Cos Cob Library Seeks to Expand Community Room, Add Patio for Gathering Space

More news is coming out of Greenwich Library.

The main branch’s Reimagine Renovation, an $18 million project, was largely completed during the COVID-19 pandemic and closures. The library reopened its new Berkley Theater and Marx Family Black Box Theater and a partnership with Abilis to run the new library café.

In late November, the longtime director Barbara Ormerod-Glynn announced she planned to retire at the end of the year, and the Board of Trustees named deputy director Joseph A. Williams as the library’s new director. 

This week the library submitted plans for changes at their Cos Cob branch, which sits on .4228 acres in the R7 single family zone.

Specifically their pre-application to Planning & Zoning features the creation of an addition to the modest sized community room. The addition would be approximately 300 square-foot and would not add impervious surface because it would be constructed over existing asphalt.

The proposal would also create a storage building, patio and trellis.

According to the application narrative, the trellis and patio would provide outdoor gathering space and the shed would provide much-needed storage.

While the trellis, patio and shed are in the rear of the library, they are technically in the front yard on the lot. A front yard setback variance has been requested from the Zoning Board of Appeals.

By reconfiguring the parking lot and eliminating one of the driveways, the 14 parking spaces currently existing can be maintained and one additional parking space added to the municipal lot adjacent to the library property.

Because Cos Cob Library is a non-residential use in a residential zone, the addition would require a special permit in addition to site plan approval.

The library application has yet to be scheduled on a P&Z agenda. Stay tuned…