Rocklin, Calif.- Construction is under way on a new Rocklin branch of the Placer County Library that will have twice as much space as its predecessor while offering the latest in technology and design features.
The Placer County Board of Supervisors gave its final approval to the project Tuesday, April 27, voting unanimously to accept a lease agreement with the city of Rocklin Redevelopment Agency for the two-story, 16,000-square-foot building that will house the new branch library. On April 6, the board awarded Sequoia Pacific Builders of Roseville a $2.3 million contract to construct tenant improvements.
The Rocklin City Council also approved the lease agreement on April 27, acting in its role as the Redevelopment Agency’s Board of Directors.
In the agreement, Rocklin agrees to lease the building at 4890 Granite Drive to Placer County for $1 per year. In a second agreement, the county commits to transferring its ownership interests in the current library building to Rocklin.
New Rocklin branch scheduled to open by the end of 2010.
‘Rocklin residents are going to be very pleased with the new library,’ Placer County Supervisor Jim Holmes said. ‘It will have twice as much space, and offer the services and programs residents identified as most important in a recent survey. Together, the Placer County Library and Facility Services Department have done an outstanding job planning a project that will meet Rocklin’s needs for many years to come.’
‘It has been a great collaborative effort,’ added Supervisor Robert Weygandt. ‘The county and city are providing Rocklin residents with a first-class library, and keeping the cost much lower than normally would be possible. It is a great example of how much we can accomplish working together.’
Supervisors Holmes and Weygandt both share in representing Rocklin on the Placer County Board of Supervisors.
‘This new, modern library will benefit everyone in the community,’ said Rocklin Mayor Scott Yuill. ‘Not only does it provide enhanced educational opportunities for our residents, but also helps economic development in and around our Civic Center and downtown areas. It brings people who will patronize nearby businesses; it most likely will increase surrounding property values; and it establishes a new landmark that we all can be proud of. The community is eager for it to open, and grateful that Rocklin and the County maintain such a strong and cooperative relationship.’
The county initially planned to construct a new building for the new Rocklin library, and had set aside some funding for a project with a projected price tag of approximately $20 million.
Instead, Placer County and the city of Rocklin agreed to locate the library in the Granite Drive building, which was acquired by the city Redevelopment Agency in 2007. To a large extent, the county is funding the library expansion with capital facility impact fees charged to developers over the last 10 years and set aside for this specific purpose.
The current Rocklin library at 5460 Fifth St. in Johnson-Springview Park was built in the mid-1980s.
‘The new library will be more appropriately sized for the size of the community and will offer the latest in design elements and technology,’ said county Director of Library Services Mark Parker, noting that the county paid close attention to what residents had to say in the survey. ‘We think it will more than meet their expectations.’
