Photo: The demolition of the former Belmont Library building is underway

Nearly 50 years after opening its doors to generations of patrons, the red-brick and wood framed Belmont Public Library is coming down on the first days of Spring as part of the demolition process that will soon be followed by the construction of a new library on same site.

Lead by demolition contractor American Environmental which bid $873,711 for the job, a great deal of the work is being done by a heavy-duty excavator, pushing down walls and ripping out floors placing the debris in piles that will soon take what remains of the two-and-a-half story structure away to landfill. A large industrial misting fan sprays a cloud of water over the site to keep the dust from enveloping Concord Avenue.

As the former library comes down, the Library Building Committee is preparing to accept bids by the end of March from firms to lead the construction phase and award the contract in early April.

Kathy Keohane, the chair of the Belmont Board of Library Trustees is optimistic the construction bids will follow the pattern of the demolition and moving contracts coming in “a bit under” the estimated cost.

“There’s been strong interest out there from firms, so much so we pushed the timeline out a week at the request of one of the bidders because they wanted more time,” said Keohane.

As the 42,500 sq.-ft. project – which will take an estimated 18 months to complete – will soon get underway, Keohane came before the Select Board on March 18 to present the town with $30,000 in contributions from Belmont residents, library patrons, and businesses towards building the library. So far, more than 1,000 individuals and groups, as well as funds from a state American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant, have raised a total of $3.2 million towards the trustees’ stated goal of raising $5 million to defray the cost of the new library.

“The money flows through a fund that was set up by the library trustees … to ensure that all funds that come in designated for the project are given to the project,” Keohane told the board. After the presentation, Keohane said she is hopeful the remaining $2 million will be secured soon.

“People can still donate,” said Keohane. “There’s still an opportunity for them to have their name on the wall or to sponsor a certain area of the library.”