Nice Libraries for Nice Prices - 1

By Michael Goldman, co-founder with Deborah Marks, of Citizens for Sunnyvale Parks and Green Spaces

Deborah Marks is also leader of Sunnyvale Urban Forests Advocates
http://www.SunnyvaleUrbanForestAdvocates.org/

In a previous blog post, I gave charts on cost per square foot from data downloaded from the California government.  That post is here:

http://cspgs.blogspot.com/2015/08/library-costs-build-new-vs-renovation.html

The next library in this series is here:

http://cspgs.blogspot.com/2015/08/nice-libraries-for-nice-prices-2.html

That $500/SF state average compares with the nearly $1,000 / sq.ft. asked of Sunnyvale voters in a 2007 bond issue.  The same architectural firm Anderson Brule Architects (ABA) that made the assessment then is now making the "needs" assessment for a new library, public safety building, and city hall.

1.  Oakland's 81st Street Library (2011)

 $10.02M / 28,112 Sq.Ft.= $356 / SF

Figure 1 - Click to Enlarge

Here I look at the total cost of the 81st Street branch library constructed in 2011 in Oakland, CA for well under $500/sq.ft.

These include "soft costs" like architectural and engineering fees but not books and computers.  Computers typically run under $1,000 each so 40 computers is $40K.  Books typically run around $1M and $2M for a library this size if you have to stock a brand new library - obviously much less if you have a pre-existing collection.

Oakland's 81st Street Library - the largest branch in the Oakland Public Library System at 28,000 square feet (SF) was built at a cost of $10.02M = $375 / SF.  Typically, furnishings and computers add roughly $1M to this and collections (books, magazines, etc.) for this sized library add another $1.5M so altogether we're looking at $12.5M or $445/sq.ft.  It is the largest branch library in the Oakland Library system, not counting the main library.

As you can see, the cost of $445 per square foot did not mean a library which was in any way less than wonderful.  It is also a joint use library with two adjacent public schools.

Here are a number of pictures (click on photo to enlarge) from the online architectural magazine at: http://architypereview.com/project/81st-avenue-branch-library/ 

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From the annual report "The Koret Computer Lab, equipped with 30 computers, is used by ACORN Woodland and EnCompass Academy during and after school. Classes and after-school programs use the Lab for FastForward, a literacy instruction software product, each day. In addition, teachers make appointments for their classes to use the Lab for one-time or regular visits. The instructional activity depends on the grade level: 2nd graders learn typing; 3rd graders get online instruction; 4th and 5th graders work on individual reports." More information in the annual report here:
http://www.fopl.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/81st-Ave-Anniversary-Report.pdf

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Library circulation in the Oakland library overall increased when this branch was opened.  That is, the new branch library saw a large circulation which added to the overall Oakland Library circulation, without any decrease in that of other branch libraries - so closer access meant more people getting books.  57% of the circulation was for kid's books.

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Some more pictures of the library like the one below on Yelp:
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/81st-avenue-branch-library-oakland

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Here is the audit of the library construction costs by the CA Dept of Finance in 2011.  It came to $10M total including all soft costs except furnishing and library material which added another $2.5M.

The above are from the audit document here:
http://www.dof.ca.gov/osae/audit_reports/documents/FinalReport-CityofOakland81stAvenueBranchLibraryProposition14GrantAuditBA.pdf

The library serves an economically disadvantaged population and also serves free lunch to kids when school is not in session.  It also offers an adult literacy program and classes to help in job seeking.

Before the library was constructed, the architects made a 2 minute 3D walk-through of the proposed building found here: http://www.g4arch.com/projects/oplvideo.aspx
or on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcrAxQzCF1k
or click on the embedded video here:



Web site showing this architectural firm's libraries:
http://www.g4arch.com/projects/

All the libraries awarded CA 2000 Library Bond grants are listed here with all documentation links:
http://www.library.ca.gov/grants/lba2000/docs/OLCProjects.pdf