Groundbreaking for new UP Library — September 8.
On Thursday, September 8 the City of University Park and the Friends of the University Park Library will hold a groundbreaking ceremony to formally mark the start of construction of the City’s new library which will be located in The Plaza at Preston Center.
The festivities will start at 9 a.m. near the construction site on the Center’s southwest side (Hillstone Restaurant parking lot). Residents are welcome to attend.
Library project specifics
Totaling 17,500 square feet, the library will be housed primarily on the second floor of the office/retail tower. The second floor layout includes a children’s reading room, a designated teen area, group study rooms, a quiet reading room, a local history room, and expanded collection space. In addition, a Community Room, totaling 1,914 square feet, will be used for programming of all ages. It will be located on the building’s third floor along with an adjoining kitchen and storage space. The library will also have its own 500-square-foot lobby with separate elevator access and ample free parking in the building’s underground and surface lots.
The Plaza at Preston Center management anticipates building construction will last approximately 16 months. The library is targeted to open in the first quarter of 2013. Under agreement with the Center, in exchange for transfer ownership of streets, sidewalks and alleys within the Center’s boundaries, the City will own the building’s second floor. The Center will also provide the City with $50 per square foot finish out allowance and lease the third floor space and lobby space to the City at no cost for 50 years. Currently the library is located in donated space in the Chase Bank building at Hillcrest Road and Daniel Avenue.
Those attending the groundbreaking
University Park Mayor Dick Davis, members of the City Council, City Manager Bob Livingston, Friends of the University Park Library President Susan Hall, Library Director Jeff Rippel, and The Plaza at Preston Center Property Manager Mike Geisler will be on hand for the event. Library Architect Denelle Wrightson will also attend. As Director of Library Architecture for PSA Dewberry, Ms. Wrightson has completed more than 160 library projects including those located in Garland, Grapevine, Irving, Keller, Plano, Richardson and Rockwall.
