Pawtucket Library wins $60K grant from Champlin Foundation

THE PAWTUCKET LIBRARY was awarded a $60,000 grant from The Champlin Foundation for the restoration and repair of the dome tower in the Gerald S. Burns Building. / COURTESY PAWTUCKET OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
THE PAWTUCKET LIBRARY was awarded a $60,000 grant from The Champlin Foundation for the restoration and repair of the dome tower in the Gerald S. Burns Building. / COURTESY PAWTUCKET OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

PAWTUCKET – The Pawtucket Public Library was awarded a $60,000 grant from The Champlin Foundation for the restoration of the dome tower in the Gerald S. Burns Building, the Pawtucket mayor’s office announced Wednesday.

The grant will be used with a library-matched $150,000 grant from the R.I. Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission.

The grants will fund repairs and maintenance to help prevent water infiltration and moisture damage; restore and repair windows, window sills, window frames and copper flashing; and repoint and repair the masonry in the library’s dome tower.

THE GERALD S. BURNS BUILDING was built in the 1890's and originally served as the Pawtucket Post office. / COURTESY PAWTUCKET OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
THE GERALD S. BURNS BUILDING was built in the 1890s and originally served as the Pawtucket Post Office. / COURTESY PAWTUCKET OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

“Pawtucket prides itself on its historical significance,” said Pawtucket Mayor Donald R. Grebien in a statement. “We are very thankful for these preservation grants that will ensure that children, residents and visitors continue to enjoy all that the Library has to offer for many years to come.”

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The design work will be completed by SAAM Architecture. Work will begin in spring 2018.

The Gerald S. Burns Building was the Pawtucket Post Office from the 1890s to the 1940s. The city of Pawtucket acquired the building in 1941, and in 1979 renovations began to join the building with the Deborah Cook Sayles Public Library building.

Both buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.

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