Provincetown Library
Category: Educational/Municipal
Project: Provincetown Library
Location: Provincetown, MA
Project Architect: Perry Dean Rogers Partnership Architects
Restoring a historic building - and constructing it around a 55 ft ship model - were just a few of the challenges facing the JK Scanlan Team on this fascinating project in the heart of Provincetown, Massachusetts.
Clearly, the first priority was to protect the remarkable Grand Banks Fishing Schooner, Rose Dorothea, with a custom-built wooden frame to completely enclose the boat. Francis "Flyer" Santos made this magnificent half-scale model for the library in 1977. The original Rose Dorothea, built in 1905, was famous for winning the coveted Fisherman’s Cup race in 1907. Understandably, she is an incredible focal point for the Children’s Section which comprises the entire second floor.
The second priority for the Library was to add 10 ft to the existing crawl space for a full basement. The solution required sophisticated engineering and expertise due to the unstable sand substrate. With more than 1600 tons of material to remove, the building needed to be shored up using beams and cribbing while sheeting was driven 40-50 feet along the east side of the building to prevent the existing roadway from shifting. Extremely tight space complicated the job as our crew had only six feet in which to operate since the library sits right next to Center Street.
This beloved building required the talent and imagination of our skilled craftsman to recreate and restore the impressive architectural details inside and out. From the ingenious "portholes in the sky" to fit Rose Dorothea's masts to the high end millwork and casework, this project demanded nothing but the best — and that’s what the JK Scanlan Team delivered.
The complete building restoration and interior fit-up encompassed four levels: Basement, First Floor, Second Floor and Mezzanine Level overlooking the Schooner.
