Fox Chapel library auctions desks, benches handcrafted from site's old walnut tree

A towering 80-year-old walnut tree that shaded the Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel has a new chapter in its story.

The gargantuan tree was felled in August to make way for parking expansion at the facility along Fox Chapel Road – but it didn’t end up on a wood pile.

It has been transformed into six one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture to be auctioned in July.

“Don’t be sad about the tree that came down to allow for a much-needed parking expansion,” said Nadine Ostrowski, library development manager.

“It has been upcycled into six stunningly beautiful, one-of-a-kind tables and benches.”

The online auction is set to kick off at 9 a.m. July 1, with a viewing preview from 5:30 to 7 p.m. June 30 at the library. The auction will run through 9 p.m. July 8.

Proceeds will benefit projects at Cooper-Siegel and its Sharpsburg branch.

In all, the tree yielded four tables and two benches, handcrafted into unique focal points by artist Burton C. Duerring of Satara Rustics, a Cranberry Township furniture maker.

“The wood was far too gorgeous to go to waste, so the decision was made to preserve and extend the life of the walnut tree in new forms, to allow it to continue its story,” library Executive Director Jill McConnell said.

Duerring used the natural flow and shapes in the wood to create stunning pieces of furniture.

“They exist nowhere else in the world, and they could be yours,” Ostrowski said.

“You have to see them to truly appreciate their natural beauty.”

Cooper-Siegel opened 12 years ago and was so well-received that it never was equipped with enough parking.

When an adjacent property became available, library officials scooped it up for $350,000 using funds from a bequest and a local donor.

The lot allowed for the construction of 50 new parking spaces.

The library, with a collection of more than 71,000 items, serves a population of nearly 29,000 people who live in the Fox Chapel Area School District.

The Federalist-style library is filled with the latest technology, private reading areas, a cozy nook with a fireplace and private rooms for group study and tutoring. A welcome garden is a favorite place for people to sit, socialize or meditate.

A teen room and an expansive children’s area are brimming with hands-on items to boost literacy — CDs, puppet kits, books and an art room.

Anyone who wants to participate in the auction must register at 32auctions.com/CooperSiegelSharpsburgAuc