Small Town News

City library renovations to begin soon

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The long-awaited renovation to the Elsie S. Hogan Library continues to move forward.

On July 31, the architectural design plans were presented for review to the city's contract firm, W.C. Scoutten, Inc., a Goody ear-based municipal planning and engineering consulting firm.

At its March 16 meeting, the Willcox City Council had awarded a contract for more than $30,000 to the architectural firm of Dick & Fritsche Design Group.

From a list of 274 possible candidates, DFDG was chosen based on their request for qualifications submittal "and their wide range of experience in library design/build and renovation project," Library Director Tom Miner said at the time.

"We expect that to be completed very soon, at which time DFDG will make the final corrections, and we will then be ready to go out to bid," Miner said last week.

During her July 6 presentation to the council, DFDG Architect and Vice President Staci Seyer referred to her June 22 meeting with 12 members of various Willcox groups and organizations, as well as the firm's CEO Mike Schmidt, to come up with the final architectural design plans for the renovation project.

She explained that the former council chambers would be renovated "to provide additional space for teens, children, and meeting space."

Seyer told the council that the proposed plan highlights include:

An enclosed study room;

Receiving/storage for staff work area;

Meeting room that can accommodate two groups simultaneously;

Enclosed children's area, close to the meeting room, for Story Time;

Enclosed teen area; and

New entry vestibule.

The dimensions of the proposed meeting room are 20 x 27, with the "capacity to seat 40 people in 'theater style' set-up with adjacent AV storage," she said.

The teen area will be 20 x 20 - some 40 percent larger than the existing area, said Seyer, adding that the new children's area - at 15 x 20 - will be 70 percent. larger.

A 14 x 10 study room is proposed with a capacity for three to four people and one table.

The expanded staff area will be 15 x 20, and includes anew receiving area and space for a staff restroom, she said.

Mayor Sam Lindsey asked if any parking spaces are planned for the east side of the library, to which Seyer replied that a few spaces are planned to the north.

Lindsey commented that more parking is available across the street at the old police department building.

Miner explained that staff would move their parking to the west side to free up the east side parking.

Councilman Woody Johnson asked about parking spaces for the disabled, to which Seyer replied that it would be worked out during the renovation project.

At the March 16 meeting, Miner said that the cost to the city would be $29,885, plus options totaling $2,000 if chosen, and $960 for additional site visit, if required.

"Costs are still pretty 'fluid' at this point, until the final bids for the whole project are received in August," Miner said last week. "But we hope very soon to give the citizens of the community a new library floor plan, designed with various 'add options' built in, that they can all be very proud of for many, many years to come."

The three-month long construction process could begin as soon as November and end in February, Miner told the Range News.



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© 2009 Arizona Range News Willcox, Arizona. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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