James Prendergast Library officials are planning a window replacement project for the windows facing Cherry Street. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

The James Prendergast Library received a total of three bid proposals for its window replacement project.

The Post-Journal asked Tina Scott, library director, about the library’s request for proposal process for the $167,500 window project. She said because the library is not a public entity, they are not required to do a request for proposal process. However, she added that is library policy to solicit bids from at least three companies for every project.

Clark Patterson Lee handled the bid process for the library, Scott said. The company who won the bid was Jens Glass of Hamburg.

“The board favors doing business locally whenever possible,” Scott said.

Clark Patterson Lee worked with local businesses during the design phase, Scott said. She said the architecture, engineering and planning firm called all around the area — Jamestown, northeastern Pennsylvania and Western New York — to solicit bids.

“Some companies were interested, many were too busy,” she said. “I believe there were six companies who expressed interest in bidding. Two local companies were interested, but only one submitted a bid and it was considerably higher than the winning bid.”

Scott said there are no limitations on who the library can request bids from for a project.

Earlier this year, the window replacement project occurred at the library, with the windows facing Cherry and Washington streets replaced along with five windows facing Sixth Street. An elevator door was replaced as well.

Last year, library officials received a $125,000 state grant for the project, with 25 percent, or $42,000, coming from the city of Jamestown and the Lenna Foundation.

In June, Scott said the new windows will stop leaks, eliminate drafts and more efficiently keep the temperature inside the building at a sustainable level.

The funding also went to replace the doors to the elevator leading to the mezzanine. The elevator doors were older and don’t have the necessary safety sensors to keep from closing if someone is still between the doors. Scott said the new doors will have new edges with infrared beams installed to reopen the doors when the sensor is broken or interrupted.

Scott said five of 26 windows facing Sixth Street were replaced. She said each section of the windows facing Sixth Street cost $7,000. She said it will take an additional $140,000 to replace all of the window sections on the north side of the building. She added that hopefully in a future round of state funding, the library will be able to receive the rest of the money necessary to replace all of the windows at the library.

The new two-paned anodized aluminum windows have a 1-inch insulated glazing, and are argon filled, Scott said. The windows will cut in half the decibel levels of outside noise and provide greater security.

The window replacement project was the third at the library since 2014. At the beginning of 2015, construction was finished on the first phase of library renovations. Phase 1 improvements included constructing Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restrooms for men and women on the first floor; adding a family restroom in the children’s room; turning a second-floor storage space into a community room; and creating a new teen space. The library received a $294,000 state grant and a $70,000 matching grant from city officials for the first phase renovations.

In October 2016, Phase 2 was completed, which added Americans with Disabilities Act upstairs bathrooms and converted a freight elevator into a passenger elevator. In 2015, library officials received a $243,000 grant from the state Department of Education through its Public Library Construction program for the Phase 2 project. Library officials also received $77,000 from the Hultquist Foundation that was used as the 25 percent local match, which was necessary to receive the state grant.