The exterior of the Grand Marais Public Library is nearing completion and a cabinetry company ourt of Duluth has been hired to build the circulation and reference desk areas. Librarian Linda Chappell told the board that the library is reusing as much of the furniture that was in the library previously as possible. The addition will accommodate 1,200 more books, as well as provide room for other services the library that have grown.
Plans are in the works for beautiful circulation and reference desk areas in the Grand Marais Public Library addition, and library director Linda Chappell is trying to keep costs down while keeping quality high in the process.
At the October 11, 2011 county board meeting, commissioners voted on a contract with St. Germain’s Cabinet, Inc. of Duluth for construction of cabinetry and countertops at a cost of $28,230. It was the only bidder. No local cabinet shops put in a bid, Chappell said, although the library board and construction manager ORB Management added some flexibilities to make it easier for local cabinet shops to make a bid.
An addendum to the bid proposal extended the due date and offered alternative material options and flexibility with the installation date. A memo to the board from County Auditor-Treasurer Braidy Powers stated, “Many cabinet makers were unable or unwilling to submit a proposal due to the large project scope and tight schedule. …Other cabinet makers solicited cited lack of space in their shop, the scope of the project, and limited time frame as the primary reasons for not giving a quote.”
“It is a fairly complex design,” Chappell said “We tried really hard to get a local person and it didn’t work out.” They want the front desk area to look nice and seem welcoming, she said, since so much investment is going into this project.
Chappell talked to the board about some countertop options that would be cheaper than the Corian proposed by the designer. Granite would be $785 cheaper, and solid-surface Formica would be $2,000-3,000 cheaper. After the meeting she was in Duluth and was able to get a first-hand look at solid-surface Formica options. Chappell said Formica has been trying to capture a lower-budget market than Corian, although the products are not entirely dissimilar. She reported that the DSGW designers approved the Formica as compatible with the design and that they decided to use it.
The cost of building and installing the cabinetry is in addition to $4,000 paid to DSGW for designing it. Regarding the furniture that was in the library previously, Chappell said, “We are reusing everything we can.” The addition will accommodate about 1,200 more books in the adult section as well as provide more room that has been needed for other things as the library has seen increased use over time.
The board passed a motion approving the contract with St. Germain’s Cabinet, Inc. pending approval by County Attorney Tim Scannell.
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