Updated Downtown Vancouver Library (posted notes.)

[Waterbuffalo]

Part 1:

I've basically cut down names into initials to speed up typing this up plus save myself from eternal carpal tunnel problems. If you can think up the name or watch the video to get a general idea of whom it may be..

Please do not ask how many tress were killed to write these notes. Computer was on the fritz, so I could only watch and take hand notes on the subject provided.

Please actively note this is NOT a totally perfect typographical or context perfect copy but just a general layman and citizen's notes from what i heard. If you have any a idea or question in your mind of what was said, please refer to the video or contact the cvtv, the City of Vancouver OR Fort Vancouver regional libary with any specific questions or concerns you may have.

One thing I *MUST* emphasize that was said on the video that the downtown Vancouver library process is in the design phase right now. Its **TIME NOW** nto bring up your issues to their attention if you have any. they want to heere from you, the general public, so please get ahold of them now.

From what I saw, the new library has a lot of glass and terra cotta clay. I do not mean a Little, I mean 5 above ground floors and 1 below grade level plus parking structure.

Please watch the video for a good idea of what the new library is going to possibly look like.

The video that I took notes off of is linked on this page on the City Workshop pages as:

"Update to library construction projects."

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv/cvtvindex.asp?catID=3&folderID=1862

70 percent or better of the update is focused on the Downtown Vancouver - Killian Pacific Development. So there may be a bit of interest from our regular lurkers who may want a peak at what it may look like. Not going to give a specific time frame in the video stream of where to look at the library. Because there are a lot of slides of different views..



Now to my copious notes: (Bruce Zeigman and Aden Dunning, Miller Hall architects. Sorry if I mispelled the names... Howard S. Wright was select as the general contractor who will built the building. Also known for doing the new Columbian building.)

6 floors 1 below grade. Quiet rooms Early learning kids area, (might become enclosed because it will be on an upper floor. And you do not want mischievous kids dropping books on people's heads? --WB)
JH
Top Floor Mezzanine-Atrium level, International section of many different flavors, cultures and languages represented.

2 staff elevators for moving books and staff stuff. (working elevators.) 2 elevators for public use. The public ones will be a little different physically, so you will have to watch the video to understand why.

Harris asked: how are you going to manage for space and noise? With Glass, Baffles, Ceilings, carpet and some other features.

Kids area will be unclosed for safety, fire and logisitics reasons.


Smith: How are you going to maximize space in the building with multiple competing interests interested in using the meeting rooms and space? Will there there be any preferential treatment or access (--Sorry larry my terminology--WB) for areas of the library?

BZ: No person or group is giving special access or treatment. (except in special circumstances like giving ADA requirements for disabled people? --WB) (I have cut his comments down as I wrote about 15 pages of double sides notes on this forty five minute video. --WB)

Raised Access Levels and Ceilings, Bookshelves, etc.

(Pat jollota goes more into the Q.)

PJ: Public Spaces. How many? (Was working off Larry's Q. about open spaces and how much..)

Arch: There will be four rooms from 15 to 210 with maybe room for 250. The biggest 200 person will be near the front door with retractible auditorium seating. So if you want to, you could have a open floor plan or room for a stadium style lecture series.

This room will also have a CVTV recording booth (someone asked about this... I did not catch it but I think Tim asked.) for recording and live airing of subject matters. Right now CVTV is actively looking for grants for the cost of building it and maintaining it.

JS: What Use? Will their be places for Library sponsored events like writers, readers of material, special library events, etc. Will there be a dedicated space? (skies the limit on the idea here.. Cut down the notes since Jeanne likes to give a lot of information in her questions.. --WB ;-)


BZ: Basically the answer was yes. There will be all the above in the new building (my notes, not their words.)

Moving on to the presentation...

