Here’s what we know right now:

• The City of Lawrence has signed a letter of intent to sign a lease for the 700 New Hampshire St. building. The lease is set to start October 1.
• We estimate moving into the 700 New Hampshire St. location in January. The amount of time we will be closed to accomplish this is undetermined, but we intend for it to be as short as possible.
• We anticipate re-opening in January at 700 New Hampshire, with approximately half of our collections.
• We will move the other half into storage, but they will be easily retrievable by staff.

Check out the latest project drawings here.

This information session was intended for artists who wanted to learn more about the project and were interested in responding to the Request For Qualifications (RFQ) to win the commission.  Artists who were not able to attend the session are also welcome to submit RFQs — please see below for additional details.

Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

Click here to view the Request For Qualifications.

What is Percent For Art?

Many cities, including Lawrence, have adopted Percent For Art ordinances that reserve capital improvement monies for art projects in new city construction and major renovations.   The City of Lawrence has allocated a percentage of the library construction budget for a public art commission.

Project Budget

The City has designated $75,000 for the search, design, materials, fabrication, installation, artist fee, and other associated project costs.  The artist may have the opportunity to augment this budget with construction materials (see the Project RFQ for details).

Library Vision for Art

“… the purpose of the percent for art purchase is to commission a permanent public artwork that will serve as a showcase piece to inspire the public imagination. This piece should stretch beyond a traditional interpretation of libraries and speak broadly to our mission to build community, share stories, and instill a love of learning and creative pursuits…” Please see the Project RFQ for the full vision statement.

Architectural Drawings

Click here to view the latest architectural drawings of the library renovation project.

 Slideshow of Public Art in Libraries

Click here to view the slideshow shown at the meeting – Public Libraries + Public Art.

In a memo to the Trustees, Allen outlined the benefits of relocation as well as the projected costs of moving off site. “Our number one priority is to continue serving our community in the best possible way during this transition,” said Allen. “It is essential to do this in a fiscally responsible manner.  This plan allows us to do both.”

Over the past few months, Allen has worked with senior library staff, city officials, architects at Gould Evans, and construction management staff from B.A. Green to study a variety of scenarios to best maintain library services during the construction period. Under the recommended plan, the library would lease the Borders building for 20 months. The overall cost difference between staying in the current building and relocating is projected to be $69,000, an amount planned for in the project budget.

John Wilkins, lead project architect from Gould Evans, added, “We see this is as a prudent investment that will significantly minimize the potential for additional unforeseen costs and liabilities. It allows us to stay on budget and manage the project in a more timely and efficient way.”

The library is committed to providing services to the community throughout the renovation and expansion process.  We will work hard to keep you in the loop.  Please check back here for updates.