Jones Library Project Nears Halfway Point, but Delay May Loom. Fundraising Still $9M Short
The highest steel girder of the Jones Library expansion, festooned with an American flag and a small tree, was set in place at a topping off ceremony on March 6, 2026. Photo: amherstma.gov
Report on the Meeting of the Jones Library Building Committee, March 9, 2026
This meeting was held over Zoom and was recorded.
As the renovation and expansion of the Jones Library nears the halfway point, Owner’s Property Manager (OPM) Trey Logie of Colliers Engineering and Design hinted that a problem with the design for the structural steel may delay the project’s completion by a month or so. The unspecified problem was first raised at the December meeting of the Jones Library Building Committee (JLBC), and has yet to be resolved.
Logie said that he is meeting weekly with the general contractor Fontaine Brothers, the architects at Finegold Alexander (FAA), and structural engineers to make adjustments in the design. He said that such problems are not unusual in a large project, and thought that FAA “might not have the horses” to give timely answers to the problem. He expected the discrepancies to be resolved in a week or two. With the delay, it is expected that the library will reopen to the public in late April or early May of 2027.
Logie said he could foresee Fontaine asking for additional money to cover delays. Finance Director Sean Mangano asked if the town could then go back to FAA to cover the increased cost due to design errors. Amherst’s Capital Projects Manager Bob Peirent said that Fontaine would be responsible for any increase in material cost due to the delay, but could claim a change in scope of the contract if the construction period ran into delays, such as more winter construction. He said that these issues would need to be taken up with FAA if they arose.
Topping Off Ceremony Held March 6
The highest steel girder, festooned with an American flag and a small tree, was set in place on the structure of the new addition in a public ceremony on March 6, with about 30 people in attendance. Prior to the ceremony, members of the public were invited to sign the white beam, which was awaiting installation in the Amherst Cinema parking lot across from the library.
When Mangano asked about the significance of the tree, library Facilities Director George Hicks Richards replied that it is a Nordic tradition to honor the creatures of the woods for giving up their space and also a symbol of health and prosperity. Both the flag and the tree will be removed as the construction progresses.
Logie showed committee members photos of the ongoing construction. The slate roof is being replaced, and the concrete floor on the garden level (first floor) has been poured. Steel beams have been laid for the other floors. The Massachusetts Environmental Policy review is underway, but not completed.
The OPM and JLBC have begun to look at furniture, fixtures, and equipment, but have made no decisions yet.
Invoices Approved
The following invoices for February were approved by the committee:
Colliers: $ 39,291.72
Fontaine Brothers: $ 1,143,281.99
FAA: $ 63,250.00
FAA Sub consultants: $ 2,810.00 (furniture and lighting consultants)
Allied Testing Services: $ 400.00 (for structural steel inspection)
Allied Testing Services: $ 800.00 (for structural steel inspection, second visit)
Pioneer Moving & Home Services: $ 7,200.00 (for nine months storage for materials)
Slobody Development: $ 21,078.42 (rent for temporary space)
Totals: $ 1,278,112.13
Budget Update Shows $9 Million Still to Be Raised by the Library
Mangano displayed a detailed chart for the project’s budget and how much has been spent so far. He said that the town has received three of the six payments from the $15 million Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) grant, and was hoping to get a fourth payment this year. So far, the town has spent $14 million on the project.
The Jones Library Trustees have committed to contribute $13.8 million for the project, and still have over $9 million left to raise.
The contingency funds for the project have decreased from $3.6 million to $2.3 million. The Town has limited its contribution to $15.8 million according to theMemorandum of Understanding with the library.
The JLBC next meets on Monday, April 16 at 5 p.m., over Zoom.
Good that Sean Mangano has produced a credible and current accounting for the library building project.
It is significant that in March 2025, one month before the Town Council voted down a motion to rescind the appropriation for the project due to financial concerns, the Jones Library Capital Campaign reported that the library had raised 87% of its share of project costs.
Now a year later, with the Town committed to a $36 million construction contract, it is confirmed that the Library has only paid 35% of its $13.8 million commitment.
Who is more to blame for this problematic decision — library project spokespeople who exaggerated fundraising success, or the town leaders who believed them?