Library's Groundbreaking Ceremony Less Than Month Away

More than 8 years after the process to build a children's wing first started, the will break ground next month.

Library director Dennis Fabiszak announced that a groundbreaking ceremony will be held on April 14 at 10 a.m.

The ceremony will include the Honorary Co-Chairs, local politicians, the library board and staff. The public is also invited.

Construction will start on the 6,800 square foot addition on the back of the library, soon after the ground breaking, though a few tress will have to be moved beforehand. Half of the addition will be underground.

The library received two weeks ago from the East Hampton Village Design Review Board and the Suffolk County Health Department, the last stamps of approval needed to go forward with the project.

In May 2011, the New York State Supreme Court ruled in the library's favor issuing a special permit and two variances the library, required to build a new children's wing, reversing a decision made by the ZBA in 2010. The library board spent over $300,000 on legal fees throughout the eight years and upwards of half a million dollars including architects, engineer, traffic consultants and other fees.

The library has already raised $3.2 million for the estimated $4 to $4.5 million project. The official fundraising campaign has not yet begun, but the library has secured donations from donors, such as Alec Baldwin, who gave gave $250,000 to the project.

"The Library Board of Managers and staff are very happy that construction on our children's addition will begin this spring," Fabiszak said. "We encourage all East Hampton residents to celebrate this project by joining us at the groundbreaking ceremony April 14th."

Ben Krupinski has donated his services as the construction manager for the project.

Details of how construction project will impact library-goers are still being hammered out.