This spring, the Library convened a dedicated Architect Selection Committee, which has met nearly every week since June to shape the search and guide the decision. In July, the Library released a formal Request for Proposals (RFP #26-01) for architectural services covering both buildings, and it went live on July 15. We are seeking a single firm, with its full consultant team, to design the Main Library and the Bellevue Avenue Branch at the same time. The two buildings ask for different things. The Main Library, a 1955 mid-century modern building by Ralph Walker, calls for an ambitious, innovative renovation that builds on its distinctive character. The Bellevue Avenue Branch, a 1914 Carnegie library on the National Register of Historic Places, is a preservation project that will make the building fully accessible for the first time while honoring its historic character. The selected firm will lead the work from concept design through construction, and the project must achieve LEED Silver certification.

On July 29, we hosted a site tour and architectural briefing at the Main Library for interested firms. About 40 people attended, representing design teams from across the region and beyond.

Formal submissions were due on August 19. We received 21 proposals, a strong and competitive response.

The Architect Selection Committee brings together a broad cross-section of the people invested in this project: a few Library staff members, members of the Library Foundation's board, Library Trustees, Township officials, and members of Montclair's Historic Preservation Commission, along with the Library's Executive Director and the Foundation's Executive Director. Several members are practicing architects, which brings professional design expertise directly into the review.

The committee is now reviewing every submission against the criteria published in the RFP. Those criteria weigh relevant library, historic preservation, and large-project experience most heavily, along with the proposed team, sustainability credentials, and cost.

From these 21 firms, the committee will shortlist a small group, currently expected to be four or five, to present in person in late September. The committee will then bring a recommendation to the Board of Trustees, with the goal of selecting the architect in October. Once a firm is chosen, design work can begin.