Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Library Construction Board Seeking Architect

Finding an architect to design the new library for Prescott and Nevada County will be done by the end of the month.

The Library Construction Board met Monday, Nov. 6, to discuss the new library situation.

Jerry Hollensworth, with Trull and Hollensworth Architects of Magnolia, was on hand to make his pitch for the project. This firm designed the new Prescott Senior Adult Center.

Hollensworth told the group his firm has done work in the Little Rock, Texarkana and Shreveport, La., areas, along with working in Prescott and Gurdon, and would be glad to work with the City of Prescott again.

He said he has 18 years experience in this area, and the company has a combined 46-years of experience.

Mostly, he said, the company designs churches, commercial buildings, public institutions, residences and hotel-motel work. the public buildings designed are primarily health units.

Hollensworth said the firm also does master planning for its projects and "brings vitality" to projects when hired.

The idea, he said, is to keep one crew together from the start of a project until it's done. This creates continuity on the work being done.

On the library project, he told the board, a structural engineer would have to be hired because of the area's soft soil conditions.

He said the company has a reputation of being fairly accurate on its cost estimates, and would provide updated cost estimates throughout the project.

Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor was ready to name Trull and Hollensworth the project architects, but other members of the board wanted to hear what other architects had to say on the issue.

Taylor told the board it didn't have to bid anything out until the actual construction begins.

It was pointed out there are other architectural firms in the area that may want to be considered for this project as well.

Taylor agreed to hold off naming an architect for the new library until advertising the job in the state newspaper, along with another paper in the area.

He then scheduled another meeting of the construction board for 5 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 16, to make the selection.

Taylor was given permission, by the board, to pay all bills up to $1,000, without calling a meeting of the panel.

This was done because two other bills had come in and were paid by Taylor, who didn't consult the board, but just paid them.

One bill was to Southwest Sign Services for $85 for the sign showing where the new facility will be built.

The other was for $1,350 to Southwest Appraisers to cover the cost of having the property for the new library appraised.

The board agreed if any local citizens want any of the bricks when the buildings are razed for the library they are welcome to them, as long as they haul them off.

Taylor said plans are to demolish the block where the library will be by Dec. 1.

He also suggested the construction group meet monthly to discuss the project's progress, address any problems and pay bills as they come in.

Part of the question the board will have to answer is exactly how big will the library be.

Hollensworth said a 7,000 square foot building would make it one of the largest in the area, adding construction costs will depend on size, and if the library will be computer driven or not.

It's design, he said, will begin with the circulation desk, with the rest of it working from there.

Barry Barber reminded those on hand the library is also to have a general purpose meeting room large enough to hold more than 100 people.

While construction costs are figured into the project, landscaping, furniture and other interior furnishings are not.

Nevada County Judge James Roy Brown said personnel costs also have to be added into the formula, along with the cost for maintenance and operation.

Currently, the library tax brings in about $18,000 a year. Barber said the existing budget won't meet the requirements of the new proposal, which are about $2,000 a month.Brown said once the reappraisals are done, the tax could bring in about $20,000 a year, but this still wouldn't cover the expected costs of operation.

Ron Wright, superintendent of the Prescott School District, said the hours of operation should be arranged so students and others would have access to the library in the evenings, with the facility being tied in with the schools.

Taylor said if the services are offered, the funds to provide them will come forward.

Meanwhile, Taylor said the most important thing is to get the site vacated and cleared by Dec. 1, 2000.