Talk of a new library is nothing new in Bellevue. For approximately 20 years, there have been discussions, plans, and studies for how to best proceed with the local demand for a library similar to what many neighboring communities have. At Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, an official announcement was made regarding the future of the library.
The Bellevue Professional Center on Longo Drive will be transformed into the new Bellevue Public Library.
Bellevue City Administrator Jim Ristow said that purchasing the Bellevue Professional Center was the best option for the city. The new library will have a more modern look, complete with contemporary furnishings, a drive-thru window, and the genuine possibility of a library annex somewhere on the western side of Bellevue in the near future.
With over 50,000 square feet of space, the building comes at a cost of 3.4 million dollars which the city plans to have paid in full in 7 years. “We’ve applied for grants with the state, we will have the future sale of the existing library building, and then we will have cash flow from existing tenants in the new building – which will be just shy of $500,000 a year,” Ristow explained.
There will be no tax increase to finance the new library despite rumors on and off for years.
Library Directory Julie Dinville is excited about the changes, “The library staff, Bellevue Library Advisory Board, Bellevue Library Foundation, and the Friends of the Bellevue Public Library see this as an opportunity to create a new space for the library. The building we would be moving to has updated infrastructure that our 1975 building lacks. We could use that as a great starting point toward a renovation/addition project that would result in a great, updated library space.”
Although no opening date has been set, Ristow said the new library could open its doors as early as the fall of this year. After the building is purchased, the design phase will be next.
He added, “We will get a fantastic building with nearly double the parking space. We also plan to add roughly 6,000 square feet on the western side of the building as things progress.”
Dinville mentioned the overwhelming support the library has received. “We appreciate all the support the public has given us through the years in working toward a building project. Our goal is to create a space that provides even better services and programs for our community, meeting their diverse needs.”
