SNOW HILL – Construction of a new Pocomoke library is expected to cost close to $9.4 million and could begin as soon as this fall.
Worcester County Library Director Jennifer Ranck shared plans for Pocomoke’s new 13,000 square foot library this week with the Worcester County Commissioners. The new facility, designed by Jeff Schoellkopf, is projected to cost $9,325,000.
“I want to thank you for the opportunity to bring a 21st century library to the southern end of the county,” Ranck said. “Pocomoke really needs this.”
Officials have been working to bring a new library to Pocomoke for some time. After exploring various locations, library officials began working with the town to bring the library to the site currently occupied by the old armory. The town is now expected to demolish the aging structure this spring to allow for construction of the new library.
Ranck told the commissioners Tuesday The Design Group had developed plans for a 13,000 square foot structure.
“When you walk into the building, there will be a lovely gallery space, access to the community meeting room, restrooms,” she said. “This area will be available after hours.”
From there, patrons will walk through a second set of doors into the main library where they’ll see the circulation desk.
“Off to one side there’ll be an amazing children’s area,” she said. “We’re looking at putting in almost like a small classroom space in that area as well as a really fun treehouse where kids can get into our story times.”
There will also be access to a small children’s porch and small enclosed yard. The adult stacks will be located on the other side of the library, which will also include a teen space in one corner.
Ranck said officials were pleased to see $2.2 million the governor’s proposed budget for the project.
“We can start having shovels in the ground as early as this fall,” she said. “We will apply for additional funding in FY25 to help offset the county’s contribution to the project. The cost estimate you see does include a 7% escalation contingency.”
When asked how the Pocomoke branch would compare to the new Berlin branch, Ranck said the Pocomoke facility would be a bit larger than Berlin, which is around 12,000 square feet, but smaller than the branch in Ocean Pines, which is 18,000 square feet.
Commissioner Caryn Abbott, pointing out that she hadn’t yet been in office when planning began, asked if the design and construction services had been bid out. Ranck said the commissioners had approved the design contract last year and had agreed to hire Whiting Turner as construction manager but that the actual construction of the facility hadn’t yet been bid.
“I’m going to need to have more discussion with you after today,” Abbott said. “Going from 6,700 square feet to 13,000 square feet, I’m just wondering, looking at the foot traffic, if that can be decreased at all.”
Ranck said officials had looked at the area that the branch served, which extended beyond the town itself. She said officials tried to have one square foot of library space per capita and there were 11,000 people in the area the library served.
“We did want to give ourselves a little room to grow into that space,” she said.
Commissioner Ted Elder said this facility had been designed similarly to the Berlin branch that opened in 2018.
“That turned out very well,” he said.
Ranck agreed.
“We hit a home run and I think we’re going to bring home a super bowl championship when we do Pocomoke,” she said.
Commissioner Jim Bunting asked if the estimate of 11,000 people in the library service area included people who couldn’t or wouldn’t go to the library. Ranck said the figure was based on zip code.
“Libraries are for everyone,” she said.
She added that the library’s design team wanted to provide the Pocomoke community with meeting space like Berlin now had.
“We’re at capacity sometimes from one program,” she said of the current Pocomoke branch. “I feel like it’s better to plan ahead a little bit than plan a smaller thing that in five our ten years might not really serve what we’re looking for.”
Abbott said when she’d visited the library it seemed like it was being used more for community programs than library programs. Ranck said library staff offered children’s programs, history programs and educational programs but agreed the facility was used by community groups such as the homeless outreach team.
“There’s not a lot of public meeting space in Pocomoke,” she said.
Commissioner Diana Purnell praised the Berlin facility and said she saw senior citizens in there using computers and mothers bringing in babies for story time. She’s eager to see a new library in Pocomoke.
“I think you’re doing a great job in your design,” she said. “I think Pocomoke is going to become a jewel.”
