SR-850-005-01 (5)Council Meeting: November 13, 2001 Santa Monica, California
To: Mayor and City Council
Library Boardmembers
From: City Staff
Subject: Joint meeting of the City Council and Library Board for the purpose of
hearing public input and discussing the conceptual plan for a new Main
Library
Introduction
This report describes the draft conceptual plan for the new Main Library and the
community process developed to create the plan. It also reviews the developments
regarding the Stanton Macdonald-Wright mural originally installed in the Santa Monica
Main Library and now held by the Smithsonian Institution.
Backqround
In the early 1980's there was concern among Library users that the Santa Monica
Public Library was overcrowded and losing the ability to house the services and
collections the community needed. Actual planning for a larger Main Library began in
1986 with a space needs analysis prepared by Robert Rohlf, including an evaluation of
alternate locations for the Library. Active community members led the pursuit for
additional land for Library expansion and conducted a successful campaign in 1988 to
fund the purchase of adjacent property. When the Main Library was significantly
damaged in the 1994 earthquake, a library master plan was developed to incorporate
the needed repairs into a guide for future growth. This process included substantial
public input.
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On September 25, 2001 Council approved a revised approach for the Main Library
Expansion Project, involving replacement of the existing building with a newly
constructed facility. With that approval, Moore Ruble Yudell Architects (MRY) began the
design process based on the established building program.
Discussion
The Library planning process involved library supporters, the community at large and
Library staff. Outreach efforts have included community meetings, community focus
groups, extensive staff interviews, and close involvement by both the Library Board and
the Friends of the Library and spanned from 1996 to 2001.
Open community meetings have provided opportunities to review and discuss possible
new library features and services, as well as structured opportunities to identify features
people either liked or did not like about the current facility. Focus groups were convened
to further explore concepts and included individuals from the neighborhood
organizations and business community, senior citizens, parents and teachers, children,
teens, volunteers, booksellers, and others. Based upon community and staff input a
host of possible services were identified. A survey process was used at the Main Library
and each of the Branch Libraries to collect community feedback and provide an
opportunity for members of the public to rank the service options. Public meetings of the
Library Board and the Friends of the Library were additional venues for discussion.
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To reach a wider audience, presentations were made to a broad range of community
organizations, such as the Chamber of Commerce, school board, League of Women
Voters, AARP, PTA, Kiwanis, YMCA, neighborhood associations, and others. A regular
survey of library users has been an ongoing channel for public input.
Early in the review process MRY found that the costs of renovating the existing facility
versus demolishing and building an entirely new facility were nearly equal. Over 3,700
local residents were invited to a public meeting on September 15, to meet MRY, hear
them reflect upon the many issues related to library design, and discuss the concept of
replacing the existing facility. It had become clear to the project planning team that
demolition of the building would allow the features and services most desired by the
community and most responsive to environmental design standards to be realized in a
cost-effective and time efficient manner. The community endorsed this approach and
on September 25, 2001, City Council approved demolition, shortening the project
schedule by approximately two years.
Conceptual Plan
The design team began formulating the conceptual design based on the Library Master
Plan and the Library's building program, which incorporate input from focus groups,
community members, library patrons and staff. They carefully considered the
community's desire for light, space, garden/courtyard areas, outdoor reading space,
enhanced youth service, recognition of the importance of the book, adequate
technology, and the Library's role as a destination and new City landmark. Also,
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practical matters such as siting restrooms on the first floor, easy access to all library
materials, security, material retrieval drive-up window, and adequate seating/study
space have been carefully considered and incorporated into conceptual planning.
The draft conceptual design for the new library combines responsiveness to the
environmental and urban design issues of its context in downtown Santa Monica, with
the Library's program needs, and the City's desire to create a new landmark reflecting
the community's appreciation for, and support of, a quality library in this community.
Library program space totaling 104,000 square feet is planned. Initial concepts suggest
an inviting and welcoming openness to the library as seen from Santa Monica Blvd., 6tn
and 7t" Streets. Windows revealing popular collections and reading areas, children's
activities, and inner courtyard gardens would invite long time and new users into what
might be characterized as the community's living-room.
A theme that has inspired conceptual planning is the idea of "activity at the edges".
Multiple building entries, on all three streets, are being considered to draw the
community from all sides and activate the street edges. From the streets, entrances
might be approached through garden courts. One of the concepts under consideration
is a paseo that would traverse the Library from 7t" Street to 6t" Street, engaging the
Library with its neighbors, including the YMCA to the west and the Historical Museum
which might be located at 7th Street. The design also features community facilities,
such as the auditorium and public meeting rooms, that would have their own access
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and which could be used at different hours from the library itself. These would also take
advantage of outdoor space for entry and to allow certain programs to spill outdoors.
