After several years of investigation, professional research and community surveys and meetings with residents, the Manhasset Library's board of trustees has come to the unanimous conclusion that the best place for a new library is the place they already call home.

The trustees have directed architect Roger Smith to develop a design for a new building of approximately 32,000 square feet to be built south of the current library on the contiguous property. The current library will be demolished for construction of a parking area for approximately 95 cars.

"We have finished our research and now it is time to focus on designing the best and most cost-effective library for the site," said Board of Trustees President Carol Ascrizzi. "Our goal in the next few months is to create a plan for a new library that will spark support and enthusiasm in our residents and provide friends and neighbors with a sense of just how this library will work--including everything from the circulation desk to the children's library, as well as parking, landscaping and other issues of interest and concern."

The library will consist of three levels, with a smaller first floor and two upper floors raised on columns, with a full facade facing Northern Boulevard and Onderdonk Avenue. All the parking will be on ground level--some of it underneath the raised upper floors and the rest behind the new building.

The skills of Mr. Smith and his firm were put to the test in order to achieve acceptable parking on the site. Their creative approach will ensure that patrons will be satisfied with the amount of parking and neighbors will be satisfied by its unobtrusive nature.

In the public meetings for community response, Mr. Smith indicated that this option, similar to the others, carries a cost of approximately $15 million. Using a 20-year bond, this would translate to a cost of approximately $15 to $20 per month for a house with an assessed valuation of $15,000. As soon as all the variables are in place, a detailed cost analysis will be provided to the community.

As many residents know, the board of trustees has studied many options for resolving the space inadequacies of the present building. Most prominent among them was a move to the Bath Club property or the Christ Church property. In recent months, the focus was shifted to the site of the current library, the Bath Club and the Sabena building, a commercial office space on Northern Boulevard, west of the current library.

"In the end, the trustees responded to the virtues of the existing site and the ability to design a library, not simply convert an office building," said Board President Ascrizzi. "Our current neighbors know the library board is sensitive to their needs, and we will continue to be a good neighbor to them by inviting them to join us in creating a facility that will complement the neighborhood." On behalf of all the trustees, Seval LaRocca, president-elect, expressed appreciation for the many residents who attended the forums or put their thoughts in writing. "Their contributions to this project have been extremely helpful," she said.

The next step in the process is to conduct appropriate environmental reviews, program the space and continue the dialogue with the community to create a library that residents can embrace. It is the trustees' intent to bring this project to a public referendum during the coming school year.

The library board and administration encourage the public to stop in and talk to the director, Marian Robertson, with suggestions, or send in suggestions via e-mail to manhlib2@lilrc.org.