Press Release

9 April 2003

COMMUNITY INVITED TO KICK OFF DESIGN FOR NORTHGATE LIBRARY/PARKS PROJECT

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The Seattle Public Library and Seattle Parks and Recreation invite residents to a meeting to kick off the design process for the new library, community center and park in Northgate.

The meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21 at Olympic View Elementary School, 504 N.E. 95th St., auditorium/cafeteria. For more information, call Tim Motzer, Parks project manager, at (206) 684-7060, or David Kunselman, Library project manager, at (206) 386-4096, or visit www.cityofseattle.net/parks/, or www.spl.org.

At the meeting, Library and Parks staff members and designers from The Miller/Hull Partnership will discuss the project and answer questions. Then residents will have an opportunity to describe their vision for the buildings and park, and discuss preferences in services, equipment, programs, library collections, and artwork. Comment forms also will be available.

The project includes building a 10,000-square-foot library, a 20,000-square-foot community center and a 1.67-acre park on the site of the Goodyear store (the former Bon Tire Center) at Fifth Avenue Northeast and Northeast 105th Street and the commercial site one lot north. Two commercial buildings on the property will be demolished.

Until construction starts, the Library will operate the Northgate Temporary Service Site in one of the commercial buildings to help provide service to North Seattle patrons whose branches are closed for “Libraries for All” funded construction. The temporary service site, 10548 5th Ave. N.E., will open Monday, April 28, and will be open 48 hours a week, the same as full-service branches.

Services will include: holds pickup and drop-off; a small, full-range collection available for checkout; books, magazines, newspapers; videos, DVDs, CDs, audio books; and two catalog- and database-only computers (no Internet access). The temporary site will close in 2004 so construction can start on the new community center, library and park, which are expected to be finished in 2005.

Funding for the new facilities comes from several sources.

Voters in 1998 approved the Libraries for All bond measure, which included money to build a new library in Northgate. The $5,139,000 library will include a new collection of 40,200 books and materials, reading and homework areas for children and youth, computers, instruction areas, and a meeting room.

In 1999, Seattle voters approved the community centers levy, which included $8.2 million for a new community center in Northgate. The community center will offer activities such as teen camps, basketball leagues, classes, after-school programs, community meetings, and programs for seniors.

In 2000, Seattle voters approved the Pro Parks Levy, which included nearly $4.4 million for a new park in Northgate. The park will play an important part in addressing the open space needs of the densely developed neighborhood.

For more information about "Libraries for All," visit the Library's Web site at www.spl.org; for more information about the community centers levy, please visit the Parks' Web site at http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/parks/Centers/comcenlevyprog99.htm .

 

(For more information, call Caroline Young Ullmann, Library assistant communications director , at 206-615-1627, or Joelle Ligon, Parks public relations specialist, 206-233-7929.)

 

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07/14/2006

Content modified: 10 April 2003

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