AMHERST — As a federal review of the expansion and renovation of the Jones Library gets underway, town officials are asking the Massachusetts Historical Commission to confirm that the $46.1 million project will have an adverse effect on historic properties, allowing efforts to be taken to minimize these impacts.

In advance of a so-called consulting parties meeting Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., coinciding with a Library Building Committee meeting, Robert Pereint, the town’s special capital projects coordinator, sent a letter to Massachusetts Historical Commission Executive Director Brona Simon outlining that consultation process with a project team, agencies and the community that will lead to a memorandum of agreement for mitigation measures to address the adverse effects.

The letter seeks the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s concurrence in the finding of adverse effect for the project, and that the state agency continue the consultation process to resolve adverse effects with the town and other “consulting parties.”

“The demolition of portions of the original 1928 Jones Library building, interior alterations that will remove historic materials and modify circulation, and construction of a new addition that is larger in footprint than the existing 1993 addition will have an adverse effect on the Jones Library, a contributing resource in the Amherst Central Business District,” Pereint writes. “The restoration and rehabilitation treatments of the original 1928 building exterior and the interior millwork and spaces will not adversely affect the building.”

The so-called Section 106 review is required because the project is receiving federal funds, including a Challenge Infrastructure and Capacity Building grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and an Economic Development Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as a hazardous waste removal permit from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

The Jones Library is listed in the National Register as a contributing building in the Amherst Central Business District.

Several review processes have already occurred for the Jones Library rehabilitation over the last 10 years as officials sought the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners construction grant and an application for the Massachusetts Historic rehabilitation tax credit.

For Wednesday’s meeting, professional facilitators from Conflict Resolution Group in Greenfield will lead the discussion, with each consulting party having a few minutes to share views about the findings and mitigation steps, followed by a discussion.

A consultant for the process is Ginny Adams of The Public Archaeology Laboratory. Adams will attend the consulting parties meeting to summarize the process and present the adverse effects findings, which are also described in Historic Resources Assessment and Section 106 Findings documents.

While the public can comment at the meeting, the town is also taking comments through Oct. 30, and the town will also provide a public comment period and a comment form related to the draft memorandum of agreement prior to a final MOA.

“The MOA stipulations may include measures such as Amherst Historical Commission review of design revisions, archival narrative and photographic recordation of the property prior to construction commencing, the installation of an interpretive plaque(s) or signage, and/or displays(s) commemorating the history of the Jones Library, and completion of archaeological investigations and data recovery work,” Pereint wrote in the letter to Simon. “These measures serve as the starting point for consultation among the Section 106 consulting parties towards resolution of adverse effects.”

The letter also spells out other changes to the original 1928 building that may occur during the renovation and expansion, with general contracting bids due Oct. 31.

“On the interior of the original 1928 building, the goal is to follow the Historic Structure Report prepared by the University of Massachusetts in 2023 as closely as possible while creating a fully functional and accessible library that complies with modern building and energy codes, accessibility and safety requirements, and grant funder (including MBLC) program requirements. Two sets of secondary historic wood stairs and areas of historic finishes will be removed and some sections of the floor plan will be modified, changing the circulation and resulting in the loss of some historic fabric. However, the three-story primary stair and entrance hall, key spaces including the barrel-vaulted Theater on the main floor, and the Board room on the third floor will be retained. Second floor spaces currently closed to the public will be restored to serve as quiet reading rooms. All historic fireplaces and mantel surrounds along with approximately 75% of the historic millwork will remain in place.”

Library Director Sharon Sharry told library trustees on Friday that a recent walk through for general contractors went well and no roadblocks are anticipated before getting construction bids. “The process is going really smoothly,” Sharry said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.