A community party on June 12, following the closure of the Mitchell Park Library, drew hundreds of people to enjoy an afternoon of events and celebrate a ceremonial “ground-breaking” signifying the start of construction of a new joint library and community center on the site.
Construction of the new 56,000 square foot Mitchell Park Library & Community Center begins in September. When completed in the summer of 2012, the new building will feature a two-story library and a single story community center built around a beautiful courtyard. On August 5, the City Council awarded the contract for the project to Flintco, Inc. the lowest responsible bidder. At $24.3 million, Flintco’s bid was 25 percent below the latest engineer’s construction estimate of $32.4 million.
A temporary Mitchell Park Library opened to the public on June 28. Located at 4050 Middlefield Road in the former auditorium of the Cubberley Community Center, this library holds the majority of the collection of the original branch, all the public Internet computers and laptops, and much of the seating. The building is bright and airy, receiving rave reviews from customers who have visited it.
Work is underway on the renovation of Downtown Library on Forest Avenue. W.L. Butler Construction, Inc. is handling the construction on this project which will replace all major building systems, make seismic and accessibility upgrades, and reconfigure the interior space. The interior will be redesigned to create a multi-purpose room for study and reading or to support library programs and community meetings. A small children’s space will be a featured element of the renovation. W. L. Butler’s bid was $2.5 million, 25% below the latest construction estimate. The library will reopen in the summer of 2011.
The historic renovation of the College Terrace Library and adjoining childcare center is nearing completion, and the library will reopen in November 2010. New electrical, heating, and lighting systems have been added; air conditioning has been added; restrooms have been enlarged to improve accessibility; the building has been seismically strengthened; and new landscaping has been added. See the latest project update for pictures of the renovation work.
On August 5, the City Council approved amendments to the contracts of Group 4 Architecture and Turner Construction to develop the design of and construction documents for the renovation and expansion of Main Library. Main is scheduled to close in the winter of 2012 and reopen in the winter of 2013. The improvements to Main include the addition of approximately 4,000 square feet to the current 26,300 sf library. A new wing with restrooms and a 100-person community meeting room will be added. Four small group study rooms will also be added to the building. The interior of the existing library will be reconfigured and totally upgraded with the addition of air conditioning. All the improvements will be made with consideration for the historic nature of the existing building.
The cost of the work at the Mitchell Park Library & Community Center, temporary library, Downtown and Main libraries is funded by the $76 million bond measure (Measure N) passed in November 2008 by Palo Alto voters. In May, 2010, the City Council authorized the first issuance and sale of the Measure N general obligation bond in an amount not to exceed $60 million. In June, the City sold bonds that yielded $58.5 million for these projects. A property tax levy of $17.11 per $100,000 of assessed valuation was established by Council in August to fund the debt service payments on the newly issued bonds. The renovation of the College Terrace Library is funded by $4 million in city infrastructure funds.
The Palo Alto Library Foundation has launched a $6 million campaign to pay for the new furniture, equipment, and books for the bond measure projects. State law prohibits the use of general obligation bond proceeds to fund the purchase of non-capital items.
