July 2025
Site clearing officially began at the future home of Stamford Library at 139 West Main Street, carried out by Boyle Excavating Inc. Following the completion of this work, the site will be secured with fencing and remain enclosed until full construction of the new library begins.
June 2025
Following a public hearing and review by both the Village and County Planning Boards, the Stamford Library Association received official site plan approval to begin Phase 1 of the library building project: site clearing and fencing.
January 2025
After thorough review and consultation with the project architect, the Stamford Library Association accepted a competitive proposal from Boyle Excavating Inc. to complete Phase 1 of the library construction project. This initial phase includes site clearing and preparation work such as tree and stump removal, clearing and grubbing, rough grading, creating new curb cuts and construction entrances, and installing temporary fencing and protective measures.
October – November 2024
Trustees continued community engagement by presenting updates on the library building project at local town and village board meetings. These visits provided an opportunity to share the most recent plans, explain the vision for the new facility, and address questions from municipal leaders and community members alike.
Summer 2024
Trustees expanded their outreach efforts by attending a variety of community events and celebrations—including Jefferson Heritage Day, Stamford Flag Day, the Scarecrow Festival, the Festival of Women Writers, and more. At these events, they shared current draft plans for the new library, answered questions, and offered free bookmarks, stickers, pencils, and other fun library swag to engage attendees of all ages.
May 2024
Building on community feedback from earlier meetings, the Stamford Library Association and project architect developed a second set of refined conceptual plans. These updated drafts reflected ideas and input from local residents, library staff, and trustees.
May 2023
Recognizing that the future library site at 139 West Main Street was formerly home to the New Grant House and lies within the Churchill Historic District, the Stamford Library Association commissioned a comprehensive archaeological study by Hartgen Archaeological Associates. The study concluded that the New Grant House Historic Site is not eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places and that no further archaeological work or site avoidance was necessary. In addition, special care was taken to ensure the architectural design of the new library complements its historic surroundings. Trustees selected an Arts and Crafts-style building, in harmony with other architectural styles found throughout the district.
March 2023
Two public informational meetings were held to introduce the proposed library project. Attendees met with architect Paul Mays, reviewed the goals and early conceptual plans for the new library, and shared questions, feedback, and ideas. New Library comment form were also launched to gather broader input.
July 2022
Following the purchase of the new site, the first conceptual draft plans for the future Stamford Library were developed.
June 2022
After thorough evaluation and planning, the Stamford Library Association purchased a 1.566-acre vacant lot at 139 West Main Street, Stamford, as the future site of a new library.
October 2021 – January 2022
Trustees and the library director initiated the fundraising phase of the project, meeting with potential funders, launching the grant-writing campaign, and assembling the necessary materials and infrastructure to support long-term development.
October 2021
Trustees and the library director toured four recently completed library projects—Gardiner Library, Highland Public Library, Stanford Free Library, and Kinderhook Memorial Library—to gather inspiration and observe successful examples of design, scale, and community-driven planning.
November 2020
The Stamford Library Association Board of Trustees formally partnered with Butler Rowland Mays Architects, LLC. The firm began supporting the library with architectural planning, site evaluation, public engagement, concept development, funding strategy, and construction documentation.
October 2020
Architect Paul Mays visited Stamford Library to tour the current facility, meet with staff and committee members, and lead a workshop with the board. The session focused on goals, funding options, case studies, site selection, and planning priorities.
January 2020
Trustees conducted in-person visits to nine potential building sites in Stamford, reviewing both vacant lots and existing structures. The board committed to continuing this search and remaining open to opportunities as new properties became available.
November 2019
The Infrastructure Committee presented its findings and recommended relocating the library to a new site that could be owned and operated by the library association. The board began researching comparable library projects and identifying viable properties within the village.
September – November 2019
Following the sale of the Churchill Memorial Building (117 Main Street) by Stamford Central School District to the Village of Stamford, the Stamford Library Association Board of Trustees established an Infrastructure Committee. The committee assessed the feasibility of remaining in the current building versus moving, consulting legal counsel, reviewing past building surveys, and evaluating how the current facility limited library services.