Citizens for Sunnyvale Parks & Green Spaces: Nice Libraries for Nice Prices

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

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Deborah Marks is also leader of Sunnyvale Urban Forests Advocates

http://www.SunnyvaleUrbanForestAdvocates.org/

Five very nice libraries costing far less than the nearly $1,000/sq.ft. of the failed 2007 Sunnyvale $108M Bond Issue. That was to tear down Sunnyvale's current library (60,000 sq. ft.) and build a 116,000 sq.ft. library. The same architect (ABA) is doing the "needs" assessment for a new "Civic Center Modernization".

The 5 libraries looked at here totaled $55.5M for 138,900 sq.ft.:

12. Frazier Park Library (2011) - $5.2M - 10,000 sq. ft. - $521/Sq.Ft.

13. Redding (2007) - $18.7M - 55,000 sq.ft. - $340/Sq.Ft.

14. Lincoln (2007) - $14.7M - 38,000 sq. ft. - $387/Sq.Ft.

15. Murietta (2007) - $9.8M - 25,000 sq.ft. - $392/Sq.Ft.

16. Acton/Aqua Dulce (2010) - $7.1M - 10,900 sq.ft. - $653/Sq.Ft.

Previous post in this series here:

http://cspgs.blogspot.com/2015/08/nice-libraries-for-nice-prices-4.html

and the next post here:

http://cspgs.blogspot.com/2015/09/nice-libraries-for-nice-prices-6.html

12. Frazier Park Library - Kern County (2011)

$5.2M / 9,972 Sq. Ft. = $521 / SF

Serving a small rural community of around 14,000 people, replacing a rented space in a strip mall of under 2,000 sq.ft. Rural libraries tend to be more costly on a square foot basis because of the cost of transporting men and material to the site. Note the nice clerestory with an eagle at the entrance.

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Children's Entrance - Click to Enlarge

Children's Room Entrance

Above audit here:

http://www.dof.ca.gov/osae/audit_reports/documents/FinalReportCountyofKernFrazierParkLibraryGrantAuditweb.pdf

News article on the library:

http://www.bakersfield.com/news/2011/10/16/showcase-library-to-open-in-frazier-park.html

13. Redding Public Library (2007)

$18.7M / 55,000 Sq.Ft. = $340/SF
(Green!)

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This 55,000-square-foot public library features: an outdoor community area, an expanded local history area, a 200-seat community room, heritage room, teen center, children’s library and garden, technology training center, book store, coffee bar, and drive-thru book drop. Makes all its own electricity. Many other "Green" design features - see below.

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View of Green Roof over Children's Area
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Drive-Thru Book Return Click to Enlarge

1st Floor Layout - Click To Enlarge

2nd Floor Layout - Click To Enlarge

Energy Conservation for AC

"Green Features: One of the most striking features of the new building is the incorporation of green features. Most prominent among those features is a 7,000 square foot vegetated green roof. The green roof, covering the children's area on the second floor, is planted with indigenous plants, including:

Geranium “Reussell Prichard.”
Oenethera Speciosa.
Briza Media.

(... and many others listed in the links below)

Cooled Water Tanks to Aid AC

"Other green features include:

Photovoltaic power.
thermal energy storage.
Use of recycled and recyclable materials.
“Ice-harvesting system” which “takes advantage of lower electricity costs” by making “ice during off-peak night hours. The ice then is used during the day as part of the air-conditioning system.”

State Audit of CA $12M Bond Money - Click to Enlarge

Above audit from:
http://www.dof.ca.gov/osae/audit_reports/documents/Proposition%2014%20-%20County%20of%20Shasta,%20Redding%20Library,%20September%202007.pdf

Above pictures and text from:
https://libraryarchitecture.wikispaces.com/Redding+Library,+Shasta+Public+Libraries,+Redding,+Cal ifornia
http://www.ci.redding.ca.us/communityservices/library.html
http://shastalibraryfoundation.org/history.htm
http://www.tk1sc.com/projects/civic/redding-public-library/
http://www.prweb.com/releases/Green_Design/Sustainable_Building/prweb2485734.htm

Architect's web page here:
http://www.lpainc.com/projects/redding-library-shasta-county

14. City of Lincoln Twelve Bridges Library (2007)

$14.7M ($16M)/37,872 Sq.Ft. = $387 ($423)/SF

Two prices because the larger one includes $1.35M for "value of land" which was not included in the 2007 Sunnyvale Library bond issue. Lincoln Public Library opened on Saturday, October 20, 2007. Situated on a 65 acre site in the 12 Bridges Development, the library is the first completed building of a partnering effort between Sierra College and the Western Placer Unified School District--other buildings will include a high school and a satellite college campus.

The new library, which is 37,872 square feet and approximately 17 times larger than the 2300 square foot Carnegie Library it replaced, is a state of the art library that includes expanded collections for seniors, children, teens, parents, and members of the Spanish Community; study carrels; Homework Center; Computer Lab; Business and Career Information Centers and a teen area with specialized exhibits, collections, computers, and specialized listening and viewing equipment to support teen needs.

Statue of Girl Reading

Replaced the Old Carnegie Library from 1911

Above excerpted from CA audit report:
http://www.dof.ca.gov/osae/audit_reports/documents/FinalReportCityofLincolnTwelveBridgesLibraryAuditWEB-BA.pdf

The architect was NTDStichler,Inc whose web site is no longer available.

15. City of Murietta (2007)

$9.8M/25,000 Sq.Ft. = $392/SF

A joint-use library for the public and schools.

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On Saturday, March 17, 2007, the new Murrieta Public Library was opened. The 24,951 square foot library is 6 times the size of its predecessor and includes 3 group study rooms, quiet reading areas, a community meeting room, an area for families to share books with pre-school children, space for the Friends of the Library, 42 public access computers and an indoor and outdoor fireplace. Note the protected green courtyard.

http://www.library.ca.gov/newsletter/2007/2007summer/new.html

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Above CA state audit from:
http://www.dof.ca.gov/osae/prior_bond_audits/documents/BondsGCSLCityofMurrietaPropostion14June2009.pdf

The architect of record was Carrier Johnson which (being a huge corporation) only includes their biggest projects. This isn't one of them - so no nice pictures from them.

16. LA County, Acton/Agua Dulce (2010)
$7.1M / 10,874 Sq.Ft. = $653/SF

This serves a remote rural community and has a joint use agreement with the schools. Rural libraries tend to be more costly on a square foot basis because of the cost of transporting men and material to the site.