City Scraps Plans for Richmond Library

By Carol Dimmick

Strong opposition by Richmond residents to two architectural renderings for remodeling the seismically unsound Richmond Branch Library has forced library officials to go back to the drafting table.

The announcement that the city was abandoning two designs it commissioned for remodeling the Carnegie-style branch library came at a March 21 SF Library Commission meeting by city librarian Susan Hildreth, who cited a lack of public support for the proposals.

"I didn't feel that the plans we presented met with the needs of the community," Hildreth said.

One of 26 branch libraries in line for a facelift as a result of a $106 million bond measure approved by San Francisco voters in November 2000, the Richmond library is in need of major repairs.

According to city engineers, the roof of the library could collapse in a major earthquake and the electrical and plumbing systems need a major overhaul. The building also lacks basic life safety systems and controls.

However, when city officials unveiled two proposals for fixing the structure at a February community meeting, their plans met with stiff opposition from library patrons.

Most attending the meeting agreed they could not approve a design that trivializes that features of the 1914 Carnegie-style architecture by moving the entrance to the library from Ninth Avenue to the side of the building.

Other suggestions included more shelf space for books, integrating open space more fully into the project, a larger area for teens and more staff participation at community meetings.

Some of the strongest opposition came from the Planning Association for the Richmond (PAR), a highly influential 2,000-member watchdog group.

"They went about it the wrong way. They had no landscape architect and historic preservationist on the design team," said Ron Miguel, president of PAR.

Hildreth, in an admitted attempt to get it right the second time, has expanded the design team to include an historic preservationist and a landscape architect. The new concepts will be unveiled to the public in May or June.

The new design team also has marching orders from Hildreth to incorporate many of the features the public wants into the new designs.

"Retaining the historic Ninth Avenue entrance will be a priority," she explained.

Hildreth said she expects to submit the plans to the state to compete for $5 million in matching funds in time to meet a March 2003 deadline. The total budget for remodeling the branch library is $7.6 million.