U.S. Bank has decided not to participate in a mixed-use project in Ballard that would have included a branch of the Seattle Public Library, the Ballard Neighborhood Service Center and a bank branch. Instead, U.S. Bank will move its Ballard branch to a new location.
David Kunselman, Library project manager for the Ballard branch, announced the bank's decision at the July 23 meeting of the Seattle Public Library board of trustees.
"The Library and the bank have been negotiating an agreement to co-locate on the site," Kunselman said. "The bank decided against joining the project."
Linda Larson, Library Board president and board steward for the Ballard branch, said the bank was a good potential partner. "We welcomed their participation in the project and we're sorry they won't be a part of the development," she said.
City Librarian Deborah L. Jacobs said the Library would immediately move into detailed work on the design of the project without the bank.
"We plan to deliver an incredible library that is a wonderful resource to Ballard," Jacobs said. "The bank's decision doesn't change that."
Brian Read, U.S. Bank district manager, said "U.S. Bank is pleased to have been able to participate thus far, but it has been determined that a separate facility will best serve the interests of our customers. By selecting an alternative site it means our new branch will have a permanent home as opposed to a temporary site, which would have been the case during the construction process if we opted to participate in the library location. As a result, a new location will lessen the impact of any interruptions to the library project and our customers."
He said U.S. Bank would make an announcement soon about a new location.
Read added: "As members of the community, I and my colleagues in Ballard continue to offer our support to the project planners as this exciting development comes to fruition."
The Library signed an agreement in September 2001 to buy the bank's property at 22nd Avenue Northwest and Northwest 57th Street for the new library and neighborhood service center. The agreement called for the Library to offer the bank a piece of the new development. The bank had an opportunity in the first stage of design - known as "schematic design" - to review the early design work and decide whether to join the project. The agreement also specified the bank would pay a portion of schematic design fees. U.S. Bank has fulfilled that requirement.
"Since we knew the bank could decide not to pursue co-location, the architects, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, also have worked on forming the project without the bank," said Alexandra Harris, the Library's capital program director. "We'll meet with the community again as we move forward on a revised design."
Ballard residents saw the first images of the new library and neighborhood service center at a meeting in May; current designs also are on display at the existing Ballard Library, 5711 24th Ave. N.W.
As required in the original agreement, the bank will vacate the site by mid-2003; the library and neighborhood service center are expected to open in late 2004.
The new $6.5 million, 15,000-square-foot library will have more seats, an updated collection of 66,700 books and materials, expanded reference areas, larger areas for children and young adults, more computer space, a meeting room and parking. The existing 7,296-square-foot Ballard Library was built in 1963.
The new library is part of the $196.4 million "Libraries for All" bond measure that Seattle voters passed in 1998. The plan calls for improving or replacing all 22 branch libraries, building five new branches and building a new central library. The $72 million Seattle Center/Community Centers levy that Seattle voters passed in 1999 will fund the 3,600-square-foot neighborhood service center.
The Seattle Public Library Foundation is in the midst of a "Campaign for Seattle's Public Libraries" with the goal of raising $77.5 million from private sources to enhance the public bond commitment. Every dollar raised will ensure the library system reflects our community's needs in buildings, books, technology and people, long into the future. For more information about "Libraries for All" or the Foundation, visit the Library's Web site at www.spl.org.
(For more information, call Caroline Young Ullmann, Library communications assistant, 206-615-1627, or Steve Dale, U.S. Bank media relations, 612-973-0898.)
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Content modified: 24 July 2002
12/30/2005
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