Town looking to replace hvac system at library, estimated cost over $2 million

The town is looking to replace the Wareham Free Library's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and Town Administrator Derek Sullivan is estimating a $2.5 million price tag.

Sullivan said while “band-aid” and partial repairs have been considered, a full replacement is the best option for the library.

“After having multiple parties brought through the library it really looks like a full replacement is the best option,” Sullivan said.

But the cost is something the town has planned for. At the Spring Special Town Meeting in 2024 voters approved allocating $2.3 million to put toward the project and Sullivan said the town is looking into how to fund the rest of the project.

In August of 2024, the library closed due to a buildup of mold in the back offices which could have been prevented had the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system been dehumidifying the building properly. The main library remained closed for just over a month and operations were moved to the Spinney branch in Onset.

Sullivan said there are several steps that need to happen before any construction can begin, such as selecting a designer and working with them to figure out what the new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system could look like.

Once that step is completed then the town will look for a company to install the new system and the library will be closed during that time with operations likely moved to the Spinney branch.

But Sullivan said he wants to use that time to also do exterior work on the library to prevent another closure. The extent of the exterior work includes redoing much of it, such as removing the rotten boards in the wooden structure at the library’s entrance and possibly replacing them with pvc boards to prevent future rot, window repair and other rehab work.