CMPL modernization means temporary relocations, closures

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Perhaps you have noticed a bit of redecorating at the Clinton-Macomb Public Library’s main branch. Plain white walls block off parts of the inside to guests, while anyone hoping to use the drive-thru book return has been turned away with portable fencing and orange barriers. But the most striking addition has to be the large drill driving deep beneath what has historically been a rear parking lot.

The library is currently undergoing an estimated year-long construction and renovation project to bring the main branch, which is 20 years old, into the 21st century.

“We have a really good team,” CMPL Director Larry Neal said. “Our architect and the construction management firm were the same for our North Branch; that was a new building that opened in 2021. Many of the team members from that project are on this project … They know this library board’s philosophy of doing things right and doing things that make sense. Our architects did a great job with the North Branch and are very much aware that there are many aspects of this building that people love and don’t want to see changed when they come through the door. So, it’s not something that’s going to be radical when you come in, but it will have a fresh look.”

Renovations will take place inside and outside of the Romeo Plank Road campus. Upgrades include purchasing new and reupholstering current furniture, refinishing the parking lot, repairing the tile floors and installing new carpet, replacing the lighting with LED bulbs and constructing dedicated programing and computer training rooms, among other additions.

Arguably the most striking part of the construction, the giant drill behind the library, is facilitating the construction of a new geothermal heating and cooling system. Between the new HVAC system and the addition of solar panels, the CMPL Main Library will be more sustainable and energy efficient. Neal says about 100 geothermal wells need to be dug.

“What we did at the North Branch is (dig) some of the wells under parking areas,” Neal said. “We needed that because there was not enough land to accommodate the wells on the east side of the building and we didn’t want to start tearing up more landscaping on the public side. They’re in the midst of digging the 100 wells that go 500 feet deep.”

All of this cannot occur without disruption. Anyone who has visited the library this summer has already encountered some degree of disruption in some form, and full closures of the branch are expected in the future.

“We have terrazzo floor in the main lobby area and there’s repair work that has to go on for that,” Neal said. “And when that happens the lobby will be closed and (the) building will be closed to the public because they have to break some of that up. They have to bring the marble in and that involves a lot of work, a lot of noise … We’ll have a period of closure sometime early next year when that work is done.”

Disruptions have affected library staff as much as they have affected guests. Special events have been a regular feature of the Main Library throughout its nearly 21 years, but event spaces in the library have been repurposed in recent months. This has sent events packing to either the library’s northern and southern branches or, in the case of events where a large crowd is expected, to larger off-site locations like the Macomb Intermediate School District.

“When possible, I’ve been trying to do things at the North Branch,” said Phil Skeltis, a CMPL adult services librarian. “That isn’t to say I’ve been excluding the South Branch. Some of my colleagues have been handling the South Branch stuff, but I came from the North Branch, so I am familiar with that building. It’s a newer building and it’s a great building and I love doing programs at the North Branch. It’s of no inconvenience to me to offer some of my Michigan history programs up there.”

While Skeltis had some concerns about sending events north an extra 10 miles or so, the response from event speakers has been negligible to positive. Speakers from areas south of Clinton Township, including many from Detroit who come up to speak about the city or the region’s history, have only needed to add about 15 more minutes to their drives.

The Macomb Township location has also made the library accessible to other types of events and speakers as well. At least one speaker made the trip down from Port Huron, while Skeltis says he’s tailored some events to fit within the rural environment of Macomb Township.

“I had a program on birds of prey, and of course right behind the North Branch is a very natural wetland habitat, so I thought that a birds of prey program would go on well there — and it did,” Skeltis said. “I’ve done programs on the science of trees changing colors in the fall up there, and I’ve even done an astronomy stargazing program up there. The light pollution is diminished up there because it is further north and further away from buildings in the city. We brought out a big telescope and had a NASA ambassador come, and that went over well.”

Gretchen Krug, manager of the North Branch, has seen an increase in traffic to the branch since construction began.

“We’re seeing more study room usage when I compare May to June,” Krug said. “We’re noticing an uptick in checkouts of materials when I compare May to June, and even when you look at the foot traffic, we’re seeing more people. And just anecdotally, I know that as I go out on the floor, I’m seeing people everywhere.”

Krug says increased checkouts are likely due to a mix of traffic redirected from North Branch events and the general checkout bump that comes with summer reading.

Construction projects at the CMPL Main Library are expected to last through summer 2025. The library posts construction updates on its website at cmpl.org/alert_detail.php.