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Jill Jean, director of public services for the Library, opened the meeting with welcoming comments. Jean introduced Michael Parham, Library Board steward for the Magnolia Branch; David Kunselman, Library senior capital projects manager; and Emerich Hlava, Magnolia Branch manager. Kunselman encouraged attendees to share their ideas and feedback with the design team.
Kunselman reviewed the history of the Magnolia Branch project, and introduced David Strauss from Snyder Hartung Kane Strauss, architects for the renovation and expansion of the Magnolia Branch. Strauss introduced the rest of his team: Jonathan Hartung, Tristin Pagenkopf and Chris Armes. Strauss discussed the building design, shared images of the design work to date and briefly reviewed the options considered in adding to the original building. The original building employs the theme of a trellis carved out of the natural landscape, and Strauss noted that sensitivity to the landmarked design by architect Paul Kirk is key to the project. The design touches the original building very lightly and preserves the landscaping, which is also landmarked. The design for the expansion creates an axis to the west, which is reminiscent of the main entry corridor. A view to a small garden is provided through a transparent link between the original building and the expansion. Kunselman next introduced Kim Baker of the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, who discussed the process of selecting an artist for the branch, and Baker encouraged members of the community to contact branch staff if they are interested in serving on an artist selection advisory panel. Kunselman also introduced Library staff members Claudia McCain, Barbara Warden, Val Frye and Paula Herman, and Gary Frisch, Citizen Implementation Review Panel member.
Following the presentation the public asked questions of various staff members and the architect:
Q. What are the dimensions of the addition?
A. 19 feet wide by 29 feet 3 ¼ inches long by 19 feet 4 inches high.
Q. What was the basis of the design decision regarding the height of
the addition?
A. The addition, which is 19 feet 4 inches tall, is shorter than the 35 feet
the city allows in this zone. The height of the addition is related to the height
of the original building. The addition was designed to have a sense of scale
of its own, which creates a sense of public space. The cedar trees on the neighboring
property serve as a screen.
Q. Will there be carpeting in the building? (Patron suggested researching
alternative flooring to serve children with severe allergies.)
A. Carpeting is used in most public branch areas because it reduces noise and
is a soft surface for children. No decision regarding floor covering for the
branch has been made; this will be discussed during the next phase of design
and the design team will consider alternative flooring options. The pre-design
study budgeted for hard surfaces, but the design team is aware of acoustical
concerns that will have to be taken into consideration.
Q. How will this building withstand an earthquake? (Patron commented
that she was in the branch at the time of the last earthquake and it seemed
to hold up well.)
A. Kunselman replied that he was dispatched to the building following the earthquake,
and said that the branch’s wood frame structure performed well. The building
is light and its flexibility is an asset. A seismic study has been done and
the results are good.
Q. What is the current plan for glass in the building?
A. The plan is to replace the current windows with insulated glass, with a film
coat to reduce heat in the building. The Landmarks Board will be looking closely
at the glass plan. While the building is landmarked, the modern detailing may
allow flexibility, though the distinct lines between the windows will be retained.
Q. What is the plan for heating and cooling the meeting room?
A. Paul Kirk included air conditioning in the original building design. The
design team will consider alternative systems such as passive ventilation in
addition to air conditioning in the meeting room. The deep overhangs in Kirk’s
design are crucial in shading the sun.
Q. How many parking spaces will there be after the renovation, and how
many will be set aside for people with disabilities?
A. Currently there are 15 parking spaces. After the renovation, there will be
five spaces including one that is ADA van accessible. The current plan includes
creating wide stalls for more ease of access. Once the Opportunity Fund was
approved to expand the building, the inevitable result was a decrease in parking.
We looked at locating the addition to the north but it didn’t work well
for sight lines and created security and safety issues at the branch. The parking
issues are being carefully considered. Heffron Transportation has been contracted
to perform a transportation study to determine if there are impacts on the neighborhood.
The results of the study will be shared during the next public meeting. The
Department of Planning and Development (DPD) also will review the results before
it issues permits.
Q. What about encouraging use of the staircase entrance from 34th Avenue
West?
A. We plan to thin the existing landscaping and open the view to the grand staircase.
There is plenty of parking on 34th, so people could walk to the stairs to enter
the building.
Q. Is shelf space increasing, and will the collection be improving?
A. Shelf space will remain the same, but the interior spaces will be redesigned
so they are more efficient and usable. The collection will be updated as part
of the renovation.
Q. Will the meeting notes be posted to the Web?
A. Yes. The schematic design drawings also will be posted to the Web and will
be available at the branch, along with comment forms.
Michael Parham thanked those attending for their comments and questions, which he said would be helpful to the Library as the project progressed, and reviewed the next steps for the project. The design team will make a presentation to the Library Board on June 22, and the Library will hold a community meeting again at the end of the design development phase to share further design progress with residents. At that meeting the architects will have elevations of the building and information on the interiors.
David Kunselman thanked people for their comments and encouraged people to view the model, talk to the architects, and fill out and submit comment forms, which would be shared with the Library Board and the design team.
Comments can be directed to the capital program office at capital.program@spl.org and to David Kunselman, Library project manager, at 386-4096 or by e-mail at david.kunselman@spl.org. Comment forms also are available on the Library’s Web site at www.spl.org and at the branch.
Content Modified: 9 July 2006
07/07/2006
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