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GREEN BUILDING ARCHITECT SELECTED TO DESIGN NEW PIKE COUNTY CENTRAL LIBRARY

MILFORD PA: March 5, 2007 --  The Building Task Force of the Pike County Public Library (PCPL) System today announced the selection of Frederic Schwartz Architects (FSA) of New York, NY as the winner of a six-month competition to create a preliminary architectural plan for a new 18,000 square foot central library. The Schwartz design, which features many innovative green building technologies and methods, was the unanimous choice among a twelve-person Design Jury that reviewed the presentations of three competition finalists during a day-long session held at Grey Towers on February 24, 2007. The recommendation of the Design Jury was unanimously approved by the Building Task Force and PCPL Board of Directors last week.

“A key objective in our building plan is to construct an environmentally responsible structure that reflects the rich conservation heritage of Pike County,” said Charles Eible, President of the PCPL Board of Directors. “PCPL has selected a premier architectural firm that is at the forefront of innovative sustainable design. Experience in creatively employing green building technologies is among the many strengths brought to our project by FSA,” said Mr. Eible.

Explaining the decision to employ a design competition, Maleyne Syracuse, Chair of the Building Task Force, said, “With extremely limited funding, we didn’t have the ability to invest in a multi-year process of working through an iterative design process with an architect. Our design competition was undertaken to minimize expense while providing creative contributions from many of the best architects in the Northeast.”

“The ultimate purpose of the design competition was to identify the architectural team that was best suited to work with PCPL and creatively handle the multiple challenges associated with designing a major new civic building in the heart of historic Milford,” said David Farrington, coordinator of the design jury review and deliberations. “The Design Jury was unanimous in its recommendation to the Task Force and PCPL Board to select Frederic Schwartz Architects,” he noted.

Ellen Schaffner , PCPL Library Director and member of the Design Jury, said, “The FSA design provides an outstanding interior space for library operations. The design features an open, sky-lit space that serves as the “hub” of the library and around which all interior circulation is organized.” Mary Garm, Administrator of the Lackawanna County Library System, who served as a consulting advisor to the Design Jury, also praised the FSA design. “FSA has provided a superior design that meets the needs of today’s library patrons, with large and separate areas for adults, teens and children. The sense of openness and connection to nature, coupled with the inclusion of a community meeting room and conference and tutoring rooms will make this an exciting community focal point,” she emphasized.

Milford resident Alastair Gordon, well-known author on architecture, Design Jury member and member of the Building Task Force, stated, “Fred Schwartz has assembled an outstanding team to work on the Pike County Public Library project. When built, his design will bring to Milford an exciting, welcoming sense of "center" and community. What knocked us out in the final review was the way he figured out a way to  create a "multi-purpose" room that somehow becomes a theater for 160 people. No one else had thought of that. Suddenly, instead of just a library, we see the vision for a true cultural center.

In addition to Frederic Schwartz, Principal-in-Charge and Design Architect, the team collaborating on the PCPL building project includes Henry Rollmann, Project Manager, and W. Douglas Romines, Project Architect, whose experience includes design and project management roles throughout New York City, including in historic districts. FSA’s recent projects include Global Green Affordable Housing in New Orleans, the World Trade Center Master Plan at Ground Zero, the New Orleans Master Plan and the $200 million State Island Ferry Terminal in New York City.

Another key member of the design team for the PCPL project is Henry Myerberg, an award-winning library design architect and authority on contemporary libraries, whose projects include several New York City public libraries, the master plan of Albany Public Library, and the current design for the Westport Public Library. Winning architect Frederic Schwartz said, “ Henry Myerberg’s projects have won numerous awards, including top honors from the American Library Association/ International Interior Design Association Library Design Awards, the National Award from the American Institute of Architects and the American Library Association.” Since 1999, Mr. Myerberg has been instrumental in implementing the Robin Hood Foundation’s L!BRARY Initiative, an aggressive program to reinvent libraries for New York City’s 650 public elementary schools. “ Henry Myerberg brings enormous insight and understanding to the unique design elements that define today’s public libraries,” said Mr. Schwartz.

“Public libraries are no longer disconnected silos of information. The stereotype of the public library as a musty repository of old books has been stood on its head by the social and technological changes of the 21st century,” said Mr. Myerberg. “While public libraries were once places to store and access information, today’s public libraries have become places that celebrate gathering and the sharing and creation of information,” he stressed. “The most successful public libraries are those that create and foster a sense of community and intellectual interchange,” he added.

