Mount Vernon Public Library
Roof Replacement & Exterior Repair; HVAC & Electrical Service Upgrade
Mount Vernon Public Library (left) replaced its badly deteriorated roof, which had been
leaking for 15 years, causing damage to the library and its books. With more than 600,000 books, the library, built in 1904, houses
the largest reference collection (right) in Westchester County.
Property:
Two-story neoclassical public library
designed and built in 1904 with a grant
from Andrew Carnegie. With more than
600,000 books and the largest reference
collection in Westchester County, the
Mount Vernon Public Library serves as
the central library for the county.
Background:
The library's deteriorated roof had
been leaking for at least 15 years. At its
worst, rainwater poured from lighting
fixtures, through walls and windows,
and down staircases. The flooding
damaged floors, ceilings, walls, rugs—
and books. Mold developed, causing
further damage and raising health
concerns among workers and visitors.
In addition, malfunctioning air
conditioning and ventilation systems led
to stifling temperatures for patrons and
staffers. The inhospitable conditions
forced the library's periodic closing for
days at a time, prompting anger from
residents and creating a political issue
for the town's elected officials.
Project Overview
Rand surveyed the library's roof and
HVAC system and designed and
specified a replacement roofing system
and other exterior repairs, including
refurbishing the huge skylight over the lobby. The HVAC upgrade featured the installation of new heat pump condenser units and fan-coil units for more efficient heating and cooling, a new system of ductwork for better ventilation, and upgraded electrical equipment to service the new HVAC system.
Engineer:
RAND Engineering & Architecture, PC
New York, NY
Contractors:
A to Z Roofing (roofing)
$396,000 construction cost
Phoenix Restoration (exterior)
$565,000 construction cost
ACS System Associates (HVAC)
$463,000 construction cost
Naber Electric Corp. (electrical)
$391,000 construction cost
Project Scope:
Roof Replacement & Exterior Repair
- Removed the existing roof and
installed a new monolithic
polyurethane foam/silicone rubber
roofing system with a 15-year
No Dollar Limit warranty. - Replaced defective brickwork
and repointed mortar joints
along the parapet, bulkhead, and chimney walls. - Replaced the glass and metal skylight assembly above the lobby.
- Repaired sections of the stone cornice and the stone pediment.
- Rebuilt brick parapet walls and installed side-mounted railings.
- Replaced coping covers and clay coping segments on parapet walls.
- Installed a new metal and silicone rubber flashing and copper counterflashing system on top of the stone cornice and stone pediment above the main entrance.
- Repaired and refurbished decorative and other metalwork along the rotunda and the roof perimeter.
- Removed the existing coatings on parapet and bulkhead walls and applied a new cementitious coating with weather-resistant sealer.
HVAC & Electrical Service Upgrade
- New high-efficiency, state-of-the-art HVAC system includes 47 indoor and nine outdoor condenser units featuring variable refrigerant volume and inverter technologies.
- All fresh air for the library supplied to the indoor units via concealed ductwork and inline fans.
- Fan controls interlocked with indoor units controls for efficient operation.
- New refrigerant and enclosed condensate drain copper piping.
- Intelligent controller for centralized system control.
- Electrical service upgrade included new Con Edison transformer, main service switch and meter.
- New distribution panel with fused switches, and new circuit breakers load centers for power distribution to indoor and outdoor units.