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April 2002 events in the Main Library Project

General Contractor Contract Awarded
In April 2002, the Library Board of Trustees awarded the general contractor contract to the Meyne Company, a division of Bulley & Andrews, LLC in Chicago. Family-owned and operated since 1891, Bulley & Andrews/The Meyne Company is one of Chicago's leading, full-service construction firms with more than 200 employees. Other library projects for the company have included an 80,000 square foot renovation for Dominican University Library, a 110,000 square foot renovation for the Regenstein Library and the Crerar Computer Library at the University of Chicago, and a new 2-story library in West Chicago. Locally, the Meyne Company has worked on building projects for the Oak Park YMCA, Oak Park Hospital, West Suburban Hospital, and Bank One's Oak Park branch. The Meyne Company has worked with Nagle Hartray Danker Kagan McKay Architect Planners of Chicago, architects for the project, on numerous building projects over the past 20 years.

Demolition Continues
M&R Wrecking continued demolition work through April 9 and completed the project within the contracted time frame.
More demolition photos by week: One | Two | Three | Four | Five

Ground-breaking Ceremony and Celebration April 20, 2002
Despite chilly weather and brisk winds, a good crowd of Oak Park citizens turned out for the Ground-breaking Ceremony for the new main library building on Saturday, April 20, 2002. Speakers included Village President Joanne Trapani, Park District President Laura Perna, Library Board President John Hayes, Library Board Vice President Janet Kelenson, and Library Executive Director Ed Byers. Oak Park author Harriette Robinet, along with Chris Damon, Chairman of the Citizens Space Needs Committee, and George Vinyard, former Library Board President and co-chairman of the Citizens for Library Renewal which organized the referendum campaign, assisted in the Ground-breaking ceremony.

After the ceremony, everyone retreated to the warmth of the temporary Main Library at 215 Harlem Avenue for a celebration. David Lyons, Oak Park's balloon man, pleased young and old with his balloon creations. The Licorice Sticks, a quartet of Oak Park-River Forest High School clarinet players, performed favorite jazz tunes under the direction of music coach Linda Van Dyke. Patrons, speakers from the Ground-breaking Ceremony, architects for the project, and Library Trustees and staff enjoyed refreshments which included a cake decorated with a color rendition of the new main library building. Yellow construction hats were a popular accessory for the day!

May 2002

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