We hear that architect Miller Caldwell will be making a proposal to the City and the Friends of the Library to move the proposed new downtown library away from its current Gregory Street location and the African-American community to near the proposed Technology Park, Aragon, IHMC and the Civic Center on Ninth Avenue. He and his supporters will argue that they can nearly double the size of the building if they also make a business research/study center and get state funds.
The obvious concern is we are moving the library away from the community that needs it most. We also may be circumventing the RFQ process giving Caldwell an exclusive on the design. And we may have to buy land instead of using land the City already owns.
Stay tuned.