Multiple entries to the control area of the library itself would be arranged to facilitate
efficient monitoring from a central control point inside the library.
Underground parking is being planned with clear way-finding, and elevators placed to
serve library users as well as the public at large. Elevators from parking arrive outside
the library's control area, facilitating use of ineeting rooms by the public, on a controlled
basis, when the Library is closed.
Planning within the library would emphasize continuity of the collections and clarity of
movement. Popular library material collections and youth services would be located on
the first floor, while reference, periodicals, computer commons and electronic classroom
would be on the second floor. A variety of reading spaces are planned, distributed
throughout the library, from an open two-story reading space to small groupings of
carrels and tables along window-walls. On the second floor there has been
consideration of a comfortable seating area that faces out toward the west allowing
readers to look out windows down Santa Monica Boulevard to the ocean.
Two entrances to the library, one to the south off Santa Monica Boulevard and the other
from the north off 6th Street, would be linked by a main hall creating a north/south axis
through the Library, monitored by the circulation and information/security desks. An
interior gallery parallel to Santa Monica Boulevard could provide access to the library's
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collections and reading areas. Proposals include a main reading room, conceptualized
as a high, open, light filled room reminiscent of the existing library's two-story space, but
with expanded views to the outside.
A key feature being considered by the design team is a central garden courtyard, truly
at the heart of the library. Fully within the library's control area, the central court would
visually and functionally expand the interior space around it, taking advantage of Santa
Monica's year-round climate. The central garden would be freely accessible for users to
take materials outside for reading, as well as for reflection and repose. A small cafe or
beverage stand is being considered to activate the informal use of the courtyard.
Currently, design alternatives are being explored on several fronts, including aspects of
functional relationships, structural grid and roof system, outdoor space design, and
opportunities for architectural expression.
The predominant theme of the conceptual planning is one of light and openness, which
has led to the Library Board's characterization: "The Library: a place of enlightenment."
The attachments describe the environmental and urban context issues that form a
baseline for the design. The draft conceptual plan will be presented at the November
13, 2001, City Council meeting.
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Stanton Macdonald-Wriqht Mural
Prior to its current location, the Santa Monica Public Library's Main Branch was located
in a facility on Fifth Street. That building housed an elaborate, site-specific mural
painted by Stanton Macdonald-Wright in the 1930's under the WPA. When the building
was demolished in 1966 the mural was donated to the Smithsonian Institution. At the
February 13, 2001 City Council meeting, Councilmembers requested that staff explore
the feasibility of re-acquiring the mural for the City.
Coincidentally, eight of the thirty panels that make up the mural were recently included
in a Macdonald-Wright exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
When staff contacted the Smithsonian to inquire about returning the mural to the City,
they responded that the Smithsonian is in the midst of reopening a major American Art
facility and reorganizing the storage of its collections, but they would be willing to
consider a loan of the eight panels in the LACMA exhibit. These eight panels are the
only portions of the mural currently available to the City.
In order to approve an extended loan of any part of the Macdonald-Wright mural for
display in the new Main Library, the Smithsonian must first receive a completed facility
report, which in turn cannot be completed until the new Main Library is completed. In the
meantime, they agreed to allow the City to store the eight panels from the LACMA
exhibit in a local fine art storage facility. It now appears that one of the panels may be
retained at LACMA until the Library is completed.
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Next Steps
With this presentation of the preliminary concept, MRY is soliciting input and comments
to further refine the plan. It is anticipated that staff will return to Council with a final draft
of the conceptual plan on December 18 for approval and authorization to proceed with
schematic design and the EIR process.
Budqet/Financial Impact:
The total project is expected to cost approximately $49.5 million. Funds in the amount
of $45 million for this project are included in the Capital Improvements Program. The
remaining funds will be appropriated in next year's CIP budget.
Transportation, storage and insurance for the Stanton Macdonald-Wright mural panels
is approximately $4,990 for three years and will be paid for from account number
C01049100.589000.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that Council and the Library Board review the draft conceptual plan
features, comment on them and approve further development.
Prepared by: Wini Allard, City Librarian
Greg Mullen, Assistant City Librarian
Attachment 1: Site Context
Attachment 2: Site Analysis
Attachment 3: Program Analysis
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