The Town of Irondequoit is proud to be nearly complete with the construction of the newest and most innovative library in Monroe County. This flagship building has been designed and constructed by a team of professionals with strong ties to the Town of Irondequoit. Seeing the Town ready to achieve its goal of providing residents with a new facility that will drastically improve service has been a great source of personal and professional satisfaction for the design and construction team. The Grand Opening of the library will be on September 9, 2015.
Christine Vargas is Founder and a Principal of Vargas Associates. The firm provided interior design; inventory and analysis of existing furniture, fixtures and equipment; and consolidation logistics services for the new library. Ms. Vargas grew up in West Irondequoit, and graduated from Irondequoit High School, where friends knew her as Chris LaPietra. Now living in Webster, she visits family at least once a week in Irondequoit, the town that she still considers to be “home.”
She says, “I see a space for every member of the community here at this new dynamic library. Whether you have young children, teens, or maybe just want a place to meet friends, the new library is so amazing that many will want to come and stay a while. It is a great place for meetings, tutoring, or even private events. We have never had anything in the town with such appeal as this new library.”
Fina Santiago is a Principal of Vargas Associates, and serves as Project Director for the firm’s services on the new library project. She grew up in East Irondequoit, and graduated from Eastridge High School, where friends knew her as Fina Pappalardo. She still lives in East Irondequoit with her husband Israel, and her son Nicholas attends Eastridge High School.
After 10 years of tracking this potential project, she is very pleased to see an opportunity for the town to come together to celebrate this beautiful accomplishment. Ms. Santiago says, “There is so much appeal here for everyone, including the younger crowd, and I see it as becoming a new heart of the Town. I am so excited to see this in my hometown, and am very proud to have been a part of it.”
John Radesi is Vice President of Christa Construction, the General Contractor for the new library. Mr. Radesi raised his family in Irondequoit, and he is very pleased to see the new library taking shape. He says, “Working on a project of this size and significance for the Town of Irondequoit has been very meaningful to me, both personally and professionally. We have been assisting the Town realize this dream for several years, and to see it reach completion is very fulfilling.”
John Perticone is a Town of Irondequoit Councilman, serves as the Town’s construction liaison on the new library, and is a lifelong Irondequoit resident. He’s extremely pleased with the progress of the project, and is eagerly anticipating its positive impact on the Town.
He says, “This library is going to offer more programs and services for all our residents, and the flexibility of its space offers opportunities and accessibility for many types of organizations. It’s a very eye-catching and appealing building, both inside and out. This beautiful new facility will raise the profile of our town, and being what I believe to be the best library in Monroe County, will draw visitors. I’ve been working in construction my entire adult life, and of all the projects I have been involved in, I am proudest of this one.”
Peter Richard Wehner, AIA, NCARB, LEED-AP BD+C is an Associate and Senior Project Architect at Passero Associates. Mr. Wehner is serving as lead architect on the new library. He is also a long-time Irondequoit resident and currently serves as Chair of the Irondequoit Planning Board. Mr. Wehner’s two children both graduated from Irondequoit High School.
He says, “I am very impressed by the quality of craftsmanship and dedication to excellence that I have seen on this project. Our team, comprised of local firms with strong connections to Irondequoit, is taking a great deal of pride in being a part of this incredible improvement for the Town and its residents.
Christine Vargas added, “Peter Wehner put his heart and soul into this project, and it shows. His leadership and dedication to this project was evident from the very beginning. We are honored to be given the opportunity to integrate the design of the interiors with an architectural design that clearly stands out from other libraries in our area.”
Many partners and staff of Passero Associates have deep ties to Irondequoit and are proud to have contributed their time and talents to the new library. The firm’s founding partner, Gary Passero, was a member of the first graduating class of Eastridge High School in 1961. His sons Mark Passero, Vice President, and Chris Passero, Business Development Manager, both played Pop Warner football growing up in Irondequoit. David Passero, CFO, grew up and went to school in Irondequoit, and raised his family there. Several staff members grew up and went to school in Irondequoit, and several are current residents with children, all of whom are looking forward to visiting the new library.
Mike Smock, Superintendent for Postler & Jaeckle, served as HVAC Foreman for the construction of the new library. Mr. Smock is a long-time Irondequoit resident, his wife is an Irondequoit native and his children all graduated from West Irondequoit High School. He says, “I’m so proud to be a part of such a significant project for our town, and I’m proud that this project was completed with a Union workforce. This building will be more than just a library for our town.”
ABOUT THE LIBRARY:
The new Irondequoit Public Library is replacing the two library branches in the existing system. This 38,700 SF building is centrally located, reinforcing the original vision for the civic campus, which included a library adjacent to City Hall. The new library will enhance the symbolic and physical heart of the community, and will be a source of pride for the entire Monroe County Library System. As a piece of civic architecture, it will contribute to Irondequoit’s image in the community, region, and state.