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Future of the Central Library


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#151 Jeriat

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Posted 22 September 2023 - 01:07 PM

 

Man, what a bummer....

 

Here's a little more from the M&C:

 

he City of Fort Worth (City) and Pescador Partners,LTD (Landlord) have been in discussions and are in agreement for the City to lease 5,015 square feet of space on the ground floor and 3,371 square feet of space in the basement located at 100 Main Street, 76102 located at the intersection of Main Street and Weatherford Street, across from the Tarrant County Courthouse for the new downtown library location. The City's Library Department, with assistance from the City's Property Management Department, have come to an agreement with Landlord on the following lease terms as follows: The terms are as follows: Term length of 123 months (3 months plus ten (10) years) with the estimated lease commencement date of October 1, 2023 and lease expiration date of December 31, 2033. Provide for two (2) five (5) year lease renewal options at the end of the primary lease term.

City will be responsible for the proportionate share of the building’s used electricity which will be a pass-through cost separate from the Rent for the Leased Premises which will be approximately $1.50 per square foot for the first year of the term. For every year thereafter throughout the term, electricity expenses will not exceed 15% of the per square foot amount from the prior year. If for any given year throughout the term the pass-through electricity expenses will exceed 15% of the prior year’s per square foot electricity cost, the parties may agree to amend the Lease to reflect the additional cost.

The Security Deposit due to Landlord by City at the beginning of the Lease will be one month's base rent from Year 1 amounts.

The base rent and utilities reflect below Fair Market Value for like properties in the Fort Worth Central Business District.

The Landlord has agreed to install a new entrance door from the street at the Landlord’s expense.

As a requirement by Landlord, City will be responsible for paying a proportionate share of the cost for the installation by Landlord of an elevator key pad system which will be utilized by each of the tenants in the building. The City's proportionate share of these costs will be an upfront amount of $5,000.00 to be paid at the beginning of the Lease.

Tenant improvements to the Leased Premises will be at the City's expense which are estimated to be approximately $130,000.00. City plans to utilize existing job order contracts for the finish out of the Leased Premises. Funding for the tenant improvements will be from the proceeds of the sale of the old downtown library which will be appropriated in a separate M&C.

As an additional requirement under the Lease, City will be responsible for providing security guard services for the Leased Premises during Library hours which will include making exterior passes around the building during that same time frame.

Funding will be budgeted in the Library Department's Other Contractual Services Account within the General Fund for Fiscal Year 2024.

 

https://fortworthgov...C6-BDD14E0D707B

 

Wow.

 

"...City to lease 5,015 square feet of space on the ground floor and 3,371 square feet of space in the basement."

 

"Term length of 123 months (3 months plus ten (10) years) with the estimated lease commencement date of October 1, 2023 and lease expiration date of December 31, 2033. Provide for two (2) five (5) year lease renewal options at the end of the primary lease term."

 

"Tenant improvements to the Leased Premises will be at the City's expense which are estimated to be approximately $130,000.00"

 

 

That's not much better than the situation they just left. 

I do believe they'll build a REAL library some time down the road. I just hope it's not 10 years away. 


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#152 Austin55

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Posted 23 September 2023 - 05:12 PM

I do believe they'll build a REAL library some time down the road. I just hope it's not 10 years away. 

 

Fort Worth Govt has done a good job at playing their cards close to the vest, being patient and taking advantage of things when they become available - see City Hall or A&M. I wonder if there is something they are waiting on with this. But also, I would not be surprised if there's just not appetite for a "flagship" style central library.

 

Given the 10-year term and options for extending that lease, I get the feeling there won't be a purpose-built library in downtown perhaps ever again. 



#153 Jeriat

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Posted 23 September 2023 - 10:31 PM

 

I do believe they'll build a REAL library some time down the road. I just hope it's not 10 years away. 

 

Fort Worth Govt has done a good job at playing their cards close to the vest, being patient and taking advantage of things when they become available - see City Hall or A&M. I wonder if there is something they are waiting on with this. But also, I would not be surprised if there's just not appetite for a "flagship" style central library.

