With just six days until the Abbot Public Library’s grand reopening celebration and on the eve of a major fundraising gala, local officials have discovered that the $10 million renovation project has failed to meet critical requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Marblehead Current has learned.
According to Marblehead Building Commissioner Steve Cummings, the library’s front entrance ramp, which spans 79 feet, lacks necessary landings and handrails on both sides — features required by law for any ramp exceeding 30 feet in length.
“Anybody with accessibility issues has the right to go up the front walkway like everybody else,” Cummings told the Current. “If it can be done, it should be done.”
When the Current reached out for comment on the matter, Abbot Public Library Executive Director Kim Grad replied, “Thanks for getting in touch with us. We will be issuing a statement tomorrow morning.”
Cummings said a permanent occupancy permit would not be issued until the front entrance gets resolved. In the meantime, he has issued a pair of temporary-occupancy permits for the library, one for the gala fundraiser on June 14 and another for employees to work in the building.
While she understands all of the hard work that has been done, Laurie Blaisdell, chairwoman of the Marblehead Disabilities Commission, said the public library should be fully accessible. State law stipulates that if the cost of renovations exceeds $100,000 or 30% of the building’s value, the space must be brought up to ADA standards.
“I think everyone wants this to be a model for accessibility,” Blaisdell said.
Cummings has restricted tomorrow’s gala to only the first floor and basement levels of the library, citing the accessibility issues with the front entrance. Gala attendees will need to enter via the lower-level, ADA-compliant entrance.
In addition to the ramp, several other minor ADA compliance gaps were identified during the building commissioner’s recent review, including non-compliant sinks and counters in the basement-level program room and the lack of a proper fire refuge area for wheelchair users.
The accessibility issues at the library echo an incident with the Riptide Restaurant, which also struggled to meet ADA compliance with its front entrance in connection with a major $500,000 renovation project.
The Abbot Public Library, located at 235 Pleasant St., closed in October 2022 to undergo the major overhaul. Patrons and residents have been eagerly anticipating the unveiling of new features like a redesigned main floor, accessible courtyard, makerspace and more.
The $10 million project budget included $8.5 million in taxpayer funds approved via a tax override vote in June 2021, plus an additional $1.5 million raised privately by the Abbot Public Library Foundation.
Since the closure, the library had been operating temporarily out of the former Eveleth Elementary School at 3 Brook Road. Grad recently told the Current that the temporary location had been a success, with circulation and attendance up despite the smaller space.
