Richmond Branch Library Plans Get Positive Reviews

By Carol Dimmick

A new $7.3 million project to redesign the Richmond Branch Library was unveiled before the San Francisco Library Commission, where it received strong support from community members and library officials.

Once a critic of the project, Ron Miguel, president of the Planning Association for the Richmond (PAR), told commissioners at the June 20 meeting that Richmond District residents were behind the new design.

"The landscape works, the detail works, it's the only logical scheme .... It works for the public," Miguel said.

In the spring, Richmond residents sent library officials back to the drawing board when they unanimously rejected two plans to remodel the Ninth Avenue branch library that would have dramatically altered the function and the appearance of the original Andrew Carnegie-inspired concept.

The seismically unsound structure is in line for a facelift as a result of a $106 million bond measure approved by San Francisco voters in November 2000.

The new design presented to commissioners features a "wings" concept that was the overwhelming choice of neighbors, library staff and design experts who participated in a four-day public workshop that took place in the Richmond District in early June.

Jill Stoner, a design facilitator and principal with Stoner Meek Architecture and Urban Design, told commissioners the "wings" design won hands-down over three other concepts.

The new design features two north/south two-story additions that will give the 10th Avenue side of the existing building its own unique character. The wings are linked by a "Winter Garden" area that serves as an indoor-outdoor space.

Two of the community's concerns - preserving the Ninth Avenue historic entrance with its main reading room and keeping the children's room in its existing space - were incorporated into the new floor plan.

The design also features a new teen center and a program room on the lower level in one of the new wings. A new reading room, staff workroom and office occupy the floor space in the upper level of the new wings.

Tim Williams, manager at the Richmond Branch Library, told commissioners the library staff is enthusiastic about the new design.

"The branch is not just pleased, but excited about this new design," he said.

Williams also addressed a concern raised by Richmond District resident Peter Warfield, who wondered if the 15,000 additional books the new facility will accommodate was adequate to replace the thousand of volumes lost during an earlier "weeding out" of the library's collection.

"In fact, many of the books we eliminated were missing. We did not remove great numbers of books from the collection. The staff was very proud of what we did," Williams explained.

Funding for the $7.3 million project will come from a mix of state and local sources. About $2.4 million is expected to come from an Earthquake Safety Program fund, and $148,500 from city bond funds. City Librarian Susan Hildreth said the city will apply for approximately $4.7 million in Prop. 14 funds from the state to complete the project.

During a public comment period members of the public praised library officials for collaborating with residents on the redesign, prompting Charles Higueras, commission president, to admonish library officials.

"We failed on the point of not being mindful of the public," Higueras said. "It was a critical element."

On July 17, a meeting will be held in the Richmond to choose three residents to help select artwork for the redesigned library. Richmond District residents interested in serving on the panel can call the library for details.