 

Given the 10-year term and options for extending that lease, I get the feeling there won't be a purpose-built library in downtown perhaps ever again. 

 

 

If that's the final case, then I'm disgusted in the decision. 


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#154 Austin55

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Posted 23 September 2023 - 10:44 PM

I hope I'm wrong!



#155 Crestline

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Posted 24 September 2023 - 06:54 AM

How large was the library in its prior downtown location? Wondering how that figure compares to this new location's 8000 square feet.

 

Also, I do like this location for a library—has a chance of activating the block a bit more and getting something bigger built in place of Daiches and the surface parking. 



#156 JBB

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Posted 24 September 2023 - 11:52 AM

Central library that just closed is listed as 250,000 square feet in this article on the city's website: https://www.fortwort... than two acres.

 

Of course, not all of that is public space, but yeah, about 30 times larger than the proposed new facility.



#157 roverone

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Posted 24 September 2023 - 12:44 PM

This feels like another (for now at least) ebb away from downtown.

 

The pandemic and other changes had a commercial ebbing of things (as was the case for most every city).

 

We talk about it as the Central Library, but it seems like we have lost some of sense of downtown being the center of the city.  I know it is not too far away, but even City Hall seems somewhat moved-out.  People attending events go to Dickie's Arena.

 

Maybe it would be better to figure out how to build a "Central" library more in the museum district, that area from the zoo and botanic gardens and trinity park and the museums and Dickie's seems more like the centroid of these city things.

 

I know there are clearly still things that draw people downtown, Bass Hall, soon the A&M building(s).  The Convention center will go through a change, but I'm not sure that it will make it feel like more of a central gathering place of citizens.  And there are the restaurants.

 

It does seem with the former tide going out from downtown, new things will come in and take up the space, but I'm not sure a Central Library is one of those.

 

And that is not even bringing up the current negative press about books / librarians / libraries, or the homelessness issues.  Maybe a building in the museum district could re-characterize itself (as many libraries have) as something more than just books, and be a repository of knowledge and history and culture that works along with the museums.


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#158 JBB

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Posted 24 September 2023 - 12:59 PM

I know this isn't a popular suggestion, but is a full blown central library really a necessity in this electronic age?  When I took classes at UNT Dallas, the campus library wasn't much larger than a classroom.  There were some print reference materials with access points for electronic resources.  Would the money necessary for a large central library on valuable downtown or cultural district real estate be better spent on improving and increasing the number of neighborhood or regional libraries with a focus on print materials for young people, maker and STEM spaces, and access for electronic resources?  Are there opportunites to partner with other organizations like the local colleges/universities and school districts to provide these spaces?



#159 Crestline

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Posted 25 September 2023 - 08:05 AM

Central library that just closed is listed as 250,000 square feet in this article on the city's website: https://www.fortwort... than two acres.

 

Of course, not all of that is public space, but yeah, about 30 times larger than the proposed new facility.

 

Got curious about utilization of the 250,000 square feet and went back to our first-page conversations in this thread; here's utilization data from page 40 of the facility plan:

 

mU8qlGc.png

 

So maybe the old location is only 10 times larger than the new location, not 30 times; but yeah, I see now that the new location is comically small—I assume there is no way the new location can possibly serve all the functions of the old location. The facility plan I linked above has an extended discussion about the city's desire to achieve 0.3 square feet per capita across all locations in the city, so given how small the new location is the city must have plans for large increases elsewhere.

 

I know this isn't a popular suggestion, but is a full blown central library really a necessity in this electronic age?  When I took classes at UNT Dallas, the campus library wasn't much larger than a classroom.  There were some print reference materials with access points for electronic resources.  Would the money necessary for a large central library on valuable downtown or cultural district real estate be better spent on improving and increasing the number of neighborhood or regional libraries with a focus on print materials for young people, maker and STEM spaces, and access for electronic resources?  Are there opportunites to partner with other organizations like the local colleges/universities and school districts to provide these spaces?

 

In my opinion, libraries as repositories for physical books are still necessary for a few reasons. Generally, I understand it that a large proportion of all physical books have not been digitized, and so an electronic-only library would be incomplete. More personally, I think that electronic data is ephemeral and prone to manipulation—they can turn off the internet, or censor digital books to remove ideas they don't like, but they can never burn all the physical books!

