Ark Valley News - LeVenue remains shelved

LeVenue remains shelved
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: July 10, 2014

City asks for more info before library purchase

The Valley Center City Council took a shopping trip this week but came home emptyhanded.

The council met with the library board July 8 at LeVenue to discuss the possible purchase of the downtown Valley Center building to expand the library. After a tour of the facility — and a walk across Main Street to see another commercial property for sale — the council decided it needed more information and more time before making a decision.

"We're just trying to do the right thing," said council member Terry Ishman.

The council requested that the library hire an architect to develop firm renovation plans and costs — particularly involving ADA requirements — before moving forward.

"We're not going to be able to go any further without knowing the cost," Mayor Mike McNown said.

The library board had previously produced a multi-phase list of renovation plans but the prices weren't precise enough and the document didn't address ADA compliance issues.

Library director Janice Sharp said she met with an architect this week, and he agreed to develop specific plans by mid-August. Meanwhile, the city's planning commission will have a public hearing July 22 to consider a special-use permit application for the library to use LeVenue. That process will likely continue, even though the purchase of the property has not been finalized.

With money it has saved over the years, the library board wants to buy LeVenue for its new facility, which would more than triple the size of its current home on West First.

The city council must give its blessing to the purchase before it moves forward. The library has been raising funds for a new facility for more than 15 years. The library has spent thousands on architects and consultants over the years — and even purchased an adjacent property to expand its current building, but that fell through. The library board has been reluctant to spend anymore of its money on architects.

The council insisted.

"I'm not willing to give permission if I don't understand how much the costs are," said council member Marci Maschino.

Owners of the LeVenue building are asking $495,000 for property. The library board said it has enough money to purchase the building but has to raise additional funds — an estimated $170,000 ($73,000 in the first phase) — to renovate it.

The library board said it was unclear how much work would be required to make the building ADA compliant. The city council said an architect would answer those questions.

LeVenue, which is about 70 years old, has about 12,000 square feet of space, 4,850 of which is the auditorium. About 6,000 square feet would be dedicated to the library's book and media collections as well as office and meeting rooms.

Library officials said it could host up to 40 library events each year in the auditorium, making the space useful. Some have argued that the auditorium is unnecessary and will be expensive to maintain.

The building was originally a theater and a skating rink, later connected to form a church. It was purchased by Keith and Nancy Harimon in 2007, extensively remodeled and turned into a venue for weddings and other events.

The library board and council met in the banquet hall and then toured the facility.

The council and library board also toured the empty All Saints building across the street. All Saints, which renovated the former drugstore about seven years ago but moved its operations to Wichita this year, is asking $325,000 for the building.

Owner Daron Kasselman said he's willing to negotiate the sale price.

He said the building is 6,000 square feet, has a large common area and meeting room along with 13 offices that can be remodeled to make the open area larger. He said the building is wired for Internet and utilities average a combined $800 a month. He added that the building is ADA compliant.