We need to respect and reflect the "academy Building" and the historic buildings in Officer's Row and VA Hospital Saint Joes Hospital on the reserve grounds.. (ok there is a hospital building there.. I was really beautiful. But alas, I have forgotten its official designation... So I am asking for HELP?~?~? in correct that please?) with their wrap around porch designs and brick block (I mean HIDDEN BLOCK?!?!?!) designs..

Because we can no longer build buildings in that structural style of brick block,we going to use an inlay terra cotta brown-red clay style that will be appropriate to both the spirit AND culture of our historical roots.

This building has to fit the character of our community while combining historical aspects of the "academy" and other East buidlings of the "reserve" and national park as feature points to draw from.

Most of today's brick buildings tend to be just pasted on (mortar?) brick attached to the building.

This building for many safety reasons will not feature brick block designs that are in other buildings around it but will draw from and be inspired by those designs.

The building will have a wrap around cover area to keep out the rain, wind and cold plus huge essential amounts of
glass that will be double pained along with many other factors to control Heating and Cooling needs.

Clay will have open points and joints.



Someone asks about the Solar Glare of the south facing windows. There will be a special screen that will have cutouts for sun loving areas with a special wire mesh.

There will be special attention and intention to those south facing walls because of the huge concern over heating and cooling issues that are going to be apart of the design of this mainly glass-overhang-terra cotta building.

(There are more details that I have chose to remit from the notes as I did not want to spend HOURS writing it all down. This does look like an awesome building but there are some huge concerns over various building and security aspects. So if your interested in more details, go watch the video. --WB)

(One of my MAIN Concerns of this building is the Looky-loo syndrome. Being able to look in and see what is going on? :-)

[Waterbuffalo]

Part 2:
(Continued.. @ the 33 minute level: Most of my scribbling starts here..)

This building will have a special art wall to exhibit artists of various types.



TimL: What is going to make it look like a library? (Since there is going to be so much glass, this is going to look like a show piece, not like a physical library. There was no answer but some general laughter. IF Tim keeps it up, I think he'll be a fine mayor if he so chooses. He does some more hilarity later in the video. -- WB)

LarryS: Where is the lighting and security features of such a building?

Arch: We have included way so that the library can be closed or sectioned off in emergency stages. Larger DHS type events they are working with Killian Pacific to address areas outside of their buildings..

LarryS: What is the plaza being envisioned to have? Amenities? What are going to be around the building? What is the "context" or the meaning of the outside space?

BZ: The developers (Killian Pacific) are going to be the ones who will be responsible for developing the plaza. We have a great working relationship with them and their landscape architect.. The pavers may come into the library, may not. This part is still in design phase so we do not know all the specifics.

There are plans for a water feature in the center of the plaza and wonderful plant and landscape design. Though it should be understood that this is a work in progress and things may change.

The intention of the building to the South on its bottom floor will be a coffee shop or restaurant of some sort that will be worked into the library-Riverwest scheme. (It was emphasized this was a huge concern and design desire from the Fort Vancouver Regional Library's representatives.)


Around 36:00

JeanneS: Security? Associated with the jointly operated parking lot access to the library will be later in case the other business close during the day.. Will their be access for the library patrons to be able to leave or enter?

BZ: The library wil not curtail hours. The Mayor and library are equally concerned about the security and safety of library patrons in this new wonderful facility.

The Library has near Full Time Security and measures in place now and that shall continue into the future.

The parking management plan will include additional security and measures afforded to it by the developer and library. This document will show that the parking lot will stay open for the duration of hours the library will be open.


PatJ: Septed (Please note I do not know the official name. Please speak to Pat Jollota if your interested in more information on it. This sounds like the phonetical version.) (Keeping the homeless away from the library, security of the library and other stuff through design of the environment around it.)

Make sure that as we put the put this together on the ground, that they speak to several of the Vancouver Police Department officers that are trained in this method to help control problems..

Arch: The time to do be doing that is right now during this design of the building phase. (She inferred that the City Manager or her would forward them to right people..)