 

And that is not even bringing up the current negative press about books / librarians / libraries,  

 

Where are you seeing this negative press? I haven't seen it. 



#160 JBB

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Posted 25 September 2023 - 08:11 AM

Not to take this down a political avenue, but some individuals are focused on keeping material and programming out of libraries that doesn't agree with their values.  The main focus has been on school libraries, but it has spilled over to city run facilities. 



#161 Crestline

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Posted 25 September 2023 - 08:26 AM

Not to take this down a political avenue, but some individuals are focused on keeping material and programming out of libraries that doesn't agree with their values.  The main focus has been on school libraries, but it has spilled over to city run facilities. 

 

Oh, right, I guess have seen stories like this about school libraries. In my opinion, all-ages non-school public libraries shouldn't remove any materials from their collections because of political pressure.



#162 Nitixope

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Posted 25 September 2023 - 08:28 AM

The City published this article on their website / newsletter that published yesterday:

https://www.fortwort...ibrary-downtown



#163 txbornviking

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Posted 27 September 2023 - 08:13 AM

in which the mayor says maybe, perhaps, in a future bond election (2026 or later) a new true central library can be considered...

 

https://fortworthrep...wnsized-branch/

i don't know, seems odd to say a new library can only be funded by a bond when the old library was sold and those funds could have/should have been earmarked for a replacement...



#164 Nitixope

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Posted 27 September 2023 - 09:03 AM

in which the mayor says maybe, perhaps, in a future bond election (2026 or later) a new true central library can be considered...

 

https://fortworthrep...wnsized-branch/

i don't know, seems odd to say a new library can only be funded by a bond when the old library was sold and those funds could have/should have been earmarked for a replacement...

 

That's because they needed those funds to pay for the new City Mahal.



#165 Crestline

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Posted 08 November 2023 - 07:14 AM

It's looking like the new location will be the ground floor of 100 Main Place. Goes before City Council on Tuesday.

Star-Telegram, Here's where the new downtown Fort Worth library location could be

New%20Downtown%20Library%206.jpg

 

Six weeks later, this plan is dead:

 

While the City of Fort Worth is eager to establish a new library location downtown, the search continues for a property that will be the best long-term solution. After preliminary negotiations, the City has notified the property owner at 100 Main St. that they will not pursue lease negotiations further.



#166 John T Roberts

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Posted 08 November 2023 - 08:29 AM

I think they should go back to the idea of placing it within the existing City Hall.



#167 johnfwd

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Posted 08 November 2023 - 08:50 AM

I know this isn't a popular suggestion, but is a full blown central library really a necessity in this electronic age?  When I took classes at UNT Dallas, the campus library wasn't much larger than a classroom.  There were some print reference materials with access points for electronic resources.  Would the money necessary for a large central library on valuable downtown or cultural district real estate be better spent on improving and increasing the number of neighborhood or regional libraries with a focus on print materials for young people, maker and STEM spaces, and access for electronic resources?  Are there opportunites to partner with other organizations like the local colleges/universities and school districts to provide these spaces?

This, I think, is the down-sizing trend for all facilities in the new electronic information age.  And, consequently, it probably is more suitable to share space in City Hall or other smaller building.



#168 TLA

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Posted 09 November 2023 - 08:39 AM

At this rate, the city should chip into the A&M campus to add several floors to one of the future buildings. Stays downtown and fits well with the educational intent of those blocks.

