The Fields Corner Branch Library replacement project reached a major milestone on March 16 when the City’s Public Facilities Department (PFD) approved a $2 million design and construction contract that moves the $14 million project closer to a groundbreaking.

The city board voted unanimously to award Oudens Ello Architects, of the South End, a $1.996 million contract to complete the design of the library branch and to perform construction administration services. Oudens also conducted the Fields Corner Library Programming Study that came out in February 2020. The project has been in the works since 2018.

Boston Public Library (BPL) President David Leonard said that “it’s really important because it means this is the first public signal we’ve had to engage the design, and immediately after, the construction of the project. We have long believed this is a location where the building isn’t in great shape and it deserves updating.”

The design process will take about a year. The next step is the formation of a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and three to four public meetings to discuss the design once it is completed. Construction would take between one and two years.

As opposed to most municipal construction projects, library projects in Boston start with a Programming Study, which was completed for Fields Corner two years ago. That means what will be offered for services and amenities in the library have already been determined with input from the community. The design process coming up will focus on architectural design elements.

“We had a great community process, and we didn’t start out agreeing on everything, but we found a good way forward now to work together,” said Leonard.

The project as presently envisioned will replace the existing one-story building on the corner of Park Street and Dorchester Avenue with a two-story, 14,700 square-foor structure. Adding units of housing on an upper floor was considered, but ruled out, given the constraints of the site. Some of the improvements for the new branch include a much larger community room with updated technology and a small classroom to provide more programming like ESL classes, crafts, and computer classes. A second floor would automatically mean a larger library too, doubling the size of the existing setup.

Roberson Castor, a project manager for PFD, said the project has been funded in the city’s Fiscal Year 2022 Capital Budget.

Leonard said Fields Corner will benefit from a team seasoned in building new or improved libraries, including Dorchester’s Adams Street location, which has been winning national acclaim. The American Institute of Architects New York (AIANY) recently issued a merit award to the branch architect NADAAA and landscape Architect Ground, Inc. as part of its 2022 annual Design Awards program.

“I am thrilled to continue to see that our branches have accolades or get awards,” said Leonard said. “The latest set of awards for the Adams Street Branch Library is truly impressive. This is something that neighborhoods and residents of Boston can continue to be proud of. When we construct our branches, we do it to a very high state of design and with architectural significance.”