Connecticut's Library Heritage
Ferguson Library’s original Turn of River Branch opened on High Ridge Road in June 1967 to the great satisfaction of a community that had worked hard to realize its goal. Funds were raised by the library trustees and the local community, including a door-to-door “mothers’ march” solicitation. These volunteer efforts netted over $100,000 towards the new building fund.
Transforming a church into a library required much renovation, but numerous tall windows provided excellent natural lighting, and the furnishings and color scheme created a bright, contemporary look. Outside, a “reading garden” and a “color garden” were planted and tended by local garden clubs. Never mind that the stairs were difficult for strollers and the elderly, it was a labor of love, and the community was thrilled with their new branch library.
By 1980, the branch had overflowed its original space and expanded into four portable classrooms to provide a meeting room and a new children’s area with its own entrance. The classrooms, acquired from the Darien schools, were to be used for seven to ten years while the library sought funding to renovate and expand.
The first formal request for funding was made to the city’s Planning Board in the fall of 1989—not the best of times: a year later and again in 1991, the Ferguson Library’s operating budget was trimmed, then slashed; staff and hours were cut. The branch celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1992, still in the original building: portable classrooms deteriorating, the contemporary look now faded and drab, and access difficult for an aging population and their grandchildren in strollers. Though the outlook seemed gloomy, Library President Ernest DiMattia held to his vision of a renovated and expanded branch. It would take another eight years to achieve that goal.
The neighborhood surrounding the branch had proved inhospitable to any expansion at that site. An attempt to expand and light the rear parking lot was met with a complaint to the Planning Board. As a result, onerous lighting restrictions were imposed. Further decreasing the viability of the High Ridge Road site were recurrent flooding problems on the library’s lower level and heavy road traffic. Multiple efforts to have a traffic light installed in front of the branch were stymied by the existence of another light a short distance south of the entrance. State officials rejected the library’s proposal.
With city funding for a new building finally in place, the library began to explore other sites for a new building. A seemingly ideal spot was offered by the city: an empty meadow across from the Turn of River Middle School, adjacent to a wooded, wetland area. While most residents responded enthusiastically to this proposal, the immediate neighbors were worried. What about traffic? Vandalism? Property values? Open space? They filed a lawsuit in the fall of 1994, which further delayed the project. Finally, in February 1996, the State Appellate Court rejected the neighbors’ appeal, and the way was cleared for final planning and construction to begin. Ground was broken in December 1996, with a projected completion date of Spring 1998.
Work progressed slowly; the site was a combination of wetlands and landfill with a 4’ drop from grade level. The architect’s solution was to drive more than 400 clustered piles 20’ to 25’ into the ground, on top of which were poured concrete pile caps. Only then was the foundation itself poured.
Unfortunately, the library’s struggle was not yet over. A dispute arose between the original contractor, Globe Atlas, and a subcontractor over lack of payment. Construction activity came to a standstill. In January 1998, the foundation and the beginnings of the steel frame lay covered in snow, the work site deserted, while the library negotiated with the contractor and Noble, their bond company, to get things moving again. As time passed, construction costs were steadily rising. When the projected completion date had passed, Noble finally agreed that the contractor was in default. They hired Frank Mercede and Sons, a well-known local builder, to complete the building, costing them more than $500,000 over the original contractor’s bid!
A new completion date was set for August 1999. While the branch would not open until January of 2000, the work now proceeded almost too fast. Decisions regarding new furniture, and the moving and installation of the collection, installation of telephones and computers were all compacted into a narrow window of time. Thanks to a generous gift from Harry Bennett, a Stamford realtor and one of the founders of the original Turn of River Branch, the library had the funds to complete and furnish the interior of the building to the original specifications.
Over the Martin Luther King holiday in January 2000, library staff and National Library Relocations, represented by Diane Pikul, managed to move the entire collection from the old site on High Ridge Road onto the shelves of the new building and open for business on January 19 without any interruption of service!
Renamed the Harry Bennett Library, the end result is an exceptionally beautiful building. The open design and generous windows take full advantage of the lovely natural setting. There is light and space everywhere, enhanced by the unusual color scheme and anchored by the warm wood stacks and tables. Notable features include an inviting sunken story circle, a conference room, a large multi-purpose room with a stage for performances, and a busy used book store run by the Friends of Ferguson Library. The building also provides garage space for the bookmobile and the Purple Bus, which is used for class visits to the main library. Service hours have been extended, the staff increased, and the collection continues to grow. Programming by the library and by local community groups is a constant.
So, in the end, was it worth the trauma? Absolutely! Problems are an inevitable part of any building project. With persistence, planning and luck, the library was able to build what it wanted to build and thereby achieve its mission to create the best branch possible for the community. The Harry Bennett Library is the perfect example of how the Ferguson Library continues to remake itself to serve the evolving needs of Stamford’s residents.
Reported by: Susan Baldwin, H. B. Branch Library Supervisor