The Library Board on Tuesday voted to approve up to $20,000 to commission a technical report of the former quilt store building at 736 Main St., advancing discussions of the location as a future library but stopping short of endorsing the move.
The payment will allow architects with Multistudio, a Lawrence-based design firm, to evaluate what the cost would be to improve and renovate the building. Board members said they needed more information on potential renovation costs and city parking requirements before they were comfortable looking into purchasing the space.
Board members agreed that whether the board continues looking into the quilt store location or pursues another option, the next library will likely last for decades.
“This is really the library for an entire generation of kids,” board member Amy Jankowski said.
The board toured the space last month and has been continuing to investigate whether purchasing the spot on Main Street is a more viable option than constructing a new building on the library-owned lot across the street from the library.
Board member Eric Magette said Kevin Markley with Mar Lan Construction gave the former quilting store location a once-over and was optimistic about how it would work as a library. Sean Zaudke with Multistudio did basic measurements of the location.
Magette said Laura Lewis, co-chair of the library capital campaign, said funds raised for the capital campaign could be used for the Main Street location.
He said there were a few ways to look into the funding for purchasing the space, should the board reach that point, including grant funding, private fundraising, a bond election or raising the mill levy.
One of the biggest concerns board members had with the potential space was parking. They agreed to communicate with City Commission members about regulations for parking since the only current parking for the space is the on-street city parking.
Board member Tim Pringle said he wanted to see a commitment from the city on allowing less parking before being ready to pursue the space further. Board members agreed to communicate with the City Commission before advancing discussions on the location.
If the city requires the library to have its own lot, it would likely sink the chances for the library in that space due to a lack of available space, board members said.
“If they’re going to require us to have a whole bunch of spaces, it’s a non-starter,” Magette said. “It’s not even possible at that point.”
But Board President Ken Massey said he thinks the pros of the new space outweigh the cons.
“Having a building downtown, in the downtown area, it excites me for the downtown,” he said. “I just think there’s a lot of possibilities with that building.”
Board member Mike Keltner said he’s heard mostly positive views on the Main Street location and that an opportunity to have a space downtown doesn’t come up often.
“I like the size of that building,” he said. “Just wandering through it and thinking, ‘We could do this and we could do this.’ I find that exciting.”
Jankowski expressed reservations about the space, citing the lack of green space. Since the building is part of the downtown area, it doesn’t have open space around it like the current library does, Jankowski said.
She said the space wouldn’t offer the library everything the board may want, and she was worried about making that compromise for a space that could last a long time.
Pringle said the current economic climate was not favorable for the board to get a building bond issue through, which could make the former quilting store space the board’s best bet.
“I think it would be great if we could get a commitment from the city that parking won’t be an issue,” he said. “Then, I’d be for pursuing it.”
Reach reporter Cuyler Dunn at [email protected]
