AMHERST — Upon completion of the $46.1 million expansion and renovation of the Jones Library in 2026, the building’s main entrance, with the formal staircase rising three floors and Philippine walnut and mahogany woodwork gracing the walls, would continue to look much like it has since opening to patrons in 1928.

But aside from the mantels and door frames in the remainder of the nearly century-old building, most of the historic millwork would be replaced with a simpler wood product, the largest part of more than $2.9 million in savings, or so-called “value engineering,” that Finegold Alexander Architects of Boston is handling in an effort to bring down the project’s cost. This comes in advance of seeking new general contracting bids by the end of the year.

Finegold is being paid $550,700 for an additional 12 weeks of design services to create a revised bid package after only one general contracting bid was received that was $6.5 million over estimates. The project is being funded by $15.8 million committed by the town, which is being leveraged for support from other sources, including a Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners state grant, federal money and private fundraising.

On June 9, Ellen Anselone, a principal at Finegold, informed the Jones Library Building Committee that the architects are making good progress on reducing costs, though likely won’t have final renderings until a presentation to the Design Review Board on July 24.

Meanwhile, the plans for enlarging the building from 48,000 square feet to 63,000 square feet and demolishing the entire 1990s addition will not face some of the historic restrictions that had earlier been in place, as library officials learned in April the project is not eligible to receive up to $2 million from the Massachusetts Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit program.

The removal of the millwork became the most discussed aspect of the cost savings at the meeting, with Building Committee member and District 4 Councilor Pamela Rooney unaware of the extent of this and potentially losing the historic feel inside.

“This is a really poor solution for an incredibly beautiful building,” Rooney said. “I’m really sorry to hear that.”

Anselone, though, said the Building Committee had previously directed Finegold to achieve anticipated cost savings by simplifying things. Anselone said that behind much of the historic millwork is asbestos that needs to be removed, and it is complicated and expensive to cut out the existing wood and then put it back in place.

Most important, she said, is preserve the experience for people as they enter the building. “We are saving the front hallway vertically,” Anselone said.

Town Manager Paul Bockelman, who also serves on the committee, compared the library project to the renovation of the historic Town Hall several years ago, which earned awards even as some changes affected that building’s historic integrity. “This is a compromise I’m willing to make,” Bockelman said.

Trustees President Austin Sarat, too, said the the balance for preserving historical aspects comes as officials are trying to get a building that will meet the community’s needs for the next 50 years and address problems, such as the leaking atrium roof. Sarat said the building has changed many times over the years, and that the cost savings are important.

“It’s a big chunk of what we hope to save,” Sarat said.

The envelope of the building project will not be changing, even though $193,000 in savings had been contemplated from this from swapping a planned metal roof with asphalt shingles and brick siding with Hardie board. These changes in plans, though, can’t be made because they would reduce the thermal properties and energy efficiency of the building, which wouldn’t meet the energy code without significant use of insulation.

“At this late stage we can’t make this change without significant cost escalation,” Anselone said.

The architects, though, are identifying more cost savings through changes to the ceilings, windows and landscaping.