A new South Branch Library and a new Active Adult Center could end up under one roof on city land along Ryan Road, one of four paths city staff will lay out for the City Council on Oct. 27.
Voters approved both projects in the 2023 bond election: $49,545,000 for the library under Proposition G and $47,360,000 for the senior-focused center under Proposition F, part of a $291,355,000 package that passed Nov. 7, 2023. Three years later, staff are asking the council which way to go before money is spent on design.
The city's 2026-27 budget sets aside $250,000 for each project to cover site and master planning, according to the presentation prepared by the Capital Projects department.
The four options
One building, one site. The library and the adult center would share a facility on a 14.4-acre city-owned lot on Ryan Road, using the combined $96,905,000 voters approved. Staff list savings from sharing one building, cheaper long-term operation and upkeep, and the chance for different generations to mix as benefits, along with the option to sell or reuse the current library property. The drawbacks staff name are whether the location suits both uses and the work of coordinating one design.
Two new buildings on separate sites. The library would still go to the Ryan Road lot, which staff say offers room for outdoor space. The adult center would be built on 16.2 acres the city owns at Mack Park, a central location in the staff summary. Staff list higher long-term operating and maintenance costs as a drawback for each, and the presentation flags the Mack Park site's closeness to the American Legion Hall as a challenge.
Expand where they are now. The current South Branch Library, built in 1994 and renovated in 2009, has 21,516 square feet on a 2.8-acre site. The current adult center dates to 1977, was renovated in 2010 and has 20,620 square feet on roughly 2.5 acres that staff describe as constrained, with a major flood plain. Either renovation could save money on an existing structure, but staff list unknowns in the buildings, tight parking and outdoor space at the library, and a closure of 12 to 15 months for each facility during construction.
Buy or lease an existing building. Staff could look for a centrally located commercial building that could hold one or both programs, which might cut costs and free up both current properties. Renovation surprises and real estate market conditions are the risks listed.
