A bit smaller and missing some of the sexier curves it sported before, Roanoke County’s new main branch library is back on track – and cheaper too. What once came in around $20 million when put out for bids is down to less than $10 million – albeit with a building 9000 sq. ft. smaller and somewhat more traditional in appearance.
But a 250-seat auditorium that had been excised to hold down costs is now back in the picture. The recession has meant contractors and construction companies are more eager to sharpen their pencils, looking for work. The auditorium, a meeting room and a coffee shop all located in a separate wing from the rest of the library can be used even after the rest of the 54,000 sq. ft. facility is closed for the day.
The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors approved the latest version of the library plans last week and a groundbreaking could take place within the next month. Lionberger Construction – headquartered right around the corner from the Merriman Road site – has been awarded the construction job. VDOT will build a roundabout that will slow traffic, beginning next spring.
A bond approved over a year ago included money for the South County library, which now comes in around nine million. There’s enough left over – around $500,000 said Diana Rosapepe, director of library services – that can be used towards replacement of the smallish Glenvar branch library. Rosapepe will formally ask for the Glenvar funds – $6 million was the estimate last year – at the September 8 meeting. Pre-construction engineering for that project will cost around 500K.
As for the new south county library, “we worked really hard to preserve the functions,” said Rosapepe, noting that much of the space cut from the original design will not impact services. Some areas were moved, “but everything is still there that we talked about before.”
Rosapepe calls it “an organically whole library,” that will be energy efficient and will flow nicely inside. A grant will be used by Roanoke County parks and recreation to help build a footpath in wetlands that are located at the bottom of the property where the library will rise. Rosapepe expects to open the doors by March 2011. No decision has been reached as to what will become of the current main branch library on Rt. 419. Serious dialogue about a new south county library started about ten years ago noted Rosapepe.
Eight bids for the new library were all clustered together at bargain prices. “It was a surprise at how low these came in,” said Rosapepe. County taxpayers stand to gain from this unusual positive outcome of the current economic slowdown. “It’s been an up and down ride but now that it’s finally underway we’re really, really excited.”
By Gene Marrano [email protected]
