New Central Library to go in East Village?

[shermanator]

The Herald has learned the City will vote on building a new central library in the East Village, close to the new National Music Centre. $175 million from property taxes will fund the library. The current central library was built in the 60s, and is crumbling and requires $53 million in repairs. Thoughts on tax money going to this?

The transformation could be most striking on an 8th Avenue spot alongside the LRT tunnel that was dubbed "crack cul-desac" until the past few years of police crackdown.


Barring a change of heart at council Monday, the library will span from that corner to 3rd Street, and offer easy access from the new City Hall twin stations.


There's also planning in the works to restore the long-broken Stephen Avenue pedestrian link through City Hall that was originally supposed to be preserved when the blue glassy complex was built in the 1980s.

Link: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Ce...#ixzz1SwLQWmJO

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by shermanator

The Herald has learned the City will vote on building a new central library in the East Village, close to the new National Music Centre. $175 million from property taxes will fund the library. The current central library was built in the 60s, and is crumbling and requires $53 million in repairs. Thoughts on tax money going to this?

Link: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Ce...#ixzz1SwLQWmJO

Its a damn good idea.

[JustAnotherGuy]

How else would they pay for it?

I just wish they never built the drop in centre where they did. I am curious to see how the east village grows over the next few years and how they handle the effect of the drop in centre people wandering around there.

[Puppet Guy]

A new central library is the kind of thing that tax money should be used for; the Castell Library was obsolete decades ago.

I personally think the old planetarium site would be better.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

A new central library is the kind of thing that tax money should be used for; the Castell Library was obsolete decades ago.

I personally think the old planetarium site would be better.

It would have been nice, but it wasn't feasible for a couple reasons.

[octothorp]

Yeah, it's a necessary project, and there's only one place you're going to get the bulk of the money from; that said, $175 million is about $40 million more than the figures I was hearing. This really does raise expectations: if you're paying that sort of price-tag, then the result really does need to be 'world class'. The recently-completed Seattle Public Library - which definitely goes into the world-class category - cost that city's taxpayers $165 million, plus contributions from private sponsors ($20 million from Gates alone) and other levels of government. So a similar ballpark. I really look forward to seeing more details (and the architecture) start to emerge, although I'm not looking forward to reading comments in the Sun when some fancy Euro architect gets picked to do it.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Yeah, it's a necessary project, and there's only one place you're going to get the bulk of the money from; that said, $175 million is about $40 million more than the figures I was hearing. This really does raise expectations: if you're paying that sort of price-tag, then the result really does need to be 'world class'. The recently-completed Seattle Public Library - which definitely goes into the world-class category - cost that city's taxpayers $165 million, plus contributions from private sponsors ($20 million from Gates alone) and other levels of government. So a similar ballpark. I really look forward to seeing more details (and the architecture) start to emerge, although I'm not looking forward to reading comments in the Sun when some fancy Euro architect gets picked to do it.

Guarantee you there won't be a 'starchitect' from Europe, or anywhere else, on this one.

[Bunk]

^ There clearly will be a design competition determining the architect of the project. That may or may not result in a well known architect designing the project.

There's also talk of combining another cultural project with the library - but that all depends of funding from the province/feds.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Bunk

^ There clearly will be a design competition determining the architect of the project. That may or may not result in a well known architect designing the project.

There's also talk of combining another cultural project with the library - but that all depends of funding from the province/feds.

There may be a design competition, I agree. But I will put money down right now on the fact that the prime consultant will not be a 'starchitect'.

[Bunk]

Also, the project is estimated to be $225-$250 Million. $175 million of which is now funded - $40m from an allocation set aside in 2004 by Bronconnier - and now another $135m from this new Community Investment fund.

There is still a funding 'gap' of $50-$75m.

http://agendaminutes.calgary.ca/sire...1020758905.PDF

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Muta

There may be a design competition, I agree. But I will put money down right now on the fact that the prime consultant will not be a 'starchitect'.

Sure, I mean the odds of a Foster, Calatrava, Rogers, Libeskind, Gehry or the like even entering the competion seems small.

The ideal scenario would be to see this project as the design that really puts an up and comer on the map.

[Table 5]

Considering what Bing Thom produced with his Epcor Center proposal, I'd love to see him get a crack at the library. Although having said that I really hope the Peace bridge fiasco doesn't mean Calgary is shying away from international star power.

In the end, all I ask for is that we don't get Gaged in any single way, no matter how small the contribution.

[shermanator]

Couldn't agree more with the sentiment in this thread. Sounds like East Village will be a cultural hub of sorts in the coming years.

[Bonded]

Go library go! I never oppose tax money being spent in these kinds of manners, a boon for all Calgarians

[Sr. Mints]

I don't really care where it goes, frankly, as long as it's centrally located (downtown). I want to see some shovels hit the dirt sooner rather than later, though.

The old science center location was my preferred location, but that's for entirely selfish reasons.

[Bonded]

Nah, they should build it bu Cross-Irons to really give Edmonton a bigger FU

[Hack&Lube]

Why do we need a library? The Calgary Public Library system NEVER has books I need when I look for them. I have to goto the UofC or order from Amazon or Ebay or online or just use Google Books. They should just make downtown wide WiFi for that kind of money.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Why do we need a library? The Calgary Public Library system NEVER has books I need when I look for them. I have to goto the UofC or order from Amazon or Ebay or online or just use Google Books. They should just make downtown wide WiFi for that kind of money.

A library is about a lot more than books.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Now i can get my heroin and my library books in 1 quick trip. Awesome news!

[Bonded]

Hmm, nothing like tweaking out while listening to books-on-tape