How about something that looks like this, something that even after all these years people still care about because it is a good design instead of more of what the current library is and what the new plans are, just something nobody will care about so in 40 more years we'll be talking about replacing it as well. What do they teach in architecture schools now days, that architecture has to be at the same level of our brain dead culture? Of course it is pretty clear that the project is more about a parking garage, not about a library.

http://skyways.lib.ks.us/carnegie/photos/35.jpg

Thank god we voted on a project that is still in pencil!! How about flip the pencil over and erase the entire project all the way back to the stupid yes votes!

Waste of money!!!

By the way must be one heck of a buffer on the price to not even know what your gonna build, but know the cost.

I thought that is why you go to Architecture School to learn how to build things.

Since when does the public start designing libraries and parking garages. This is getting out of control.

dude I’m going to show up to request that their design includes a special cubicle for Waka1 at the “liberry”.

I miss reading his comments. Please come back!

I'm in full support of the library project. I'm lukewarm to the additional city hall parking idea.

How about if the new city commission offered to rescind the new tax and instead dedicate THIS TAX DOLLAR RESOURCE to the library for expansion and future operations:

Plan B introduces a fiscally responsible taxpayer friendly proposal. Options the city can live with which REMOVES the increase . Hats off to this concept.

The one cent sales tax that was approved in 1995 can generate up to $14,036,301 as of 2009. Obviously more in better years

The city portion of the county 1% sales tax can generate up $8,609,331 as of 2009 obviously more in better years.

The two together = $22,645,672 again obviously more in better years.

Let’s ask voters to dedicate 10% of this to finance our library reconstruction and for future operations. It makes better use of an existing sales tax and funds the library for many years to come.

Then have the city procure the lot next to the art center and build a parking garage with one top floor dedicated to the Art Center for a full blown graphics art design program backed by the Art Center Director. This top floor becomes a money maker. Forget the library parking idea.

Opportunity lost

J-W editorials

July 9, 2010

The idea of using sales tax revenue to pay for at least part the proposed Lawrence Public Library expansion deserved more consideration than it received from Lawrence city commissioners Tuesday night.

Before commissioners voted to place the $18 million expansion project on November’s ballot, they were asked to consider using all or part of the city’s share of the 1 percent county sales tax to pay for the project. Using the sales tax would have reduced or eliminated the need for a 1.5-mill tax increase for 20 years to pay for library construction and a permanent 0.5-mill increase to cover additional operating costs for the new building.

Commissioners, however, dismissed the sales tax idea saying that voters who approved the sales tax expected that money to be set aside for parks and recreation projects. Although it’s true the sales tax was sold to voters at least partially on that basis, the actual ballot questions put no restrictions on how the money would be used.

However, even if the sales tax revenue was specifically restricted as being for recreation, it isn’t much of a stretch to justify the library as a recreational effort. The library may offer fewer physical activities than a recreation center, but many people certainly would consider the movies, books and other library classes and events as recreational activities. There’s no reason the sales tax needs to be permanently dedicated to building new recreation centers or playing fields especially when the city’s population isn’t growing significantly.

It would be especially appropriate to use sales tax revenue to fund the ongoing operating expenses for the larger library rather than permanently raising property taxes by 0.5 of a mill for that purpose. The 1.5-mill levy could be used for 20 years to fund the expansion and then eliminated.

Even some taxpayers who support the library expansion are concerned about increased property taxes, especially in the current economy. Shifting part of the expense of the expansion to the local sales tax might have mitigated some of that concern.

It’s too bad city commissioners weren’t willing to get a little more creative in their library financing plans.

Bad idea. Bad plan, and a terrible waste of taxpayer's money.

Satellite library's at a fraction of the cost are the ONLY sensible solution.

The city commissioners and Lawrence taxpayers are wiling victims of an $18,000,000.00 swindle for an ugly parking garage, and a bad plan.

Wake up Lawrence. Cancel this bad dream before it becomes an $18 million dollar nightmare!

This project needs to be re-thought before it's too late!

Consider those sofas that are in the plans on the library website. Will you be sitting in those seats? Ever?

Consider all that glass. Nice in spring and fall, hot in summer, cold in winter, creepy after dark. Consider all that exposed steel? We already have plenty of concrete; add steel and we have a typical airport: a public space people can't wait to leave. Where is the human scale, where are the human-friendly building materials?

Gould Evans needs to take another look at the space and the needs of those who use it before finalizing their plans.

As a Lawrence resident for the past 25 years and, most likely , the next 25, I certainly hope they will.

Satellites will save millions & will be used more.

Scrap this UGLY boondoggle and it's ugly parking garage ( for the Eldridge Hotel ).

Just because gullible people voted for this monstrosity does not make it the best choice for Lawrence.