November 29, 2011

Crozet’s Library Takes another Hit

Written by

Ted Strong at the Daily Progress reports:

Limits on children’s and other programs at the Crozet Library is the net result of a recent fire marshal’s inspection, the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library board heard Monday.
After the marshal found a number of safety issues, county officials restricted the library’s occupancy to 50 people. During the summer, the library sees more than 10,000 patron visits each month.

The County’s collective negligence in not building the new Crozet Library is remarkable.

Comments

20 responses to “Crozet’s Library Takes another Hit”

November 30, 2011

RBM155

I think a new library is needed, but have any of the supporters of the proposed building really taken a look at the size of the monster. The proposed building on one floor is 18,000 sf. This is 1.88 (ALMOST TWICE) times larger than the Crozet Fire Department building at 9600 sf. Has any one looked at the exterior design of the proposed building. The design is a monument to the firm hired to design it. A much simpler design would reduce the cost. I am a tax payer and am really tired of the County’s building monuments rather than servicable buildings. Monticello Fire Station, Hollymeade Fire Station, with it’s dome. A design such as the Fire House, WAHS, Henley MS would cost far less to build. Why not two complete floors rather than 5,000 additional sf, not talked about on the lower kevel. The real building is over 23,000 sf.
Open thy eyes and maybe you can see.

Reply
1. November 30, 2011
  
  Evan S.
  
  I’m not aware of any supporters who are adamant on an 18,000 sqft building. In fact, many supporters, including myself, have voiced this same concern.
  
  I’m only aware of supporters who are adamant that a new library is needed, and needed ten years ago. We’re tired of hearing the likes of people who complain that a new library is a waste of money, etc. The fact is that a library was designed in accordance with and under supervision of the county and its up to the county to set those design guidelines and they did so when they contracted for the building design (how many years ago was it?).
  
  We just want a library already. Build it whatever size is adequate for the needs of the community. There is overwhelming evidence to suggest that the community needs (and wants) a much larger library. And, as as the community grows so will the needs of the community. A larger space allows for expansion of library and other services (or storage) without needing to rent or build additional facilities.
  
  Reply
2. November 30, 2011
  
  Jim Duncan
  
  I agree with Evan – They need to build *a* new library – heck, I’d take 10k square feet.
  
  The County made promises to Crozet many years ago, and it’s time they fulfilled their obligations.
  
  Reply
  1. December 7, 2011
    
    Lisa
    
    Carping over the size of the library is silly IMHO. The community is growing and the library currently serves as a focus for this community. The new library will be be a multi-use facility in that it will be available for meetings etc. as the current one does now. Frankly I think the argument that we need to plan for the future needs is valid, in this case. Furthermore, the 17,000 sf library is basically ready to go out for bid, having surmounted all the various hurdles. Further modification would add to the timeline, and that would most likely be a non-linear experience for sure. Using the bottom floor for storage, as Ann Mallek has suggested, would save the County thousands of dollars that it is already spending. So, we need to build the Crozet Library, as plannned, now.
    
    Reply
    1. December 8, 2011
      
      Edward Strauss
      
      It is not silly at all. The whole county is being asked to pay for this project. Carping is part of the process. Since Crozet is expanding leasing at a favorable rate makes sense. If all you want to do is put a building on an empty street there are cheaper ways to do it. That would actually save some real
      money…
      
      Reply
      1. December 8, 2011
        
        fishead
        
        cheapness in education will not help. the U.S. has more people in prison than any country in the world.
November 30, 2011

Jim Duncan

This is from an email from the BuildCrozetLibrary.org folks:

We had a good turnout Monday night, thanks to all who could be there. Mike Marshall is writing this up for the Crozet Gazette and I think he took a headcount. My guess is around 18 or so came to the library to find out what we can do to continue to push.Here’s what we talked about…1. Action Plan.Who are we communicating with now and how can we add more and new voices to our group? We got lots of ideas on this, including many specific groups with contact information. I’m going to list these at the bottom of this email, just so everyone can take a quick look. I’ll add this (in a more organized fashion) to the outreach spreadsheet in the next few days. I am hoping this will twig more ideas — please add any you think of to the Google doc or email them to me. The link is available on our website for people to add to and to claim any group with which they have a connection. Here it is as well:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuqVlqRzKt6JdHVueFJVZGo3Q2xhaXFndG9MTkhEUnc2. What We Can Do.Speak (and stand in support) at the next BOS meeting, Dec. 7th, 9 am, County Office Building. We need more and new voices to speak.
Contact the Board of Supervisors by telephone, letter, and / or email.
Encourage our own connections to do the same.
Speak to any community group about joining our efforts.
Write to the Crozet Gazette and the Daily Progress.
Write what you’ve done on our Facebook wall; share any posts with your friends.3. Assignments.There are a couple of communications tools on the website now — bookmarks which can be downloaded, printed, handed out; a template for a letter to the BOS. Please use them if they are at all helpful.
I will add a flyer with tear off strips soon that could be printed and then posted in any coffeehouse, restaurant, or business that will allow it.
Add any groups/neighborhoods to the outreach spreadsheet (via Google docs or just email me).
Consider marching in the Crozet Santa Parade on Sunday, December 11th, beginning at 3:00 pm. This is being coordinated by the Teen Advisory Board (Thank You!); more information to come. Bring your friends and neighbors to march along, too! There may be plans to carry shovels…4. Timeline.Now to Dec. 7: Tim Tolson and John Halliday will be meeting with several members of the Board of Supervisors (individually) over the next week. We are hopeful that the new Crozet Library will be on the agenda for the December 7th BOS meeting for a vote on putting the construction out to bid.Dec. 7, 9 am: Public comment opportunity to speak at the BOS meeting.Dec. 11, 3 pm: Crozet Santa Parade.Dec. 14, 4 pm: BOS meeting on 5-Year Financial Plan; should involve discussion of the new library.Again, thanks to you all,Jane

