. Shrom.
Mr. Farias said the library will expand from 4,200 to 12,000 square feet and it will include a second story, a new meeting room, reading areas, a computer area, handicapped-accessible entrances and a new basement with expanded children’s areas.
A 31-space parking lot will be built behind the library.

