Library Station to reflect north-side transit history

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The Springfield-Greene County Library District will begin taking bids for the new Library Station at 2535 N. Kansas Expwy. early this fall.|ret||ret||tab|

The 25,000-square-foot building, the site of the former Helig-Meyers Furniture store, was purchased for $1.35 million. Renovation costs are estimated to be $1.5 million. Part of the funds for the building and renovation costs came from Proposition L, a tax increase passed by voters in April. The remainder of the costs will be covered by the sale of the Kearney Branch location, which will be sold after Library Station is opened.|ret||ret||tab|

Library Station, which is replacing the Kearney Branch Library at 630 W. Kearney St., will have more than 35,000 square feet. The Kearney Branch location has about 10,000 square feet, according to Jeanne Duffey, the library's community relations director.|ret||ret||tab|

The Kearney Branch will stay open until the construction of Library Station is complete. Duffey said Library Station should be completed in 2003, but could not narrow down the time because bids are still out.|ret||ret||tab|

Sapp Design Associates Architects PC has been chosen as the architect for Library Station.|ret||ret||tab|

Jim Stufflebeam, an architect for Sapp Design, is the project manager. He said the exterior of the building will be refaced and the interior will be completely gutted. The floor plan hasn't been finalized.|ret||ret||tab|

Library Station's dcor will be centered around the importance of planes, trains and automobiles to Springfield.|ret||ret||tab|

"We thought it would be appropriate to reflect the history of north Springfield," said Annie Busch, the library district's executive director.|ret||ret||tab|

"The history includes Route 66, because it ran through parts of town; the railroads that went through town; and Ozark Airlines, which was locally owned. We're looking at having a map of Route 66 as a part of the flooring in the entryway."|ret||ret||tab|

The dcor is being paid for by a $200,000 donation from the C.W. Titus Foundation. The Titus Foundation was founded by an Oklahoma oil company with family ties to Springfield. The Titus family underwrote the cost of the decor in the children's departments at Library Center and the Midtown Carnegie Branch.|ret||ret||tab|

Busch hopes Library Station will offer services not available at other branches: portable computer labs that can be taken anywhere in the library, a large consumer law collection and a large automotive repair collection.|ret||ret||tab|

Library Station will have a drive-up window and possibly a gift shop. It also will have nine meeting rooms.|ret||ret||tab|

"We want it to be a family-destination library," Busch said. " A place for people to experience new things, to come and relax, and to attract nontraditional library users who might never have come in otherwise."|ret||ret||tab|

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