The Piazza library will fit within city’s budget | The Best Case

Published 4:11 pm Friday, July 20, 2012

By LAURIE BEDEN

co-chair, People for the Piazza Park Library

Aug. 7 you have the opportunity to vote on a very important issue facing our city: the location of our downtown library, either at the existing over-the-river site or west of the Piazza site. While the current location over the Cedar River is beautiful and nostalgic, here is why the library should be relocated west of the Piazza.

First and foremost, if the library is located west of the Piazza downtown, the Cedar River building will not be destroyed, abandoned or sold. It will continue as a public-use building for years to come. At the request of the city, the Liberty Park Library Citizens Steering Committee recommended alternative uses for the building. The most popular recommended were an environmental interpretive center and an arts and cultural center. The committee concluded the space should be used to enhance our public activities and events. We couldn’t agree more. The beautiful iconic building we all love will stay in use and continue to serve our community and families.

Second, the cost of moving the library west of the Piazza will be less than keeping it at the current location. Two professional cost estimates range from more than $10 million to more than $13 million to renovate the over- the-river library. When you begin to tear down walls, you never know what surprises await. Cost overruns due to the complexity of construction over the river, delays for permitting and lawsuits could impact the true cost of keeping the library where it is. The library would be closed an estimated two years during reconstruction.

Why cost is important

The City of Renton issued $18 million in bonds to build TWO libraries: the new 15,000-square-foot Highlands branch and a new downtown branch.  The Piazza site is budgeted at $9.1 million and the Highlands is budgeted at $10.1 million. The more it costs to renovate the Cedar River library, the larger the impact on the funds available for the TWO libraries. The city has spent $1 million in land acquisition and design fees already, leaving only $17 million to cover $23.3 million if the over-the-river library is retained! The need to “value engineer,” or cut corners, for the two buildings will result in bare-bones facilities compared to what would be available with the original budget. Voting for west-of-the-Piazza location, Renton citizens will have two 21st-century libraries AND retain the over the river building for little more than the approximate cost to renovate the existing structure.

Location, location, location

The highly visible site west of the Piazza provides easy and equal access for all. It will help revitalize downtown Renton. Three new small businesses have recently located nearby in anticipation of the new Piazza library. The site is located close to the transit core, maximizing access to public transportation and there is ample parking: 40 onsite spots plus on-street parking and over 500 parking spots in the nearby parking garage. The Piazza site is close to community events and downtown businesses, such as the farmers market, car show and holiday celebrations. It is also close to two schools and offers much-needed services to Renton High School and St. Anthony’s students.

The Cedar River building is a source of Renton pride and we appreciate the passion surrounding this issue. We as Renton citizens are voting not only for ourselves, but for generations to come. The Cedar River building will remain over the river. We need the library relocated downtown, west of the Piazza, to ensure that every generation will have equal access to state-of-the-art library services at a price Renton can afford.

Laurie Beden is co-chair of the People for the Piazza Park Library.