The Design Jury comprised a blend of county representatives, library patrons and architectural and design authorities from the worlds of private enterprise and academia. Among the jury members were Barbara Buchanan, longtime resident of Pike County, former President of the PCPL Board of Directors and Chair of the Building Task Force, Ellen Schaffner, PCPL Library Director, Betty Hague, Secretary of the PCPL Board of Directors and library volunteer for more than 30 years, Maleyne M. Syracuse, PCPL Board Member and Chair of the Building Task Force and Alastair Gordon, Task Force member, journalist and author of numerous books on architecture and architects.

Among the professional architects participating on the design jury were Elizabeth Martin, library design specialist and principal of MDA design group international and President of the Center for Architecture Foundation; Jonathan J. Marvel, architecture faculty member from the Parsons School for Design and principal of Marvel Rogers Architects; Ken Frampton, leading architectural historian and faculty member of the Columbia University School of Architecture; Susan Nigra Snyder and George Thomas, both architecture faculty members at University of Pennsylvania and principals of CivicVisions, LP; Silvia Kolbowski, faculty member from Parsons School for Design; and, Richard L. Waters, principal of Providence Associates, Inc., who has assisted PCPL with the development of the building program.

Ms. Syracuse emphasized, “We purposefully invited the participation of architectural experts to provide the vital and impartial architectural expertise required to assess such diverse submissions.” “We are extremely fortunate to have had as jury participants such a highly qualified panel of architects and library specialists,” she added.

The Building Task Force also engaged the assistance of several specialists to advise the design jury on certain specific issues. Participating advisors from the Pennsylvania Library System were Mary Garm, Administrator of the Lackawanna County Library System and Pamela Murphy, Library Consultant for the Scranton District of the state library system. Advice on building, engineering, cost and project management issues was provided by Matthew D. Michalek, Kevin M. Coolican, Charles J. Breig and James Facciolla of commercial construction specialist firm, L.R. Costanzo.

In describing the preliminary design for the two-story building presented by his firm, Mr. Schwartz said, “The natural beauty of the Sawkill Creek inspired us to locate the building at the rear of the site to take advantage of the views and adjacency to wooded parkland, while creating a natural protective buffer that transitions to the Harford streetscape.” The front of the library features a park-like setting, bordered by trees that screens parked cars from view. The parking area, comprising a pervious concrete and grass system to minimize storm water runoff, accommodates approximately 40 cars, including handicapped accessible spaces. The large setback in front of the building mirrors the architectural treatment of other historic civic buildings in Milford, such as the Court House.

Capitalizing on the natural beauty of the site, the entry area serves as a lens to the forest at the rear of the property, emphasizing the connection with nature and symbolizing the county’s heritage of conservation. The focal point of the building’s interior comprises a high, open, sky-lit space around which all interior circulation is organized. “The purpose of this open “hub” is to reinforce a sense of community and openness, environmental features that have been shown to enhance a learning environment,” commented Mr. Schwartz.

Commanding views from the second floor connect library patrons to the town of Milford as well as to Knob Hill and the Sawkill Creek. The second level includes a roof terrace with southern exposure that allows for outdoor access and another opportunity to enjoy the beauty of natural surroundings. “Chief among the essential features of the envisioned new central library for Pike County have been a community meeting room, small conference and tutoring rooms as well as a café,” noted Barbara Buchanan. “The design proposed by FSA beautifully integrates these community-centric elements into an inviting and exciting structure,” she added.

“Although design details such as the specifics of exterior finishes and landscaping alternatives will be determined in the months ahead, the proposed plan calls for exterior finishes that incorporate local materials such as concrete, bluestone and wood. The simple box-on-box shape of the building features a lower ivy-covered edifice of poured concrete, using significant recycled content,” Mr. Schwartz explained. “Reduction of air infiltration through the use of concrete walls and insulated windows will significantly reduce operating costs while enhancing indoor air quality,” he emphasized. “With an awareness of the significant increases in local electricity rates, we have incorporated windows as a means to maximize the use of natural, rather than artificial, lighting throughout the building,” he said.

The project would follow the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) design principals, incorporating green building components such as high-performance, low-E double-glazing and energy efficient mechanical systems including radiant floor heating and operable windows for cross ventilation. Use of a geothermal heat transfer system will be explored. Storm water runoff will be reduced through a planted, or “green,” roof that will also provide substantial insulation.

“With the great FSA architectural team on board, we are excited to move ahead on the next steps in the multi-year project,” said Maleyne Syracuse. Members of the Building Task Force and FSA will reach out over the coming months to present the preliminary plans and gather community input. “We plan a public meeting as well as meetings with local government entities, including the Architectural Review Board, Milford Town Council and the County Commissioners , and with community organizations, such as the Milford Enhancement Committee, to gather input as we move toward a final design,” Ms. Syracuse explained. “FSA is known for its dedication and hands-on involvement in working with local communities and governments to ensure that the design not only meets all local construction and architectural requirements, but captures the architectural spirit of a community,” she added.

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