A chance to change Dunkirk

There’s been a consensus forming in Dunkirk that the idea of relocating the public library and the Glass Museum to the former Stewart Brothers Furniture building makes good sense.
But for a while, consensus hasn’t been accompanied by movement.
That changed last week.
Leadership on the issue so far has come from the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation.
As outlined last week for the Dunkirk Public Library Board, the DIDC has proposed spending in the neighborhood of $100,000 to repair the roof of the old furniture store, address a few structural issues, and clean up the property for occupancy. Then the DIDC would give the building to the library as its new home.
As Christmas presents go, it doesn’t get much better than that. The library today is crowded, cramped, and not very inviting. It gets a tremendous amount of use, but it would certainly get more in a new location.
Action on the DIDC’s proposal must come from the Dunkirk City Council, which makes the ultimate decision.
But our guess is, the council will want to make this happen as much as the DIDC and the library board.
Transforming the old building into a new library is still going to be a challenge. But when compared to the cost of building a new structure with comparable square footage, the challenge is manageable.
Among the expenses ahead: Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning; electrical work to bring everything up to code; plumbing and restrooms; finishings; and furnishings.
But, again, compared to the cost of building new, this will be much more affordable.
And — much like the rescue of the decrepit Weiler Building in Portland into John Jay Center for Learning — a new library in a transformed anchor property in Dunkirk’s downtown has the potential to have a huge positive impact all along Main Street.
As to the Glass Museum, it has suffered from its beginning because of its location. And in an era when bus tours are the norm, moving from a side street to the main drag will pay big dividends.
The move would also fit nicely into efforts to market the Gas Boom region as a tourism destination.
Here’s to hoping that this is just the beginning of a great new life for both the library and the museum. — J.R.

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