#169 Austin55

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Posted 09 November 2023 - 10:59 AM

Article from DBJ/WFAA with some notes on this project: https://www.wfaa.com...2d-36d874cab2cf

Big takeaways are that 

 

1. Hope to have a design team next year, 18 months to design, groundbreaking is scheduled (tentativly) for 2025 

2. Office would likely need a major relocation to get built

3. Dart looking for more development sites in FW


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#170 txbornviking

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Posted 09 November 2023 - 12:50 PM

Article from DBJ/WFAA with some notes on this project: https://www.wfaa.com...2d-36d874cab2cf

Big takeaways are that 

 

1. Hope to have a design team next year, 18 months to design, groundbreaking is scheduled (tentativly) for 2025 

2. Office would likely need a major relocation to get built

3. Dart looking for more development sites in FW

 

 

"Since purchasing the site, the firm has made extensive efforts to learn more about the city" is a seemingly worrying statement to me... just seems darn surprising someone who invest so much money into buying a downtown property like the library and it's land AND THEN feel like they need to learn what they want to do with it rather than having a goal already in mind...



#171 Crestline

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Posted 11 November 2023 - 08:40 AM

I'm not bothered by the statement. It's a certainty that some mix of residential, hospitality, and office will succeed on that block, so given its deep pockets Dart can buy speculatively before figuring out the winning mix. In the same DBJ/WFAA article, we learn that across town "Hillwood doesn’t intend to build speculative office on the [Oncor lot it just purchased], meaning the developer will wait until it has a tenant lined up before starting construction." So we also see a healthy mix of developer risk appetite between Dart (more aggressive) and Hillwood (more conservative). A very exciting moment for downtown!



#172 rriojas71

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Posted 13 November 2023 - 11:52 AM

 

Article from DBJ/WFAA with some notes on this project: https://www.wfaa.com...2d-36d874cab2cf

Big takeaways are that 

 

1. Hope to have a design team next year, 18 months to design, groundbreaking is scheduled (tentativly) for 2025 

2. Office would likely need a major relocation to get built

3. Dart looking for more development sites in FW

 

 

"Since purchasing the site, the firm has made extensive efforts to learn more about the city" is a seemingly worrying statement to me... just seems darn surprising someone who invest so much money into buying a downtown property like the library and it's land AND THEN feel like they need to learn what they want to do with it rather than having a goal already in mind...

 

I hear where you are coming from but maybe learning more has to do with what they actually decide to build there.  Maybe their plan was for (2) 30 story towers and some retail or office, but they want to first see if the trends match their initial vision.  They could be determining if a Hotel will work there or would office be something that is in demand at that time.

 

I think they bought the site because of where it was located and basically it was given away at the price they bought it for.   



#173 Austin55

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Posted 25 January 2024 - 07:43 PM

Maybe it can go into the old City Hall?


And it will, at least for an interim period: https://fortworthrep...town-location/?

#174 Jeriat

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Posted 25 January 2024 - 08:47 PM

 

Maybe it can go into the old City Hall?


And it will, at least for an interim period: https://fortworthrep...town-location/?

 


To the city:

giphy.gif


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#175 TLA

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Posted 25 January 2024 - 10:06 PM

Since moving to Fort Worth, I've been exclusively accessing the city's library through an app called Libby. I don't say this to make a statement that a physical library isn't necessary. I want a physical library, while understanding it's role is evolving and goes beyond just books on a shelf. Accessing the library's books an audiobooks this way has made a positive impact in my life. Libraries, including ours, have been embracing the digital age. I would like to see our elected officials take a stronger stance on the importance of our library as the public good it is. 



#176 txbornviking

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Posted 30 January 2024 - 02:54 PM

1.7million books checked out last year across the library system.

 

https://www.star-tel...6.html?tbref=hp



#177 Nitixope

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Posted 30 January 2024 - 04:00 PM

1.7million books checked out last year across the library system.
 
https://www.star-tel...6.html?tbref=hp


And how many were returned?

#178 elpingüino

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Posted 08 March 2024 - 07:05 PM

FW Report,
Downtown Express Library is open for business


#179 Nitixope

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Posted 08 March 2024 - 10:06 PM

FW Report,
Downtown Express Library is open for business


Tell me this is some kind of a sick early April Fools joke, right?

xDEL-Location-Photo-3.jpg?resize=1200%2C

#180 JBB

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Posted 08 March 2024 - 11:02 PM

What-is-this-A-Center-For-Ants-Zoolander

#181 jmcgee

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Posted 20 March 2024 - 12:15 PM

It's lip service to those who want a downtown library.  Just so they can say they have one.






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