historic

Topping-Off Ceremony to Mark New Phase in Construction of 2025 Sawyer Free Library

~ Sawyer Free Library

Sawyer Free Library will raise steel beam signed by community into place on February 9

It has been just four months since the Sawyer Free Library broke ground on its historic renovation, expansion, and modernization project, and at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 9, the Library will celebrate the project’s next significant milestone, the placement of the highest steel beam at a topping off ceremony. The long-standing construction tradition of a beam topping will mark the completion of the structural phase of this historic project.

The ceremony will feature remarks from local elected officials and library representatives, to be followed by the exciting moment of the last steel beam of the newly expanded 2025 Sawyer Free structure being put into place by a crane. In keeping with tradition, the beam will be adorned with an evergreen tree on one end and an American flag joined by the City of Gloucester’s on the other. Due to limited space on the site, the public is welcome to witness the historic moment outside the safety fencing.

This momentous day will also pay tribute to the incredible community that the Sawyer Free Library has the great honor of serving. Over the past week, the commemorative 11-foot steel beam was signed by over 400 people from throughout Gloucester and beyond, making them a permanent part of this transformative project. Participants of all ages joyfully joined together to leave their mark on the symbolic steel beam, expressing their support, sharing personal messages, and commemorating loved ones, making it a beautiful representation of the community’s collective spirit and deep appreciation for its beloved public Library.

“As we reach this exciting milestone for the 2025 Sawyer Free Library, we celebrate not just the physical structure taking shape but also the collective vision and dedication of our Gloucester community,” said Sawyer Free Library Board of Trustees President Mern Sibley.

“The topping of this beam symbolizes the culmination of the tireless effort and shared commitment of so many, including the countless volunteers, elected and city officials, generous donors, talented creative partners, dedicated Library staff, and our incredible patrons,” added Sibley. “Reaching this exciting milestone has been a tremendous team effort, and as construction progresses, I would especially like to recognize the outstanding work of our partner, W.T. Rich Construction, and our subcontractors in bringing us closer each day to the grand opening of the reimagined 2025 Sawyer Free Library.”

“W.T. Rich is proud to celebrate this construction milestone for the Sawyer Free Library project. We are honored to be a part of a project that is so important to the Gloucester community. We have had a great working relationship with the City and our construction partners, and we look forward to continuing that collaboration to turnover a beautiful, newly renovated and expanded Library in the spring of 2025,” said Jonathan Rich, Chief Executive Officer of W.T. Rich Company.

The 2025 Sawyer Free Library capital campaign is continuing during construction to raise $11M towards the $29M goal. To date, it has approximately $10.3 million in grants secured from the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Project (MPLCP) and Green Library Incentives. In addition, the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund, a Commonwealth of Massachusetts program administered through a collaborative arrangement between MassDevelopment and the Mass Cultural Council, has provided substantial funding for the project.

The Library is also immensely grateful for the tremendous engagement and investment at every level from all parts of the community committed to realizing the 2025 Sawyer Free Library. The project has received transformational gifts from individual and corporate donors, including room-naming contributions from the Institution for Savings, Bank Gloucester, Cape Ann Savings Bank, Gorton’s, and Sudbay Motors.

There are still naming opportunities available for donors interested in leaving their legacy, honoring a family member, or aligning their company’s mission and values while supporting the Library, Gloucester, and the Cape Ann community. To learn more about investing in the 2025 Sawyer Free Library, please visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.

The comprehensive renovation, modernization, and expansion of Gloucester’s public Library officially broke ground this past September. The project, which remains on schedule and budget, will take approximately eighteen months and is expected to be opened to the public in the summer of 2025.

When its doors open, the 2025 Sawyer Free Library will exemplify what a 21st-century public library can and should be in terms of architecture, sustainability, accessibility, use of natural resources and light, wayfinding, lines of sight, air quality, and public safety. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library project will preserve the original exterior, housing an entirely redesigned interior, and will also double the size of the existing Library’s footprint with a 14,000-square-foot addition.

The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will offer current and emerging public technology, diverse collections, engaging programs, and new dedicated spaces for collaboration, learning, and relaxation. It will feature a digital learning lab, a 100-seat community room with state-of-the-science media presentation equipment, a local history research center, a dedicated teen room, a beautiful expanded children’s room with an early learning center for toddlers, study rooms for individual and group study, a 16-seat conference room, and much more. With its modern and sustainable design, the Library will provide an inspiring environment for library patrons, staff, the community, and beyond.

W.T. Rich Company of Beverly, MA, is leading the construction of the 2025 Sawyer Free Library. The comprehensive project was designed by a team composed of Oudens Ello Architecture and Dore + Whittier Architecture, Construction Management Firm W.T. Rich, and Library project leaders, along with the vital input of the citizens of Gloucester.

The Sawyer Free Library is temporarily located at 21 Main Street and online 24/7 during construction. The Library remains committed to providing a dynamic and enriching environment for all. For more information about the 2025 Sawyer Free Library, please visit us in person at 21 Main Street, online at sawyerfreelibrary.org, or 978-325-5500.

rendering of 2025 Sawyer Free Library

Groundbreaking Celebration for 2025 Sawyer Free Library this Friday, September 29

~ Sawyer Free Library

The Sawyer Free Library is pleased to announce the highly anticipated groundbreaking celebration for its historic renovation, modernization, and expansion project, a momentous event marking the commencement of an ambitious project that will transform the heart of the community. 

