A new home for Winter Park's books

A deal six years in the making might have to go through if Winter Park wants to build a new public library.

The Winter Park City Commission met with the Winter Park Library Task Force on Tuesday to discuss plans for a new public library.

The task force, appointed by the City Commission and the Winter Park Public Library, proposed that it’s time for a new facility, due to the constraints on space, technology and accessibility in the current building.

“The current library is archaic and inadequate,” task force chairman Sam Stark said. “Our city, which represents the highest quality, deserves a first-class library to match our assets in terms of arts and culture, parks and recreation, education and so much more.”

“There are several options to achieve the goal … The time to act is now.”

But the task force’s top choice out of five locations for a new library might rely solely on the federal government. The post office adjacent to Park Avenue has been a property of interest for the city for decades. An ongoing effort to negotiate a sale of the property has been unsuccessful for the past six years.

“It’s not for sale,” City Manager Randy Knight said. “They’re providing both retail and carrier services out of the site, it’s paid for, they own it and it’s centrally located for them, so they have no direct desire to sell it.”

Knight added Winter Park might be able to obtain the property if they can find a new location and construct a new post office. A three-acre property in western Winter Park might be a potential candidate. The task force hopes a deal could be made.

“The site is just too compelling, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” task force member Daniel Butts said. “We’d be remiss to not recommend it and commit ourselves to pursue it.”

“We fully realize that it’s an uphill battle.”

The task force’s number two option would be adjacent to Winter Park City Hall. The three story library would sit on the recently paved parking lot west of City Hall, while a new parking garage would be built in the parking lot immediately to the southeast.

Commissioner Tom McMacken said that he saw the City Hall route as the best option.

“We’ve dealt with the post office since I was on [the Planning and Zoning Board] 20 years ago and we’re still dealing with it,” McMacken said.

“I have no problem doing it adjacent to [City Hall] … It’s our civic core.”

Task Force member Gary Barker noted that a new location in the downtown area could drive an economic benefit for merchants along Park Avenue, bringing in more foot traffic to the area.

Other potential sites for a new library include the Rachel D. Murrah Civic Center site, the Progress Pointe site off of Orange Avenue and the library’s current property.

Commissioner Steven Leary said he found the civic center site to make the most sense. The current building would be demolished and replaced with a new library, though a new civic center could be rebuilt just next door.

“The civic center, financially, is really interesting to me,” he said. “As we talk about trying to bring the community together too, that makes the most sense to me, because we’re going to an area of the community that [residents] will tide to.”

But many Winter Park residents don’t want the Winter Park Library replaced at all. The task force received a petition with 464 signatures in favor of keeping the current library as is.

City Commissioner Carolyn Cooper said she supported their stance, believing that a new library in the city’s downtown core could inadvertently create new traffic problems.

“For years we have heard that the parking downtown is a problem,” Cooper said.

“I don’t know if that’s good for the merchants quite frankly. I think that might be a struggle.”

The request for a new 60,000-square-foot library would likely require a tax referendum proposed to city residents.

Mayor Ken Bradley said the cost of building a new library, along with constructing a new post office, could add up to a $25 to $35 million project. He’d rather see a $15 million facility be built that could be expanded down the road, he said.

“I am much more inclined with a project cost that is much more within our power,” Bradley said.

“I don’t believe we should even be asking our citizens to tax themselves $25 or $35 million.”

The City Commission will further discuss a potential new public library at their upcoming meeting on Monday.