Dear Bayport-Blue Point Library residents:
We’re delighted to report that construction has begun on the new Bayport-Blue Point Public Library on the site of the former St. Ursula Center.
The new Library is expected to be ready to open in about 15 months, which gives us an optimistic moving-in date in the spring or early summer of next year.
We had been able to wrap up the planning phase upon receipt of final approvals from the New York State Education Department earlier this year. The Library then advertised calls for sealed bids in February. We opened the bids on March 24, and issued contract awards on April 7.
The other big news is the approval of a total of $350,000 in New York State Library Construction Aid to help pay for needed upgrades to the physical site and external work on the property.
On the State level, the Library was fortunate to have the active support of State Senator Monica Martinez, who was able to direct $300,000 toward our landscape and property development associated with the project.
And on the County front, we benefited from the advocacy of County Legislator and Presiding Officer Rob Calarco, who was instrumental in securing $250,000 towards a new Sanitary System Replacement Project. This project will replace the old septic systems with a new Innovative Alternative system that will drastically reduce the nitrogen being released into the ground and potentially into the local waterways. The new system will ensure our adherence to government public health and water quality standards.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, we invite you to contact the Library director, Mike Firestone, at mike@bbplibrary.org — or call 631-363-6133, ext. 12.
Respectfully yours,
The Library Board of Trustees
