Dear Bayport-Blue Point Library residents:
We’re pleased to report that exciting progress is being made on the construction of the new Bayport-Blue Point Public Library on the site of the former convent of the Sisters of Saint Ursula at 186 Middle Road in Blue Point.
The Library District recently awarded five construction grants representing a total dollar amount of $11,279,350. The successful bids cover five construction categories: site, general, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical. Awardees represented the lowest qualified bidders within their particular categories, and are all based on Long Island.
A construction fence has been erected at the site, and demolition and site work are scheduled to begin this month.
We’ve scheduled a groundbreaking for Tuesday, July 10. Naturally, we had hoped to organize a large, public event to mark this community milestone. However, because of precautions relating to COVID-19, the event will be limited in scope and, to our regret, attendance will be on an invitation-only basis.
You may have noticed that several trees have been removed from the property. We knew from the outset that adapting the convent for use as a library would affect the property’s landscaping. Please know that the Library District is committed to preserving as many of the site’s trees as possible and implementing a replanting program to ensure the property maintains its splendor and beauty. We have consulted with credentialed landscape architects and an arborist to find ways to minimize the project’s impact.
While most trees will remain in place, some trees will require transplantation, and others, to our regret, will need to be removed. The reason: some trees must be moved to allow for the mandatory replacement of the antiquated wastewater system. Other trees aren’t as healthy as they appear and won’t withstand the stress of nearby construction. Also, the roots of some trees have been rotting as the result of rising water tables, rendering them unstable.
Finally, thanks to the leadership of Rob Calarco, Presiding Officer of the Suffolk County Legislature, as well as Legislator Anthony Piccirillo, the County has finalized a $250,000 grant enabling the Library to build an advanced wastewater treatment system to reduce nitrogen discharges into local groundwater.
“We can’t stress enough how proud we are of the library for pushing the upgrade of the sanitation systems with top-of-the-line treatment systems,” said an editorial in Suffolk County News earlier this year.
If all proceeds as planned, we expect to open our new Library by late next summer/early fall.
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
July 2020
