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March 15, 2010

Library told to get the lead out

Orange facility may close if toxic paint is not taken care of immediately
By Halley Bondy FOR THE STAR-LEDGER

nj.com
March 12,2010

Orange officials have known for decades that the city’s public library, the oldest in Essex County, has lead paint on its walls. But a complaint that the paint is disintegrating moved the city to inspect the building and threaten the library with closure.

In a letter Wednesday, Orange health inspector Vincent DeFilippo said he received a call about lead paint on the building’s walls.

The letter, addressed to library executive director Doris Walker, said DeFilippo found areas of defective paint, and if they are not abated within two weeks, he may shut down the building.

“We’ve been serving the Orange community since the early 1900s, and we’re going to try and do everything in our power to make sure our building doesn’t shut down,” Walker said in an interview yesterday.

DeFilippo could not be reached for further details yesterday.

The Orange Public Library at 348 Main St., which was built in 1901 and is registered as a national historic site, probably was coated with lead paint during its initial construction or in renovations in the 1950s, Walker said.

Walker, who has been the library’s executive director for 15 years, knew there was lead paint on the walls, but was told it was safe unless the city performs construction on the building, releasing paint chips.

Yesterday, paint could be seen peeling in the building’s central dome and throughout the ceiling.

Walker said the library intends to comply with the directives in DeFilippo’s letter, but said she did not know specifics about the dangerous areas or how much it would cost to abate them.

The letter said abatement will require sealing the areas with nonlead-based materials.

Four years ago, the library developed a $1.5 million plan to refurbish the whole building, but has been unable to come up with all of the necessary funds, Walker said.

The building, which takes up half a block on Main Street, was constructed in classic Greek style by Stanford White, who also designed the Washington Square arch in New York City. The building features Ionic columns in the entrance and a 45-foot rotunda, which is next to a reference room lined with books and computers.

William Hathaway, a resident who works on the library’s computers every weekday, said he hopes the library gets the funding it needs.

“I don’t think the lead is anyone’s fault, because it’s an older building,” Hathaway said. “But I do think we should be raising money for the library. It is the jewel of our community.”

Lead paint was used to paint parts of the Orange Public Library years ago, and now the city is threatening to close the facility if the toxic material is not abated within two weeks.

The Orange Public Library was built in 1901 by Stanford White, who designed the Washington Square arch in New York, and is registered as a national historic site.

Halley Bondy is a reporter for the New Jersey Local News Service. She may be reached at (908)243-6211 or hbondy@njlns. com.

Posted by tumulty at March 15, 2010 12:12 PM

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