Maitland officials release new details about $19M library project
With voter approval of a $14 million bond referendum for a modern public library in the rearview mirror, Maitland city officials are looking ahead and expect to have it open in three to four years.
The bond referendum won Tuesday with 62% of the vote: 1,804 in favor, 1,119 opposed.
Bryan Stewart, chairman for Vote for Maitland’s Library, said he was “elated” that the effort paid off.
“The people of Maitland really looked forward to seeing this project succeed,” Stewart said. “Now we’re going to write the next chapter that’s going to get us to the 22nd century.”
City public information officer Robert Sargent said Wednesday that the next 12 to 18 months will be spent establishing a design for the library. The design renderings that appear on maitlandlibrary.com are conceptual.
The facility will be designed by HBM Architecture and Interior Design and is expected to break ground in the next 1½ to 2 years. It will be built in Quinn Strong Park just a block away from the existing library.
The plan calls for a 20,000-square-foot facility that would comply with current building codes and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
The overall cost of the project would be about $19 million. The city has $5 million to put toward the project, while the remaining $14 million would come from the bond referendum.
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Approval of the bond referendum means the typical Maitland homeowner will see an increase in their property taxes of more than $100 annually. The effective date of the tax increase has not been determined.
Sargent said it could be a couple of years before the tax hike kicks in. The terms of the bond will be discussed at future City Council meetings as the project transitions into the design phase.
The city also must decide the fate of the existing library building.
After the new library opens, the city will refurbish the current building. Some ideas for its future include use as an exhibition space for the Art & History Museums Maitland or a replacement for the Maitland Senior Center.
The City Council will make the final decision about the historic building’s use at future meetings.
Sargent said those issues may be discussed informally during the next City Council meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday. Matters regarding the library project and when they will appear on meeting agendas will be announced at later dates.
“It’s taken years just to get to this point. It’s kind of a long-term project,” he said. “We share the enthusiasm with the public on this very exciting public improvement project, but it certainly is something that requires a bit more patience.”
