Master Building Plan Summary

Report issued by Bond  Wolfe Architects on study of current library facility, and feasibilty of short and long term expansion at current location.

O’Fallon Public Library  
Final Report  
June 14, 2010  

The design team—Bond Wolfe Architects, BRiC Partnership, Larson Engineering and CDI— worked with O’Fallon Public Library Board and staff, City of O’Fallon staff, and Library Consultant, Fred Schlipf. The purpose was to assess the existing 17,871 sf. O’Fallon Public Library facility located at 120 Civic Plaza, for potential expansion to a 60,000 sf. facility, as proposed in the March 30, 2010 Building Program completed by Mr. Schlipf.

The team first proposed a 40,000 sf. building addition. Subsequently Phase 1 expansion options were developed that would not exceed a $2 million bequest made to the Library for new construction by Vernon Ohlendorf.  The goals were to determine the best use of the bequest money to provide a functional addition, and also one that would not have to be undone to complete later phases of work.  

As part of these studies the design team reviewed the existing conditions of the 15-year old facility.  The structure, heating and cooling system, electrical system, code compliance, and site were assessed for ability to accommodate the Library’s desire for Phase 1 and Phase 2 additions.  

Findings
The Phase 1 and Phase 2 options were presented to the O’Fallon Public Library Board, City of O’Fallon Building Officials, and Library Building Consultant, Fred Schlipf. The selected option for the Phase 1 project was a 3,500 sf. addition to the north east edge of the existing building that would expand the collections area and create a new Young Adult space.  This project would also transform the exterior public entry elevation to better conceal the roof top equipment, and create a prominent ‘front door’ appearance. This expansion option resolves some of the problems identified in the Building Program, but leaves a number of functional problems. Remaining issues include the problematic main staircase, heating and cooling deficiencies, and shortage of staff workspace. Completion of Phase 1 and Phase 2 options would allow for a 39,000 sf. future expansion on the west end of the building, bringing the total building square footage to 60,371. Because of the amount of land needed for storm water retention, options for the final 39,000 sf. expansion are limited to a two story addition.

To construct the Phase 1 project, the building must be modified to current building code compliance. The primary building code requirement is to enclose and construct a fire separation of the balcony from the main library space. Construction cost for the modifications would be included in the Phase 1 construction budget.  This fire separation presents a staffing challenge beyond any construction after Phase 1, as additional staff would be required to supervise the two-story addition. The expansion to the west would basically function as a separate building, making flow between the current space and the expansion very limited.  

In addition to planning for the building expansion, the Library needs to budget for expected capital expenditures with new construction, and evaluate the useful life of some of the building’s current mechanical, electrical, and exterior systems. The design team discovered that it is likely several of the systems should be, or may be required to be, replaced within 5 to 10 years. These systems will require replacement whether or not the Library moves forward with Phase 1 or 2 of the building expansion. The Library should anticipate replacing the roof; windows; EIFS skin; light fixtures; electrical panels; fire alarm system; and heating and cooling system, including some of the ductwork.  

Conclusion
The design team was tasked with assessing the existing building and its future phased expansion to reach the 60,000 sf. building indicated as being needed by a city the size of O’Fallon within the next 20 years.  It is the design team’s opinion that it is not cost effective or practical to expand the current building to 60,000 sf. on the existing site. Though the community thinks of the existing building as the ‘new library’, and a significant improvement to the previous building, the building is 15-years old. Although the building has been carefully maintained, the construction methods, such as the wood windows and EIFS ‘stucco’ finish, and the building systems originally selected, can be expected to last 20 to 25-years, at best, in a heavily used public building. It is also clear that the needs and population of O’Fallon have changed significantly since the library opened in this location.  

Proven in our evaluation, there is a large capital investment required to stay in the current building for the next 5 to 10-years because of its inherent difficulty for planned additions and many functional problems with the current layout. A large investment would be required to repair the identified deficiencies and the resulting expanded library would not function as desired. The expanded Library would require additional staff, thus increasing the operational costs. If a larger library is a necessity for the City of O’Fallon, it is the design team’s opinion that it would be more cost effective to construct a new facility, or to renovate a new space, than to expand and fully renovate the existing structure. The existing building could be repurposed for other uses, particularly uses that do not put as much of a demand on a building.  

The Library Board voiced the concern that the City of O’Fallon may not financially support a larger Library now or in the future. The Phase 1 expansion option could be completed on its own and solve at least some of the deficiencies of the space. If the Library chooses to move forward with Phase 1 only, a capital improvement allowance of between $3.5 and $4 million should be investigated to prepare for upcoming significant repairs and to address other identified functional deficiencies. It is the design team’s opinion that in the long term the resulting library will still not meet the needs of the community. It will be more expensive for the library to stay in the current location than to relocate. We recommend that the Library investigate alternate locations for a new public library and compare those costs to the costs for renovating and staying in the current location.

Master Building Plan Summary PDF

Master Building Plan Report
Detailed analysis and schematic drawings (36 pages.)