A community group is working with a state organization to recognize the Ingalls Memorial Library as a historic building.
The Ingalls 1894 Association – the group working to fundraise $1.2 million in building renovations – has submitted an application with the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance to have Rindge’s library listed as a historic building with the state.
“The library is a treasure for the town and is deserving of recognition,” said association member Roberta Gordenstein, in an interview Tuesday. “We think that it could serve as a bandwagon effect to some of our fundraising efforts.”
The process of trying to designate the library as a historic building came about as the association began looking into LCHIP grants to help fund the library renovations, which includes adding more than 2,000 square feet to all three floors of the library, installing a sprinkler system, and making the third floor more accessible by bringing the elevator up to the third floor and lessening the pitch of the staircase.
“Drawing attention to the library raises the level of awareness about the renovation project,” said association member Jan Goodrich. “[Listing the library as a historical building] doesn’t have a dollar sign attached to it.”
As a part of the LCHIP process, the association needed to have a historic building assessment completed on the building. The assessment looked at the building from a historical and architectural perspective.
The association should know in October whether or not the building was accepted by the NHPA. Gordenstein said the association could decide in the future to try to have the building placed on the national list as well.
While there is no firm timeline on completing the renovations, Gordenstein said an impetus may be set with the town’s upcoming 250th anniversary in 2018.
Nicholas Handy can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 235 or nhandy@ledgertranscript.com..