The groundbreaking ceremony for Cranbury’s new library was held on April 29 with State Senator Linda Greenstein presenting a Ceremonial Resolution of support and Assemblyman Dan Benson providing remarks on the effort which has been more than 10 years in the making.
The goal to build a free standing public library for Cranbury was initiated in 2010 when the Library Foundation and local residents–including current Mayor Michael Ferrante–spearheaded a fundraising effort to mobilize the effort. This was the Building Spaces, Expanding Minds, Creating Community campaign. Cranbury raised $2.4 million in total but the funds were not enough by far to complete the project.
However, in 2017 New Jersey voters passed the Library Construction Bond Act allocating $125 million to help communities like Cranbury build libraries. Each grant recipient would have to come up with a 1:1 match in funds which Cranbury had ready from the private donations gathered.
Things looked promising and Cranbury filed the necessary materials and paperwork to apply.
But things stalled out at the state level almost as soon as the ballot initiative passed. Four years later, the matching funds have finally come through.
The new library will be almost 12,000 square feet and include reading and media materials for all ages, as well as study spaces, and community rooms for group gatherings. It will also house the archives from the Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society. J. H. Williams Enterprises Inc. won the bid for the construction.
Library Board of Trustees President Kristie Venanzi was among those smiling and wielding shovels to mark the official start of the project. She said, “This is the culmination of many years of strategic planning…and we are so excited to begin,” according to a press release from NJ State Library.
Representatives from the Township Committee included Mayor Ferrante, who presided over the ceremony, and Committeewoman Barbara Rogers.
Until the summer of 2020, the library was housed in the Cranbury Public School but was asked to move when covid social distancing requirements forced the school to convert it into teaching space. The library has temporarily been housed at the Odd Fellows hall on Main Street, where it will remain until the project is completed.
It will be a short move from Main Street to the new library’s location at 30 Park Place West.