Skaneateles library board selects Fennell Street for new location

The Skaneateles Library Board of Trustees voted to pursue acquisition of the property at 75 Fennell St.. as the site for a new library building at a meeting held Tuesday, Oct. 13.

The 2.14-acre site, located between Skaneateles Town Square and SAVES, is currently owned by the Town of Skaneateles.

In 2019, the board voted to retain ownership of the current building on East Genesee Street, repurpose it for community use, maintain the Barrow Art Gallery there, and find a new site for the library.

The vote followed a recommendation from the library’s Site Selection Committee based on the committee’s thorough and diligent evaluation of nearly 20 properties in the Skaneateles area.

The evaluation process took more than a year and was based on a number of criteria, including neighborhood context, zoning considerations and accessibility for all 9,000 school district residents. Search criteria and more information about the process can be found at skanlibrary.org/about/exploring-the-librarys-future.

Building a new library at the Fennell Street location will keep it connected to the local commercial corridor and walkable for those within the village limits, while allowing for much-desired dedicated parking for all library users, the library announced in a press release.

Although site and building design have not yet begun, the board looks forward to creating a flexible, accessible, welcoming space and beautifying this piece of the village along Skaneateles Creek, the press release went on to say.

Additional information about the project will be shared as it becomes available.

The full motion from the library board can found at skanlibrary.org/about/board/minutes.