The 2025 Sawyer Free Library groundbreaking celebration will occur on Friday, September 29, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester, taking place rain or shine in the tented parking lot. 

The community is invited to attend this exciting local history-making event as we symbolically break ground and set the foundation for the 2025 Sawyer Free Library. All ages are welcome. The festive afternoon will include a speaking program with local elected officials and Library leaders, the first ceremonial shovel hitting the ground, and refreshments and music for everyone to enjoy.

“I am truly excited about this groundbreaking and what it means for our community. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will be an asset for every resident of Gloucester and beyond,” said Mayor Greg Verga. “This is a fantastic way to round out our 400th anniversary as we look forward to the next century. “

“For nearly a decade, the Sawyer Free Library has been planning to transform our historic facility into a reimagined space that better meets the community’s needs. Now as we prepare to officially break ground on this wonderful public project, you can feel the excitement,” said Mern Sibley, president of the Library’s Board of Trustees. “The Sawyer Free Library 2025 will be a source of pride worthy of our heritage and future – reflecting the essence of the city and where technology, community engagement, and a commitment to learning come together.” Adding, “We are grateful for the tremendous engagement, support, and investment from everyone who have helped us reach this historic milestone and continue to work with us to bring the City of Gloucester the 21st-century Library it so needs and deserves.”

“We are so proud to reach this milestone, celebrate the kick off of this transformative project with our community and begin the next chapter of the Sawyer Free Library’s history,” said Jenny Benedict, the Library’s Director. “The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will be a welcoming and comfortable community space for all people to connect with our community’s storied past, enrich their current lives and feel empowered to face an ever-changing future. Its new community spaces amplify opportunities for involving people, as we have for more than 140 years, in public forums that foster a spirit of community and participation.”

“Sawyer Free Library is one of Cape Ann’s treasured gems, and this groundbreaking represents both a monumental milestone and a cause for celebration,” said John Brennan, president of the Sawyer Library Foundation. “But this community’s work isn’t done. The philanthropic capital campaign is still $11 million dollars away from fully funding this project, so anyone who is able should do their best to contribute whatever they can to help remake our beloved institution.” 

The visionary design, created collaboratively by a team comprised of Oudens Ello Architecture and Dore + Whittier Architecture, Construction Management Firm W.T. Rich and Library project leaders, along with the vital input of the citizens of Gloucester, integrates three distinct structures with complete interior renovations of the Library’s existing 1976 and 1913 buildings and a new 14,000 sq. ft. addition. The architecture of the Library will seamlessly blend the old and the new, creating a structure that harmoniously combines tradition with innovation.

As a LEED Gold building with advanced sustainability features, the 2025 Sawyer Free Library will also serve as a leading example of actions that can be taken in designing and operating a building to protect climate and nature based on design principles that put people first. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library is the first of its kind on Cape Ann–a next generation public building with an all-electric heating and cooling system powered by renewable clean energy generated onsite. The renovated and expanded Library will optimize natural resources and light, ensure excellent air quality, prioritize public safety, and promote accessibility for all community members. 

The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will offer current and emerging public technology, diverse collections, engaging programs, and new dedicated spaces for collaboration, learning, and relaxation. It will feature a digital maker space, audio and video recording studios, a 100-seat community room with state-of-the-science media presentation equipment, a research center for Gloucester history, a dedicated teen room, a beautiful expanded children’s room with an early literacy center for toddlers, study rooms for individual and group study, a 16-seat conference room, and much more. With its modern and sustainable design, the Library will provide an inspiring environment for library patrons, staff, the community, and beyond. 

The Sawyer Free Library is committed to securing the funds for the $29 million transformational project and, to date, has over $17.5 million committed, including approximately $10.3 million in grants from the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Project (MPLCP) and Green Library Incentives. The Sawyer Library Foundation will continue to seek funding through individual and corporate donors, federal, state, and municipal government grants, and nonprofit foundations. To learn how you can donate or get involved, visit www.sawyerfree2025.org.

The 2025 Sawyer Free will be constructed by W.T. Rich Company of Beverly, MA. Scheduled to begin in mid-October, the project is expected to take eighteen months and be completed in mid 2025. The Library is currently operating at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester.

For more information about the 2025 Sawyer Free Library project and the groundbreaking ceremony, please visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978.325.5500.

The Sawyer Free 2025 campaign is grateful for the tremendous engagement and investment at every level from all parts of the community but we still need the community’s help.  To learn how you can be a part of making the new Sawyer Free Library a reality, visit www.sawyerfree2025.org.

Happy 269th birthday, Judith Sargent!

~ sargenthousemuseum

🎂 Happy Birthday, Judith! John Singleton Copley’s oil portrait of early American women’s rights advocate and Gloucester native, Judith Sargent Murray, circa 1770-72, captures the 18 year old Judith in an alluring Turquerie costume, which is believed to belong to the artist. In spite of the sensuous, fluid garments, there is no mistaking Judith’s steely and determined gaze. This is a woman of power!

To celebrate Judith’s birthday, another young Gloucester woman recreates Copley’s original portrait, capturing both the sensual and determined spirit of the original subject. Please celebrate with us by sharing your own interpretation of this stunning portrait on social media and using #JudithSargentOnCanvas!

Learn more about Judith and her life in Gloucester at www.sargenthouse.org.

Thanks to model Natalie Zaffiro and photographer Nick Zaffiro!