Royce: Will this be a leed certified building? I assume not. What are the environmental aspects will it contain?

Arch: The current design is straddling leed silver and gold. We're still in the process of determining which one we'll be applying for in this building. It will include low VOC materials, sealants, carting, recycled content (of various types)..

This will be a 50 or 60 year old building, so getting it right with efficient energy and mechanical systems (heating and cooling) is going to be a huge factor for this building.


--Now the mayor is starting the once around quick question and this whole thing is nearing the end of the process (and six pages of notes to type.)

PatC declines to comment.

Larrys: Public Hearings? Where will you go next? How many more?

*****PLEASE NOTE FROM WATERBUFFALO****** This process for the downtown Library has been going on for a significant amount of time. If you have any comments on the building design, leed certification or any aspect of it. Please get a hold of Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries and give them some input.

Or if you did like me, the second time around, I watched the video without the noise and watched the wonderful slide show pass by.

They're designing the building as we speak, so its NOW time to speak up if you have any issues instead of sitting on one's laurels and complaining later via an email list after the fact. Time to speak up folks if you have problems with the library design.

(Back to regularly scheduled notes..)

Once this process goes into the detail phase in July or early August, this library's details will be nearly cast in stone.

The next public meeting will be a roll out of what has been, FVRL's plans (basically set in stone.)and other things. We want to keep the public in the loop.

LarryS: I like what I see so far. Nice design.

[Waterbuffalo]

Part 3:


TimL: The building appears to be a nice design. Looks like you brought functionality and a asthetic appeal.

Do you DO bridge design? :-D (probably related to Tim's problem with C-tran board chairman.)


BZ: Answer with a little chuckle, no..

(BZ asking Tim)l be a little landbridge between the library and coffee shop? (Joke?)


JeanneS: As I see the design, I think what strikes me is the that there is a lot of glass in the building. When I see that I get a little concerned about HVAC (Heating and cooling) and the efficiency of that?

I believe that there are things that can be done architecturally and with materials that can mitigate those issues. Sounds like we have the right people working working on it. ( a compliment coming from Jeanne Stewart.)

Can you address this briefl?

Arch: This is what gets our mechanical engineer worked up, seeing all that glass. Picking the right glass, amazing what high value (r value?) glass can do.

To laiding glass, all of it is doable. (could not here the name he used for laiding.. --WB)

Dealing with Solar Glare, things are doable from a mechanical standpoint. Heat Gain as well.

(She likes it..)

Harris: I really liked the process, public input. Building looks good.

But have similar concerns (as Jeanne Stewart) about the Glass, sound, noise, etc.

How is this building in relationship to the others surounding it? Have you integrated similar features, character?

Are we going to see three or four similar buildings totally different buildings in this development?

Have you spoken to the developer (Killian Pacific) about major differences in the the buildings?

BZ: The intent of the project was not to have four or five clones. (of the buildings.)

The Killians intent was that the buildings look like they were being built over time. It will be (in phases) all through they respect (and compliment) one another. They will be substantially different.

Not all the same.

Were a bit ahead of them in the design, (phasing) may be it will be encumbent of them to make what they design matches what we do.

But we have kept them in the design loop, made presentations to them, so they have seen the same drawings as you did.

They know where we are heading (design of the new FVRL Downtown Branch.)

We may have compatible buildings.

Arch: Killian has been with able to sit with us and able to talk about the features and materials related to the Plaza design.

@ 44:10

PatJ: Thank you for the public meetings with everyone. (Thankful that the meeting she attended ended ontime which most seems to not.)

She wants "all new microfiche machines...." (A lot of the locals know that Pat loves local history and this would help her records searching.


Royce: It looks Great with all of that Glass. Have you considered the solar panels at all?

Arch: We have. Clark PUD has such a program. (I think they need to look into it as it would be a nice environmental aside for this project.--Wb)

Royce: And I am going to end on time too. Thank you very much..