When the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contactors decided to table, for now at least, its plans to build a new downtown headquarters building, it removed from consideration yet another potential site for a new south branch library.
That’s because the East Baton Rouge Library Board of Control—which for nearly a decade has been searching unsuccessfully for a site for a new south branch—had been eyeing as a possible site the property at 2525 Quail Dr. that currently houses the LSLBC headquarters.
“They’ve delayed their plans so that site is pretty much off the table, at least for now,” says Library Director Spencer Watts.
The Quail Drive site was the latest of several the Library Board considered for the branch, which has been on the drawing board since the mid-2000s. A real estate firm is helping in the search, and several times what appears to be a good location has been identified.
“But for one reason or another it always falls through,” Watts says. “Without a doubt, this is the most difficult site search I’ve ever experienced, anywhere.”
The south branch library would serve an estimated 30,000 people and be located in the area roughly bordered by Stanford Avenue, Perkins Road, Essen Lane and the Mississippi River. The branch was originally to be developed in the heart of Rouzan’s commercial development. But those plans fell through in 2013 after years of negotiations, when Rouzan developer Tommy Spinosa and the board failed to come to a final agreement.
For two years, the board conducted its own search for a new site. In 2015, it hired Sperry Van Ness/Graham Langlois & Legendre to help.
Despite the poor track record, Watts believes the new branch is still needed to serve the area.
“The population is growing in that area,” he says. “A lot of people make use of other libraries but they would use this one if it was more conveniently located.”
The Library Board will discuss the issue at its monthly meeting Thursday.
—Stephanie Riegel
