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More than 30 community members attended this meeting to discuss current schematic design for the new Montlake Branch. Alexandra Harris, capital program director for The Seattle Public Library, started the meeting with welcoming comments and introductions of Gilbert W. Anderson, Library Board trustee and Montlake Branch steward; Claudia McCain, director of neighborhood libraries; Val Frye, Library branch transition manager; Justine Kim, Library capital projects manager for the Montlake Branch; Brian Bannon, Montlake Branch manager; Ed Weinstein, Richard Yancey and Christiane Pein, Weinstein A/U Architects + Urban Designers, the design team; Rebecca Cummins, branch artist; Ellen Judson and Suzanne Kotz from the Citizen Implementation Review Panel (CIRP); Barb Swift of Swift and Co. (landscape architect); and Ellen Santarelli and Lyle Bicknell, who served as community representatives for the Library’s architect selection process.
Ed Weinstein and Richard Yancey discussed and showed illustrations of the current schematic design. Weinstein addressed the challenges posed by the site, including the significant topographical slope, the need to create a civic building that’s visible and recognizable to pedestrians and drivers, and the scale of the building as determined by the site. He outlined the different features of the three considered site plans and presented the preferred site plan, with parking below the main reading room. The team explained parking access, outdoor areas and three different program components – the reading room, community space and staff workspace – in relation to the two entries at the lobby.
Residents asked the following questions:
Q. Will the bus stop be moved?
A. No move is currently planned, however the Library could discuss
such a move with Metro, if desired.
Q. Where is the main pedestrian entrance?
A. There are two entrances – an upper entrance on the west side
and a lower entrance along 24th Avenue East. Residents will have a choice about
which
entrance to use, depending on the direction of approach. The upper
entrance will probably be used most frequently by children from the elementary
school
or nearby residents to the west.
Q. Will the west entrance be inviting, or feel like crossing a parking lot?
A. The entrance will be designed to feel
like an entry court, and to provide a place for deliveries. Paving and landscaping
will minimize the
impact of the two adjacent parking stalls.
Q. Can there be northbound access to the garage off 24thAvenue East?
A. We will look at the effects on traffic and Seattle Department
of Transportation (SDOT) preferences and requirements. A left turn into the
garage may be possible and will be explored.
Q. Will cars cause increased circulation in the neighborhood?
A. The branch will meet the code requirement for number of parking
stalls, and we will work with residents and SDOT to review any traffic concerns.
Q. Is there a way to let drivers know if the garage is full before they pull
inside?
A. We will investigate ways to respond so people can tell. It may
be possible to place an electronic sign on the exterior, which would indicate
if the garage is full.
Barbara Swift then spoke about the landscaping and site design, including taking advantage of the view opportunities presented by the site, with the use of layered landscapes. Richard Yancey explained the floor plan and elevations.
Artist Rebecca Cummins gave an overview of her past work, including her background in photography and her recent work exploring cameras obscura, and said she would present her ideas for branch artwork at a future public meeting.
Q. The architects were asked to comment on how design fits character of neighborhood.
A. Architects took into account the difference between specific site
context and circumstances of other neighborhood structures. It is a transitional
building between its neighbor businesses and residences. It is respectful
in scale to houses to the west. The architects believe using an enlarged
bungalow style would be a mistake, since that form would be inappropriate
to the scale of the library building. The design is specific to the situation
of this particular site.
Q. Is Rebecca Cummins’ art the only art?
A. Cummins’ art is the 1 Percent for Art element. We will look to see
if there are other location opportunities for art placement in addition to
Cummins’ work.
Q. Have you thought about putting a bus stop at the Library?
A. We will discuss it with Metro Transit. Other businesses might
like to have the stop moved to the library. The Library can also look into
curb parking, which could have the effect of calming traffic.
Q. I appreciate the treatment to the west as the project meets the residential
area. How can transition ideas be applied to the north boundary?
A. North is like a reverse corner lot; the
proposed plan keeps the Library from building too close to the neighboring residential
lot. Unlike
businesses that build to the street, the library is set back to feel
like it has a front yard. Also, landscaping in back provides a buffer. The project
is meeting existing grades all around.
Q. In selecting plant species, it would be great to
tie into the school’s
native plant project.
A. We will investigate habitat advantages,
and look at aesthetic, maintenance and drought tolerance issues. We are challenged
to come up with
plantings of interest throughout the year. A garden club or the Library
could maintain planting beds.
Q. Concern was expressed over the quantity of glass possibly feeling cold.
Also, does the amount of glass raise energy concerns?
A. The architects chose a module of smaller panes to give it a more
human scale. Extensive use of wood surfaces provides a sense of warmth.
Heat gain and loss factors have been studied, and an exterior sunshade is being
proposed. A type of window covering may be installed inside. The
architects
felt the tall bookcases might contribute to the possibility of the
space feeling claustrophobic – windows will help. Glass will be insulated
(possibly triple glazed) for acoustic and thermal performance. We will be able
to show
more detail at design development, which we hope will address your
concerns.
Gilbert W. Anderson discussed next steps for the project, saying the library would provide another design update for the community around September, toward the end of the design development phase. The projected construction start is first or second quarter of 2004, with a projected opening in 2005. In response to a request, Harris said plans would be available at the current branch as well as on the Library’s Web site at www.spl.org. A suggestion was made to explore the possibility of posting plans in neighboring businesses.
Harris reminded attendees this is a good time to submit public comments. The further along in the design process, the less flexibility there is to make changes to the design.
The meeting was concluded with a reminder to send comments to Library staff members or e-mail the capital program office at capital.program@spl.org. People can also contact Justine Kim, Library project manager, at 615-1329 or by e-mail at justine.kim@spl.org. The meeting ended at 8:30 p.m.
Content Modified: Content Modified:19 June 2003
08/11/2006
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