Consensus at Packed Meeting on City RFQ for
New Civic Center and Main Library: Taxpayers are angry they have been left out
of process. Civic Center area is embarrassment to taxpayers – not because of
design but because it is filthy and unsafe. Many asked who decided on possible
size of a new Main Library and where is the new earthquake assessment?
Long Beach, CA, June 30, 2013 – A standing room only crowd
at El Dorado Library Community Room this weekend made their opinions very clear
about the City management’s call for firms to propose tearing down and
rebuilding the City Hall and Main Library.
“The attendees were astonished and angry to find out that
the City had not involved residents about what should be done with City Hall
and the Main Library and that it was soliciting firms to do what had not yet
even been approved or discussed publicly,” remarked Fifth District Councilwoman
Gerrie Schipske who called the meeting after several residents had asked when
the public would be involved.
“They were especially upset that the Request for Qualifications
did not contain solicitation of firms to repurpose, rehab or retrofit the
current buildings or that an updated seismic assessment hasn’t been made to
justify a rebuild.”
A Request for Qualifications was released with the title: “A
Public Private Partnership for a New Civic Center” and asks for firms who have
experience in financing, designing, building and operating major construction
projects to respond by July 26. The RFQ document mentions the possibility of
moving the Main Library from its current location and downsizing it from
136,000 square feet to 50,000. The announced schedule for a completed project
does not include public comment in any form.
Schipske noted that many asked in this meeting who decided
that the Main Library should be relocated or downsized to 1/3 of its current
size. “This was a particular sore point since many in the room are members of
local organizations that raise funds to assist the public libraries and learned
that neither library staff nor the public were consulted before the RFQ was
sent.”
Some participants questioned how the City could propose to
build a new complex when it doesn’t even take care of the one it has – allowing
Civic Center to “become dirty and unsafe.” “Many participants expressed concern that
there has been a purposeful neglect of the Civic Center to bolster the argument
to tear it down,” said Schipske.
“The tiles and sidewalks are filthy, the paint
is chipped on all of the railings, all of the plants and grass are dead around
complex. The flags are faded. Lincoln Park is a homeless encampment with
belongings strewn all over. Visitors to the area are accosted by aggressive panhandlers.
The area is an embarrassment and there is no reason why this has been allowed
to deteriorate.”
Schipske finds it ironic that the City voted to expand the
downtown property based improvement district (PBID) assessment on homeowners
but fails to keep up its own properties which directly impact the downtown
area.
Participants at the Saturday “visioning meeting” had a
number of other suggestions for improving the Civic Center and Main Library
such as using some of space for an outdoor café and providing at least one hour
of free parking for library visits. “They also pledged to continue pushing for
public input on this important issue.”
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