Reply
December 1, 2011

Edward Strauss

Stop playing games and lease some space out by Harris Teeter. A Northside
Library solution is the right way to go. I really think that there would be another library by now if all that was wanted was a larger library in the Crozet
area. It is simply wrong to build that type of building and spend that kind of
money at this time. Then again, if Crozet was willing to pay for it…

Reply
1. December 2, 2011
  
  Tada
  
  That’s not Crozet, that’s Charlottesville. You said it yourself once.
  
  Reply
  1. December 2, 2011
    
    Edward Strauss
    
    Same situation, A growth area with a need. The solution still fits…
    
    Reply
December 2, 2011

fishead

i think that the the library situation is disgraceful. a community that is supposed to be so affluent and well off does not have a proper space in the year 2011 after possibly 20 or 30 years of real estate boom and other economic windfalls. trying to minimalise the design and future library space is trifling and belittling. this is really disgraceful and someone should be shouting in the general assembly or somewhere about our poor and inadequate community library.

Reply
1. December 2, 2011
  
  Edward Strauss
  
  Crozet is affluent? Probably a high average debt load. If all you are looking for is a proper space, lease it. If you want a library. If you want
  a municipal building, well, that can wait…
  
  Reply
  1. December 2, 2011
    
    fishead
    
    how do you know there is a high average debt load? where do you get your facts?
    
    Reply
    1. December 3, 2011
      
      Edward Strauss
      
      The same way that you claim that this is an affluent
      community. If we are so affluent why don’t we pay for the library/municipal building ourselves? Instead of
      asking to increase the taxes on everyone in the County to pay for it? The BOS is responsible for all of the needs
      of the County not just Crozet’s.
      
      Reply
      1. December 3, 2011
        
        fishead
        
        not necessarily so. look at the cost of real estate and how it continues to remain way more inflated than our neighbors in waynesboro and staunton who have better services. our family also goes to harrisonburg for women’s healthcare services that serves women and families of all races,denominations, and income. there is nothing close to this in charlottesville or crozet. we are collecting neighbors like jim justice who bought five thousand acres in southern albemarle after buying the greenbriar resort and installing a gambling casino. he’s right next door to donald trump another bastion of goodwill who is keeping your taxes high and services low. we have developers who own tiger fuel and allied concrete and a few john deere businesses plus start and own their own bank.va. national. isn’t it special?
December 2, 2011

mom of three

Personally, I was disappointed that the county didn’t move the library TEMPORARILY into the old Crozet elementary school when they saw the budget wasn’t going to get any better. Actually, it would have been fine with me if it had been a permanent place and seems to coincide with the community center vision of Old Crozet Arts…Even with improvements, the cost would have been better than new.

Reply
1. December 2, 2011
  
  fishead
  
  we recently had our house inspected for mold and insulation and the owner of the company told me about the old crozet school. the county wishes someone would just take over and purchase it. the building is deteriorating and is full of asbestos. the field school had to move to another part of the building because of this.
  
  Reply
2. December 3, 2011
  
  Edward Strauss
  
  Yes, a rational person would think this. I was told that the floor of the old Crozet school could not support the weight of the books. Anyway
  there are more than a few options for fixing the problem. The more you
  dig into this whole library issue the more you begin to wonder what the real point is.
  
  Reply
December 4, 2011

Graceling

It’s true that the new library seems oversized, but the plans were The new library may seem oversized, but the plans were made based on the use the current library sees. It’s the third busiest library in the system! The library board had to fight for every square foot; I doubt they’d have been able to inflate it much past the space they genuinely need.
Also, let me point out that our less affluent neighbors in Augusta county have renovated several of their libraries in the past year or so. If they can afford to do that, surely we can find a way to build a library we’ve been needing for 23 years.

Reply
1. December 4, 2011
  
  Graceling
  
  Please ignore the double beginning; my mobile is acting up.
  
  Reply