- Last Updated on Monday, 28 March 2016 18:42
The Board of Trustees of the Bentleyville Public Library recently received an update from its building committee regarding the Bentworth Community Center Building Project.
The Bentworth Community Center Building Project is a comprehensive plan to renovate and enlarge the building that houses the Bentleyville Public Library, the Bentworth Senior Center, and the Bentleyville Area Historical Society. The building is owned and administered by the library’s Board of Trustees.
Design plans for the building project were completed in the spring of 2015. The cost of the project is estimated at $1.9 million. This includes $1.6 million for construction-related expenses and $300,000 for furnishings and equipment. Kulak Design Associates of Monongahela is the architect of record for the project.
The capital campaign for the building project was kicked off last June. As of March 1, 2016, the campaign has secured approximately $1,050,000 for construction related expenses. Half of this money is from grants. The other half is from donations and pledges received from individuals, organizations, businesses, local municipalities.
While the capital campaign will continue to solicit donations and pursue available grants, the library’s Board of Trustees has asked its architect to develop a plan to complete the building project in phases. A phased construction plan is necessary because of time constraints contained in two of the project’s grants.
Utilizing money raised to date, construction on the first phase of the building project will start this fall and will be completed in 2017. The remainder of the building project will be initiated when additional funding is secured.
The project’s architect will complete plans for the phased construction project within the next few weeks. The plans will be shared with the community after they are reviewed and approved by the library’s Board of Trustees.
The Bentworth Community Center serves residents of Bentleyville, Cokeburg, and Ellsworth boroughs and North Bethlehem and Somerset townships. Additional information about the building project and about various gift giving opportunities can be obtained at the Bentleyville Public Library or at www.bentworthcommunitycenter.com. A list of current donors to the building project can also be found at this website.
