September 2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Timothy Klusczinski. President. Historic Preservation Commission — Sep. 17, 2012 pane 15 input and in-depth interviews by Mr. Rohlf with many community leaders. The Building Program was not something that was simply thrown together by a small group of librarians. A lot of time and thought went into it with a lot of community input. The Building Program called for a total of 160,000 sq. ft. So, the 21,600 sq. ft. that the Avon would displace if the entire building were to be retained in the new Main Library space comprises more than 13% of that entire new space. Taking the 21,600 sq. ft. that the Avon displaces and comparing it to the "new" or "additional" space that the Library had hoped to add to its present Main Library building, which currently is 116,000 sq. ft. on four levels, this displacement represents nearly 46% of the additional 44,000 sq. ft. of new space (present building: 116,000 sq. ft.; new building: 160,000 sq. ft., for an additional 44,000 sq. ft.). Retaining the Avon Theatre, therefore, has an enormous impact on that additional space planned for the new Main Library. Retaining the present Avon building right where it is as a movie theatre or some other repurposed entertainment center would have a very detrimental impact on the additional space that is being planned for the new Main Library. This is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog. One could argue that the Avon would take the place of the new meeting rooms and auditorium space planned for the new Main Library. The Library would not lose that much space. If one looks at the plans, however, for where the new meeting rooms and auditorium spaces are to be located (see the Schematic Design Report, Level 1, in the area west of the Avon Theatre's footprint), based upon SJCPL's Building Program, not on some poorly conceived idea that this building could be turned into a community entertainment center, all those new meeting rooms occupy a much smaller proportion of the total 7,200 sq. ft. of space that the Avon occupies on just the 1St level with its lobby and its long sloped 1St theatre floor. The balcony adds another 300 seats to the entire theatre, on a slopped cement floor that provides no flexibility at all as meeting room space. It can serve only one purpose: a single - screen movie theatre. The new Main Library does not need a single, 1,000 -seat theatre -style room with a large vaulted ceiling, with fixed seating and a single screen and very limited -sized stage for all of its public programing? The width of the Avon is presently too narrow (45' wide) to support any theater wings or a large backstage area and a larger, more robust stage in order to have a variety of uses. Not only do we think that the Library could NOT support a single, 1,000 fixed seat room with a large vaulted ceiling and a single screen and stage, but it is not even capable of being converted into something that would support the concept of a multi -venue facility. The building is simply too narrow and has no flexibility with its sloped floors and fixed seating at both the 1St and balcony levels. In addition, the present Avon building's footprint not only cuts out half of the new Children's Services area and three of the new meeting rooms on just the first level of the new Main Library building, it also eliminates half of the Library's IT services and book storage area at the basement level, and half of the Local & Family History services on the second level of the new Main Library building. Recipient of the 2009 Leighton Award for Nonprofit Excellence www.libraryforlife.org