The Year-Long Library Roof Renovation

By Shaya Silberstein

Purchase librarians may be shushing more frequently lately as renovations on the library roof are underway.

“It is time in the life cycle of the roof for replacement,” Purchase Library Director Tony White said. “It will repair some persistent leaks the library has been experiencing for several years.”

Work on the project started in January with the replacement and upgrade of seven flat sections. The central skylight will be replaced in the summer. “It started in January and is expected to take about a year,” White estimated. 

The Armor-Tile Construction Corporation is doing the construction, which is estimated to cost $2.2 million, according to the capital facilities planning page on the Purchase website.

The leaks off the Library roof weren't caused by the leaks from the Learning Center, says the director of the learning center, Peter Dearing. 

“At times, it may be somewhat noisy for certain tasks related to the roof replacement,” White said, but stressed that the Library and Facilities Department are doing their best to minimize disruptions.

 The Library roof being constructed by Armor-Tile. (Photo by Alex Del Cueto)

Noise can be heard inside the library. “I always hear it when I’m in my stats class around 2:30 p.m.,” said freshman psychology major Adrian Jackson. “I mean, it's annoying, but I can live with it because most of the time, I go to the basement where I can’t hear it as much.”

While leaks were the main problem, the biggest reason for the construction was an expiring warranty, said Sean Connolly, associate director of facilities. “We did a major interior renovation and addition back in June of 2007,” Connolly said. “It was a three-phased project that lasted two years. We phased it because we needed to keep the library operational while construction occurred.”

During the previous renovation, the entrance from the bookstore was moved to the opposite side by the clock tower, facing the Student Services Building. New classes in the basement were opened as swing spaces, and restrooms on the main floor got a facelift.

While the library roof construction continues, other buildings are also being upgraded.

  Sign letting students know where the construction area is and to stay out. (Photo by Alex Del Cueto)

“We are currently renovating the mechanical air systems in the Visual Arts Building,” Sean Connolly states, “and will be starting a full renovation of the Natural Sciences Building towards the end of this year.” 

The library isn’t the only building to get a new roof, Connolly added, noting the order was “based on severity of leaks, and other issues.”

“The library just happened to be next,” Connolly said. "We recently re-roofed the dance building. Before that, we did the Music Building and Neuberger Museum.”