East Manatee Library plans get a construction boost — but there’s a rising cost
Amid concerns about escalating costs, the long-discussed and planned East County Library at Lakewood Ranch achieved a milestone on Friday with the filing of a building permit application with Manatee County Building and Development Services.
The two-story, 50,000-square-foot facility would be built at 16410 Rangeland Parkway. The design for the new library is now 60% complete and the construction start has a window of fall 2021 to spring 2022, The Friends of East County Library at Lakewood Ranch shared in a recent newsletter. Groundbreaking information has not been announced.
“It’s a positive sign,” Regina Negrez, vice president and secretary of the friends group, said Friday of the building permit.
While a library to serve the community that has grown to more than 50,000 has been requested by residents for two decades, costs have grown exponentially from an initial estimate of $7 million to about $20 million.
At a June 16 Manatee County Commission budget meeting, County Administrator Scott Hopes told commissioners that the cost has ballooned to $19.9 million.
“There are some shared components” reflected in the costs, Hopes said, referring to other possible county government facilities to be co-located with the planned library.
County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said he was having “sticker shock” because of the soaring costs, and asked Commission Chair Vanessa Baugh whether she was still in favor of the library project, which would be located in her district.
Baugh replied that she was having sticker shock, too, but supported a library at Lakewood Ranch because it doesn’t have one.
“We do it to ourselves — the county does,” Baugh said of the run-away cost. “This library has been in the works for several years. It was held up by us, the county, many times.”
Van Ostenbridge said he would likely follow Baugh’s lead on the library, but he supported a facility at a cost of $7 million, rather than $20 million.
County Commissioner Misty Servia said part of the reason for the escalating cost is the rising price of construction materials.
“Construction materials have skyrocketed. We all know that. It is the cost of doing business,” Servia said.
Manatee County voters passed a library impact fee in 2016 for construction of a library at Lakewood Ranch, as well as expansion of the Braden River library branch, 4915 53rd Ave. E., and the Rocky Bluff library branch, 6750 U.S. 301, Ellenton.
Initially, county staff believe the Lakewood Ranch library would measure between 30,000 and 35,000 square feet to accommodate a future growth and handle spillover from overcrowded Braden River Branch Library.
Construction of the Lakewood Ranch library branch would not begin until the Braden River branch is expanded. Construction at the Braden River branch is now underway.
During a 2017 listening session with Lakewood Ranch residents, county staff learned that community members wanted a facility that caters to children and teens as well as seniors.
They also wanted a gathering place to help unify the community, a place where classes could be presented, and where groups could meet. They also wanted dynamic spaces that can change as needs change.
Renderings of the proposed library by Fawley Bryant Architecture released in 2020 show a rooftop terrace, dedicated youth, teen, and adult areas, a cafe, outdoor space, and a multi-purpose meeting area.
For more information
Friends of the East Manatee Library at Lakewood Ranch was established to support the planned library and sustain its work for the enrichment of the people of Manatee County. For more information, visit https://libraryfriendsemlwr.org/.
