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Timothy_ Klusczinski, President, Historic Preservation Commission -_Sep. 17,_2012 __page 14
<br />control panel in the basement, has been removed from the building, and the main control
<br />panel is hopelessly obsolete and would not pass code.
<br />- Balcony, Projection Room, Office Space Level: 42'W x 74'D = 3,108 sq. ft.
<br />The 3,108 sq. ft. for this 2nd level incudes the balcony, which originally held about 300
<br />theater seats, the theater's former projection room, and its office space. The office space
<br />occupies the top front of the building where its combination aluminum, single pane glass
<br />windows look down on South Michigan Street. The combination aluminum windows were
<br />probably installed during the 1960s. Most of the outside terra cotta that may be salvageable
<br />is located around and above these exterior windows on the east face of the building on
<br />Michigan Street, but much of the damaged tiles are also around these windows. There
<br />appears to be extensive water damage to these walls, both inside and outside that can be
<br />seen through falling plaster that got water damaged. All of its interior walls, floors and
<br />ceilings of the 2nd level are in very poor condition and would need to be replaced.
<br />Including the basement, the 1" level, and the second or balcony level, this brings the total
<br />square footage of existing floor space inside the present Avon Theatre to ...
<br />16,212 sq. ft.
<br />(Basement level: 6,552 sq. ft.; Level 1: 6,552 sq. ft.; Level 2: 3,108 sq. ft.)
<br />For comparison purposes, the total square footage of the Avon is about 60% larger than the
<br />total square footage of one of SJCPL's City neighborhood branch libraries, each of which,
<br />not including contents, is valued for insurance purposes at $2,390,000, and this is based on
<br />the most recent insurance estimates. The renovated and expanded LaSalle Branch Library,
<br />for example, now has 10,100 sq. ft. In 2009 the LaSalle Branch was expanded by 3,000 sq.
<br />ft. and its previous 7,200 sq. ft. were completely renovated, but the building was in good,
<br />well-maintained condition to begin with after 20 years of service to its community.
<br />The Avon's three levels, on the other hand, have a total of about 16,212 sq. ft., or about
<br />6,112 sq. ft. more than the LaSalle Branch Library. A conservative estimate to renovate the
<br />Avon building would cost in excess of $2,600,000, not including the reconditioning of the
<br />outside second story terra cotta fagade. If one includes restoration of the fagade on both its
<br />first and second levels, cost would likely exceed $3,000,000. See below the details for this
<br />estimate.
<br />If one considers the total amount of square footage that the Avon building itself would
<br />displace if the entire building were to be retained and made a part of the new Main Library,
<br />including its outside walls and its facade, then that footprint occupies a total of 7,200 sq. ft.
<br />on each of the three levels of the new Main Library building, or a total of 21,600 sq. ft.
<br />(7,200 sq. ft. per level on three levels. This is more than two of SJCPL's neighborhood
<br />branch libraries: LaSalle, and Tutt Branch Libraries, for example, which each have 10,100
<br />sq. ft. for a total 20,200 sq. ft.
<br />The Schematic Design plans for the new Main Library are based on the Main Library's
<br />Building Program which was developed with the help of a professional public library
<br />building consultant, Mr. Robert H. Rohlf, with many months of planning, staff and public
<br />Recipient of the 2009 Leighton Award for Nonprofit Excellence
<br />www.libraryforlife.org
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