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A look straight up at the grand staircase at the main entrance --- glass, metal, wood and light. More photos on page 5 and even more on our Facebook page when this story is updated Aug. 11. Linda Lemmon photo.
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Children's library: Ring lights, colorful carpet and - coming soon - a tree mural on wall on the right.
The wavy wood ceiling in the adult section of the new library.
Hallway with carpet planks and unique LED lighting.
The two-story wall of glass in the library.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The final push — jam packed with details and finishing touches and punch lists — is underway at the new Municipal Complex.
And the details are everywhere. Anthony DiMauro, Downes Construction Company project manager, said many finishes and details are done at this point, toward the end, to avoid damage.
In the library, some shades are on the windows in the adult section, the carpeting in the adult section is finished and a more fun and youthful mix of carpet colors and shapes lights up the children’s section. Three parts of the library are jaw dropping. In the adult section thin wooden panels undulate like waves across the ceiling. The soaring two-story section next to that, replete with a two-story wall of glass, is lighted with vertical light bars, looking much like smooth icicles. And in the children’s section, fun lights in the shape of rings are next to a mural wall that will feature curvy wood work and a wrap mural featuring a stylistic tree.
DiMauro said they anticipate finishing the grand staircase in the “in a week to week and a half.” Skinny vertical glass panels are being installed under the bannister. The bannister and rails will be capped and then a skid-resistant black paint will go on the treads and the metal work will be painted.
Some baseboards, some touchup painting, window treatments, signage and much more are being done. DiMauro said there will be a directory of offices next to the main entrance doors, next to the elevator on the first floor and on the second floor. All the offices are numbered and some already have their charcoal gray raised-letter signs on the woodwork. He said the grouting for all the tilework was done last weekend. Cleaning is also on the schedule.
Some of the details are a multitude of inspections. DiMauro said the fire marshal has been through and the building’s fire protections and alarms are “live.” The elevator inspection has yet to be done and the state has the option of inspecting the vault in the town clerk’s office. He said the inspection by the town’s building official, Chad Sessums, is set for the week of Aug. 16.
DiMauro said they will be prepared to receive furniture this week. He added there are a couple snags with some new furniture deliveries.
Outside, the concrete semicircle around the flagpoles “planter” will be done this week as will the painting of the lines on the newly paved parking lots and entrances/exits. The additional flags will be installed when they come in — adding additional flagpoles was a late idea.
The main entrance on the School Street will have its two exits and one entrance marked. Most of the site work is finished and he anticipates that hydro seeding will be done the week of Aug. 16.
The dark charcoal gray metal panels are being installed outside. DiMauro said the metal panels at the north and the south ends of the building are finished. More prep work finessing is needed before the metal panels are installed around the two-story main entrance. He anticipates that all the metal work will be finished by the end of next week.
Town Administrator Elaine Sistare said the project is still under budget and on schedule. She said “We are still expecting the building to be turned over in late August.” After getting settled in she hopes to be open to the public after Labor Day.
Town officials announced last week that the “old” Town Hall will be closed beginning Aug. 20 to begin the move. The town anticipates reopening the week of Sept. 7. Mayor Barney Seney said during that transition period between the two buildings business can still be done via phone, email or the drop box in the parking lot at the old town hall. “It was one of the lessons COVID-19 taught us,” Seney said. “Getting work done will still be possible.”
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