AMHERST — The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) is asking that all millwork in the original part of the Jones Library be preserved in some form, and for all windows in the expanded and renovated library building to take on an historic appearance, as final stipulations in a memorandum of agreement under the Section 106 Historic Preservation Review.

“All historic mahogany wood removed from the historic library shall be carefully removed and saved in a secure location,” Executive Director Brona Simon wrote in the Feb. 12 letter to Robert Pereint, special capital projects coordinator for the town. The mahogany “shall be reinstalled within the rehabilitated library and/ or the new addition.”

Other new stipulations the state agency is seeking are a landscape plan for the property to be reviewed by both the Amherst Historical Commission and Amherst Historical Society and that all new windows match the historic windows in size and appearance, and have clear glazing.

The Section 106 Historic Preservation Review calls for minimizing or avoiding adverse effects on the historic property from the $46.1 million project, which will include demolishing the existing 1990s wing, replacing that with a new addition, and doing extensive renovation to the original 1928 building.

Following two meetings with consulting parties and extensive public input, a draft memorandum of agreement, both MHC and the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation submitted letters on the shape the final memorandum of agreement should take. That agreement, which spells out the ways adverse effects are minimized or avoided, is required to access federal grants for the project, including a Challenge Infrastructure and Capacity Building grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as an Economic Development Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Section 106 review is also needed for the project to secure a hazardous waste removal permit from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

Previously, two objections from MHC led Jones Library trustees to use real slate, rather than synthetic material, and to not cut into the front facade for a book drop.

MHC is recommending that a virtual tour of the existing building be posted on the Jones Library’s website before construction begins and that the Amherst Historical Commission, Amherst Historical Society and Amherts Historic Preservation Commission should review the contents of an interpretive plaque before that is complete.

The Feb. 13 Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, written by Rachael Mangum, assistant director of the Office of Federal Agency Programs, provided several advisory comments, as well.

One centered around the town’s designation, by the National Endowment for Humanities, as the lead federal agency for the Section 106 process. The federal agency suggested that this designation be made explicit in the memorandum of agreement.

Another advisory comment discusses the existing Preservation Restriction Agreement for the Jones Library property, executed by the trustees for the Jones and the town in 2022 and suggests that the town elaborate on how it has met or intends to meet the terms of this PRA.

Like MHC, a reference is made to the historic millwork in the nearly 100-year-old section of the library: “The ACHP encourages the town to continue to consider alternatives that avoid or minimize adverse effects on these contributing features, including potential salvage or reuse if preservation in place is not feasible,” Mangum wrote.

Town Manager Paul Bockelman said Tuesday he’s not sure exactly when the memorandum of agreement will be finalized. The town has until the end of March to complete the Section 106 process and executive a contract for the expansion and renovation to get underway.

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