Mid-Continent Library approves funding to renovate former bowling alley
By John Sharp
The budget of a little over $2 million to renovate space formerly used as a bowling alley in the Red Bridge Shopping Center to serve as the new Red Bridge Branch of Mid-Continent Public Library (MCPL) was approved by the MCPL Board of Trustees January 15.
Steven Potter, MCPL director and CEO, said the library board also authorized him to sign a notice to proceed with renovation work with JE Dunn Construction for a guaranteed maximum price of $2,012,352, and the new branch should be open by June or July.
He said the present nearby location of the Red Bridge Branch will remain open during renovation of the new site, but it will likely have to close for a short period of time as books, office equipment, supplies and other items are moved from one location to the other.
The new branch will be at 453B Red Bridge Rd. adjacent to Euston Hardware in the shopping center. It will contain 14,352 square feet, more than 2,300 square feet larger than the current branch at 11140 Locust on the shopping center grounds, plus greatly improved visibility and better accessibility from Red Bridge Rd.
It will include a community room, smaller collaboration/conference rooms, a children’s area, new computers for public use, new furniture and an outdoor seating area.
“We are very excited that not only will the Red Bridge community be getting a state-of-the-art library, it is front and center and will be a wonderful anchor for the shopping center,” said Brandon Buckley, LANE4 vice president. “Things like this are critical to our mission of making the shopping center a true community asset.”
How much will MCPL being paying to Lane4 each month to lease the bowling alley?
How is it more accessible? The two buildings are 100 feet apart.
Could a $500 sign on Red Bridge Road accomplish the same goal of improving visibility? Austin’s is so far below road grade they have had to put up signs.
Why was the MCPL meeting held in secret?
Why was no public input sought on this expenditure?
Why did MCPL lie about how the money would be spent when they campaigned for the Prop L tax increase?
I never made it to any of the meetings regarding what Brad’s talking about. I’m sure somewhere there’s going to be a way to figure out how all those additional parking spots south of the bowling alley are somehow going to get translated into the front of both Euston’s Hardware and the new Mid-Continent Public library in Red Bridge.
One-in-seven disabled parking spaces under the state law of the total parking spots for the disabled has to be “van accessible.” The van accessible spots on both sides of the vehicle has to have space to maneuver a wheelchair, NOT just one side. Plus, due to drop-down side lifts, the van spaces have to be a little bit wider than the normal sized vehicle width.
The city of Kansas City has to follow the state law which is stricter than Kansas City’s old accessibility parking codes for spots because the old spots are not “grandfathered” in when there’s a reconstruction!
I guess the old library building has to go so that the children’s museum can have a compound area for better security, better access… and better parking for buses. (Who knows?)