On Monday Greenwich Library officially kicked off the renovation and expansion of the Cos Cob Branch Library.
Developed by Peter Gisolfi Associates from Cos Cob community survey feedback, the recently released 2023-2025 Strategic Plan, and input from the Greenwich Library Board of Trustees, the Friends of Cos Cob Library, and Library leadership and staff.
The project will add an additional 1,120 square feet to the Cos Cob Library, mainly devoted to a new 857-square foot community room. The layout of the existing interior space will change, shifting the children’s section to the Rotunda area on the eastern side of the building and moving the adult section to the western part of the building, providing nearly 600 square feet of additional space for children and young adults.
Phase 1: Wernert Construction will build the new community room. This phase will last until the mid-to-late spring. The Library will remain open to the public during this period although the existing community room will not be available. As a result, programming during this period will be limited.
Funding for the Cos Cob renovation will come from a combination of private and public funding through capital improvement appropriations. The Friends of Cos Cob Library contributed a gift of $100,000 to support the project.
Friends of Cos Cob Library Secretary Richard Campbell (center) presents Buildings & Grounds Co-Chairs Hank Ashforth (left) and Jill Stauffer Cobbs (right) with $100,000 to support the Cos Cob Branch Library renovation and expansion.
From left: Architect Michael Tribe, Library Director Joe Williams, Buildings & Grounds Co-Chair Hank Ashforth, Friends of Cos Cob Library President Deb Armstrong, Friends of Cos Cob Library Secretary Richard Campbell, Buildings & Grounds Co-Chair Jill Stauffer Cobbs, First Selectman Fred Camillo, Selectperson Janet Stone McGuigan, Wernert Construction Senior Project Executive Mike Lampel.
The Greenwich Library system consists of the Main Library and its Byram Shubert and Cos Cob branches. The mission of Greenwich Library is to provide exceptional resources, programs and services that promote the joy of lifelong learning and discovery, and to offer a welcoming place for people to gather and share experiences. With 1,800 programs and events per year, the Library seeks to serve as the cultural and intellectual crossroads of the community. Greenwich Library’s circulation is among the highest of public libraries in Connecticut and has been named a five-star library by Library Journal for 11 of the past 12 years for the high number of patron visits, circulation, use of public computers, and program attendance.
Greenwich Library is located at 101 West Putnam Avenue in Greenwich. Cos Cob Library is located at 5 Sinawoy Road in Cos Cob. Byram Shubert Library is located at 21 Mead Avenue in Greenwich.
More information is available online at www.greenwichlibrary.org or by calling 203-622-7900.