After receiving preliminary designs for the Carnegie Building and the old Edgartown School two weeks ago, the Edgartown Library building committee asked architects this week to come up with a smaller program and a smaller budget. The committee is hoping to see new design ideas at their weekly meeting this coming Monday.

At an Oct. 4 meeting before the committee and more than 30 town residents, architects Celia Imrey and Jeffrey Hoover presented draft plans for the current Carnegie site that had problems fitting the desired parking spaces within a 15,000-square-foot plan. A less detailed plan of similar size for the old school building on Edgartown-West Tisbury Road was also shown.

Ms. Imrey said both sites would cost about the same, although there were no estimates. The committee hopes to decide on a location in the next three weeks.

But at a follow-up meeting last Friday, Edgartown selectman and committee member Michael Donaroma raised concerns about cost.

“We’re trying to squeeze a program that’s too big in a space that’s too small, or a program that is too big in too big a space. In any case we’re asking the town for millions of dollars. Do we really feel the town is ready to spend millions of dollars? Or should we think of a plan that spends little to no dollars. I’m afraid we’re getting on another train wreck. Maybe the program is just too big,” he said, adding: “We need a compromise and to show the town we tried to cut this thing back . . . It’s still too big and too much.”

The expansion project has proceeded in fits and starts since 2005 when the town bought the abutting Capt. Warren House property for the project for $3.5 million, but the plan was sent back to the drawing board this past February when estimated costs climbed above $15 million.

Committee members have suggested reducing the building size from 15,000 to 10,000 square feet. The original 15,000 square feet is based on a federal population standard formula used for many small towns, but with Edgartown’s influx in summer, committee chairman Chris Scott questioned if it was applicable.

“I think it’s really time to take a deep breath and look at where we are based on the state steering us to a square footage. I’m not really sure it works, certainly not for the site and needs for our library,” he said, adding: “The architects can refine it but it’s a very tight fit and I don’t think it’s the appropriate scale.”

Committee members aired their views on other aspects of the preliminary designs. One idea put on the table was to tear down the cafeteria at the old school to reduce the program size and create more green space.

“We need to have architects tell us how elements can be put together to shrink the site and what parts can be taken out,” committee member Carl Watt said.

“Show us how you can design a facility that is 25 per cent smaller but still accomplishes our goals and introduce a budget,” project manager Rick Pomroy translated, saying he would pass the message along to architects.

The committee meets on Monday at 8:30 a.m. at the Edgartown Library on North Water street.