The Metro Council deferred voting on two measures Wednesday related to a once-controversial item thought long dead—whether to renovate or rebuild the River Center Branch of the parish library system—citing questions and concerns about paying more than $14,500 a month to lease part of the downtown Kress Building as a temporary library location.
The votes on deferring approval of the lease agreement and a $161,000 moving contract seemed to flummox parish Library Director Spencer Watts, who was peppered with questions on the rent and the other locations surveyed.
“It is important to continue to offer library services to the diverse range of citizens who frequent the River Center Branch Library during the many months of construction, Watts told Daily Report in a prepared statement this morning. “Over the next 30 days, we will research and respond to our council members’ questions about alternative sites in the downtown area.”
The debate on whether to renovate or rebuild the River Center Branch was thought to have been put to bed about five years ago after lengthy public discussions, but it emerged again at the meeting when Councilman Buddy Amoroso called it “fiscal insanity.”
However, other members of the council mostly focused on what they called the high lease price for 8,750 square feet at 447 Third Street for use as a temporary space for about 30 months during construction of a new branch, which would cost about $19 million total, including furniture, fixtures and equipment, and what other locations were looked at for the temporary location.
Watts told the council that the logistical matters of moving the computers, children’s section and popular items to the Kress Building would need to be done before the Library System moves forward with construction on the branch.
Multiple council members asked about the other locations surveyed for the temporary location before the Library System and Library Board of Control settled on the Kress Building. Watts told the council several factors like access to restrooms, general accessibility and whether the space would be available to open on the weekends came into play when deciding on the best downtown location for the temporary space. Councilman Trae Welch asked Watts to look at some of the underutilized state-owned buildings as possible locations during the next 30 days.
Watts told the council members that he would send over a map showing the location of all 15 to 20 locations surveyed for the temporary location.
Amoroso challenged Watts on the issue of parking, saying the parking avaiability near the Kress Building is limited. Watts countered, saying parking is most downtown areas is not ideal, and that people visiting the current River Center Branch location have to park elsewhere and walk to the library. The only location scouted that had its own parking was City Plaza, but the temporary library would have been in the basement and could not open on the weekends.
Councilwoman Tara Wicker was the only council member to voice opposition to the deferral and debate, saying the council discussed the issue ad nauseam several years ago and called the idea that people could visit downtown Baton Rouge and not find a decent library “ridiculous.”
In other items, the council approved unanimously and without discussion a proposal by Councilwoman Chauna Banks-Daniel to create a four-person committee to discuss and review the process of appointing a new council member when a vacancy occurs. It also voted to award Fregonese Associates a $100,000 contract to implement a new downtown parking strategy, following some discussion and a refresher course by William Daniel, Mayor Kip Holden’s chief administrative officer, on what the contract includes and what services the firm will provide.
—Ryan Broussard
