Milestone: Original Entrance Reopened

Several tasks were successfully coordinated last week to allow for a switch back to the library's original main entrance that faces Newcomb Place.

First the construction contractor needed to dramatically reduce the size of the fenced construction zone in front of the library building and between the library and Jones Hall. Then a technician from the 3M Corporation, through which the library maintains a service maintenance agreement, needed to be scheduled to travel from Minnesota to New Orleans to disassemble of the security gate at the temporary Freret Street entrance and reinstall the gate at its original location. Then the original automatically-opening front doors needed to be reactivated and the temporary doorway onto Freret Street closed.

The entrance switch over took place with little fanfare last Tuesday afternoon.

The main entrance to the library had been temporarily moved way back in October of 2012, at the very start of the project, to the Freret Street side of the building.   The change back to the original entrance can be seen as another tangible sign that the construction project, set to end later this fall, is finally nearing completion.

The construction contractor plans to begin removing most if not all of the construction fence still occupying Newcomb Place on Sept. 7 or shortly thereafter.