We’ve spoken with hundreds of people. Sent out dozens of marketing folders. Received considerable support in pledges in funds, but, still found ourselves short of our fundraising goal while, in the meantime, out there in the world construction costs only continued to spiral upward. It seemed that something had to change.
Late last fall an Expansion subcommittee was formed to explore reducing the size and cost of the 2019 plan. Our ambitious 7000 sq ft. plan has been adapted to compensate for significantly increased construction costs. In the silent phase of the campaign, we raised $600,000 in pledges and outright donations. This represents only 25% of our previous target of $2.5 million (2019 construction costs). We went back to the drawing board with Keller Builds, our design/build firm, to create a revised 3600 sq ft. expansion floor plan which retains important elements of the initial plan. Renderings of the revised site and floor plan can be found here.
The revised floor plan will enable the Forest Lodge Library to offer services it currently cannot. The log cabin library, as wonderful and iconic as it may be, is simply not of sufficient size to meet modern-day expectations for service. We are eager to move forward with the revised expansion in order to meet the 21st Century needs of our communities, our patrons and our visitors.
The Forest Lodge Library has long been a valued community resource and place where the future resides in the past. The completed library expansion would make it a place where the future resides with the past. We are committed to extending our essential services into the 21st Century and hope can support us in achieving our goal.
