New Central Library Project: The New Central Library Project continues to gather momentum with every passing day, it seems. At last month’s Library Commission meeting, held on Monday, September 28, 2009, representatives from the joint venture design team of Lake/Flato Architects with Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott, along with Public Works and Library Facilities Services staff members, made a presentation to the Commissioners on the progress of the project thus far and what actions should be anticipated in the weeks and months to come. On Wednesday, October 7, 2009 and Tuesday, October 8, 2009, library planners from both architectural firms of the design team joint venture interviewed various division managers whose work forces will operate the New Central Library. More staff interviews are anticipated to be conducted by the architects over the next several weeks in an effort to wrap up the programming phase of the project. A series of public input meetings have been scheduled and are now being widely advertised which will enable Austin’s citizens to share their visions and ideas for the New Central Library with the project architects. These meetings will take place from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. each night on the following dates and at the identified locations:

• Tuesday, October 27, 2009 ~ Manchaca Road Branch Library (5500 Manchaca Road)
• Wednesday, October 28, 2009 ~ Daniel E. Ruiz Branch Library (1600 Grove Blvd.)
• Thursday, October 29, 2009 ~ City Hall/Council Chambers (301 W. Second St.)
• Tuesday, November 10, 2009 ~ George Washington Carver Branch Library (1161 Angelina St.)
• Thursday, November 12, 2009 ~ North Village Branch Library (2505 Steck Avenue)

A teen focus group meeting to provide design input to the process has also been scheduled on Wednesday, November 11, 2009, from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Austin High School. In related developments, a Pre-submittal Meeting was held on Thursday, October 8, 2009 for involved staff and the three firms now short-listed for the New Central Library Construction Manager at Risk Phase II Selection Process, and on Friday, October 23, 2009, the Final Evaluation Meeting will be conducted to rank the responders to the New Central Library Project Commissioning Agent Request for Qualifications. The project schedule for the New Central Library now stands as follows:

• November, 2009 ~ Programming & Citizen/Stakeholder Input Process Completed
• November, 2009 ~ Design Phase Initiated
• December, 2009 ~ Council Award of Commissioning Agent Contract
• January, 2010 ~ Council Award of Construction Manager at Risk Contract
• March, 2010 ~ Commissioning Agent Contract Executed
• April, 2010 ~ Construction Manager at Risk Contract Executed
• Spring, 2010 ~ Schematic Design Completed (30% Complete Design Package Delivered)
• Library Commission Briefed
• Council Approval Sought
• Early Fall, 2010 ~ Design Development Completed (60% Complete Design Package Delivered)
• Library Commission Briefed
• Council Approval Sought
• Late Spring/Early Summer, 2011 ~ Guaranteed Maximum Price Determined and Approved by Council
• Summer, 2011 ~ Design Phase Completed
• Fall, 2011 ~ Guaranteed Maximum Price Finalized and Approved by Council
• Fall, 2011 ~ Building Permits Received
• Fall, 2011 ~ Groundbreaking Ceremony
• Winter, 2011 ~ Construction Begins
• Fall, 2013 ~ Construction Completed
• Spring, 2014 ~ Grand Opening

Twin Oaks Branch Library Replacement Project: The construction of the new Twin Oaks Branch Library is proceeding apace at the moment. The main electric service panel and the electric meter have both been set, and following the final electrical inspections, permanent power was provided to the building. Achieving this benchmark is now allowing the air-conditioning units to be started up to provide climate control for the interior spaces. Establishing complete interior climate control will permit the flooring to be first delivered to the site and then installed. In the meantime, a number of tasks are being attended to, including construction of the whimsical “crooked house entryway” to the Children’s Area, various millwork installations throughout the facility, testing the fire alarm system, and cleaning and sealing the exposed wood trusses. Ongoing exterior work at this time includes completing the rainwater harvesting system, continuing work on the dry creek bed, installation of the gas meter, forming/pouring the final concrete needed at the building and finishing the site’s sidewalks. The most recent construction schedule received from the contractor establishes substantial completion of the project as being achieved by February 22, 2010. The Library Department will studiously monitor the contractor’s progress in completing construction so that the Twin Oaks lease space library may be closed at the optimal date to allow the collection to be relocated to the new facility. Based on the latest contractor schedule received, however, it may not prove feasible to celebrate the Grand Opening of the new Twin Oaks Branch Library until sometime near the end of April, 2010.

Howson Branch Library Reroof Project: While the roof replacement and the asbestos abatement at the Howson Branch of the Austin Public Library located at 2500 Exposition Boulevard proceeded as planned and according to schedule, the interior remodeling of this fifty-year old building has proven to be especially challenging. Library Facilities Services staff have uncovered a number of hidden conditions within the building, such as moisture intrusion in the foundation, which will delay the reopening of the facility until April of 2010. This unfortunate delay constitutes a great inconvenience to our customers, but it is necessary to redress the problem now in a lasting manner so that the building can be safely returned to public use. It is hoped that the fully renovated, asbestos-free library with its increased public space, enlarged computer area, improved internet connectivity, enhanced audiovisual presentation equipment for the meeting room, new air-conditioning units, a rainwater harvesting system, and a fully accessible handicapped entrance/exit to the parking lot will prove to be worth waiting for prior to it being restored to use by the community it was built to serve.

Cepeda Music Garden Project: Cotera & Reed Architects has recently reconfirmed to the Library Department that they are very close to completing the Construction Drawings and Specifications Documents contracted by the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation. These 100% complete Construction Drawings and Specification Manuals are necessary in order that this long anticipated art project may be advertised by the City of Austin for contractor proposals.

Security Camera Installation Project: The Communications and Technology Management Department's vendor, TAC Systems Integration Group, has ordered and is awaiting shipment of the video surveillance equipment which they will be responsible for installing at various library locations. TAC Systems Integration Group has likewise ordered the security cameras, acquired at a discounted price, which Library staff members from the Information Systems and Facilities Services divisions will be installing at the remaining library locations. All of the ordered video surveillance equipment, including the security cameras, will be delivered to the City of Austin before the end of current month, October, 2009, so that this pressing personnel and property protection project can be carried through to successful completion as soon as may prove possible.

Zaragoza Warehouse Fire Suppression Sprinkle System Upgrade Project: The final PER (Preliminary Engineering Report) for the existing fire suppression sprinkler system at the Zaragoza Warehouse is due to the City of Austin from the contracted Mechanical Electrical Plumbing (MEP) engineering firm on Monday, October 19, 2009. The Library Department will then review the report and determine which of the system upgrade options presented are both financially feasible and most conducive to providing comprehensive fire protection for its primary storage facility. Upon completion of the department’s review and correction of the PER , the contracted MEP firm will be notified to proceed on or about October 27, 2009 with the Design Phase for a new integrated fire suppression sprinkler system for the Zaragoza Warehouse.

Austin History Center Wheelchair Lift Retrofit Project: At the present time, the Library Department's architectural consultant for this project is proceeding with completion of the Construction Drawings and Specification Manuals needed to advertise the work for proposals by qualified contractors. Installation of this ramp will further enhance accessibility to the Austin History Center by creating handicapped parking spaces closer to that facility, an improvement which has long been a request from the wheelchair using community in Austin.

Links

• Austin Public Library Facilities Master Plan (PDF, Adobe Acrobat required)
• Street and Facility Naming Policy (City of Austin) (PDF, Adobe Acrobat required)
  • Application for Naming Facilities for the Austin Public Library
    (PDF, Adobe Acrobat required)