Gannon University will hold two public sessions on July 31 to gather input from the community on the planning and design of its new water research and education center at the Blasco Memorial Library.
The proposed 3,280-square-foot center ― a part of Gannon’s $24 million water sustainability initiative called Project NePTWNE ― is slated for the eastern wing of the library’s first floor and will comprise of hands-on exhibits, a NOAA Science on a Sphere and a research lab, all of which will be accessible to the public at no cost.
NePTWNE stands for Nano & Polymer Technology for Water and Neural Networks and is pronounced "Neptune" after the Roman god of freshwater and the seas.
Gannon anticipates construction of the Great Lakes Research and Education Center to begin in late fall with a projected opening in early 2025.
Here’s what to know about the public sessions.
When are the sessions?
The two sessions will be held July 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Where are the sessions?
The sessions will take place at the H.O. Hirt Auditorium in the Blasco Library, 160 E. Front St.
The materials presented at the sessions will be on display during regular hours of operation at the Blasco Library from July 31 through Aug. 4.
For those unable to attend in-person, an opportunity to provide feedback online will be made available at gannon.edu/water July 31 through Aug. 4.
What will be discussed?
Both sessions will begin with a presentation on a draft design, delivered by Gannon and Indovina Associates Architects , the Pittsburgh-based company contracted to design and construct the center.
Following the presentation, the public will have an opportunity to comment on the design, provide exhibit ideas and ask questions to members of the university, the architect team and library leadership, according to a Gannon news release.
The goal, according to Gannon, is to have public feedback guide the next steps of the design and planning process as well as potential educational and research opportunities.
Why this matters
The sessions will be the first such public feedback sessions on the makeup and design of a project that's been steeped in controversy for months.
While residents have widely praised the purpose of the center, many have argued against the center’s location in the county’s main public library, contending it takes away space from a vital public asset and gives it to a private, religiously affiliated university.
Several protests ― and even a lawsuit ― have resulted since the center’s lease was approved by Erie County Council in October . Concerns include the potential environmental impact of a water research laboratory on a library, as well as the impact to parking and other library services. Protesters have also blasted the lack of public engagement prior to council approving the lease.
Keep Our Library Public, a citizen-led protest group that staged several demonstrations against the lease, filed a lawsuit in June against Erie County and Erie County Executive Brenton Davis, who negotiated the lease with Gannon.
The lawsuit alleges, among other things, that the Blasco Library property was specifically donated to the county for use as a public library — not to be leased out to a private institution like Gannon. The suit also claims Davis executed the lease without obtaining any other proposals or offers and without any market value analysis.
The lease has Gannon paying a flat rent of $7 a square foot for an initial 25-year period.
Sarah Ewing, provost and vice president for student experience at Gannon, said the university is looking forward to engaging with the community.
“This initiative represents our commitment to advancing environmental education and research,” she stated in a Gannon news release. “We invite the community to join us in sharing insights, feedback and collaborative efforts on how we can collectively contribute to the preservation and understanding of our invaluable Great Lakes.”
A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com . Follow him on X @ETNRao .
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Gannon seeks your input at sessions on design of water research center at Blasco Library
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