AGENDA #6.1
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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
Bill Letteri, Public Works Director |
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SUBJECT: |
Presentation of Conceptual Plan for the Library Expansion Plan |
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DATE: |
May 18, 2007 |
Tonight, the design team of Corley Redfoot and Zack will present the conceptual design for the expansion of the Chapel Hill Library. The purpose of this presentation is to seek input and comments from the Council to be considered in future phases of the design process.
In 2002, the Town contracted with Robert H. Rohlf of Professional Library Consultants, P.A., to develop a recommended building program for effective library service for the Chapel Hill Public Library through the year 2025. Adopted by the Town Council in 2003, the building program recommended a facility of 75,000 square feet, based on statistical and planning information regarding the library, its Five Year Plan, population served, and input on the part of the Library Board and staff of the Town of Chapel Hill.
In 2003, Chapel Hill residents approved a $16.23 million library expansion bond.
In 2004, the Town Council appointed a Library Building Committee (LBC) to select an architect, and then work with the architect through the design process. The LBC includes representatives from the Town Council, Library Board, the Library Foundations, Parks and Recreation Commission, citizens and neighbors, and the Public Arts Commission. The work of the committee was supported by Town staff, including the Manager’s Office, the Library and the Public Works, Parks & Recreation and Planning departments.
In the summer of 2006, the design team of Corley Redfoot & Zack Inc. and Robert M. Stern and Associates were engaged, and they have begun work on the design of the expansion in accordance with the Council adopted building program referenced above.
Since late fall, the design team, working with the LBC, has completed the “preliminary design” phase of the design process. The objective of this phase is to study existing site and building conditions, study and verify programmatic needs, and develop a conceptual plan that addresses site, building and parking needs in accordance with the approved design principles developed by the LBC. The LBC reviewed the conceptual plan on May 18th, and their comments will be provided as part of tonight’s presentation.
Following tonight’s presentation, the design team will incorporate the Council’s comments into the drawings, which will then be presented to the Community Design Commission on June 7, 2007 as part of the regulatory review process.
The plan is scheduled for concept plan review by the Council on June 18th.
Once approved by Council, the design team will commence with the Special Use Permit process, including detailed plans for submittal to Town advisory boards and commissions.
We anticipate bidding the project in the spring of 2008, and beginning construction in late summer or early fall 2008.
We believe the proposed plan meets the fundamental guiding principles of the expansion program in a way that is, at once, efficient, aesthetically sensitive, minimally disruptive to the park, sustainable, and affordable. We recommend that the Council provide comments to the project design team to be considered in future phases of the design process