Jasper Library Board cautious about city collaboration over Hoosier Desk

Despite the potential the Hoosier Desk building seems to hold as a location to house a combined Jasper Library and Arts Commission effort, the library board isn’t ready to step across that threshold yet.

After a lengthy discussion Thursday evening, the board countered a proposal from the city to have a consultant develop an architectural design study for the building.

Attorney Bill Shaneyfelt, the library board’s attorney, met with Jasper City Attorney Renee Kabrick about the proposal for the Jasper Arts Commission and Jasper Public Library to share the building. According to Shaneyfelt, the city requested the library split the $28,800 cost of hiring Boston-based Gamble Associates to create a concept for the use of the building.

The library would be responsible for $14,400.

The Hoosier Desk building is one of the two locations the Jasper Library board decided to explore after a building committee made three recommendations for the future of the library. The other two recommendations were to build a new library at the current location on Main Street or to revisit the South Newton location defeated by referendum in 2011.

The board decided not to pursue the South Newton location due to the resounding defeat of the proposal.

The current location of the library is still a consideration but the board is exploring the potential for the Hoosier Desk location due to the extensive plans for that area of the city.

Gamble Associates worked with the Louisville firm CityVisions to develop plans for the redevelopment of the Jasper Downtown and Riverfront and The Parklands. The city has contracted services for the planning through CityVision at a total cost of $226,750. The Downtown Riverfront Master Plan has cost about $149,750 for the creation of the plan. The Parklands Master Plan has cost $77,000. Between the two plans and included in this total is $19,250 the city has been billed for expenses related to travel and lodging.

The city has paid $178,988 for those services so far.

Hoosier Desk — located at the intersection of Mill Street and Third Avenue — was identified in the downtown riverfront plan as an area that could be developed into a location for arts, library, housing and restaurants. Currently the 133,000 squarefoot building is largely empty.

The library has identified the three-story portion of the building as a potential location due to the large parking lot along that side of the building.

Before moving forward though, the library board wants an engineering study to insure the building is sound for development and that there are no code violations requiring extensive remediation. The Gamble Associates study would cover potential code violations but would not include an engineering study. It would largely deal with the architectural design.

Universal Design, the Ferdinand firm that won a national design award for the Ferdinand Library, has proposed an engineering and code study that includes a sketch of ideas for the building at a preliminary cost of $11,000. The firm will complete a walkthrough of the building this Saturday before giving the board a firm proposal cost.

Board member Pamela Catt was apprehensive about moving forward with a design if the building has potential problems. “I think we’re almost putting the cart before the horse. Until we know that the building is sound, I don’t know why we need to do the design work,” she said.

Shaneyfelt told the board it was his impression that the city would not work with any other firm. He added that Gamble Associates and CityVisions had told the city that the building was sound for development.

Board member Mark Kunkel said that if those firms have signed off on the building being sound, he would like to see those engineering surveys before agreeing to the design study.

Board member Deb Stemle explained that she was concerned with being locked into an agreement that would force them to use Gamble Associates as the architect.

“We would be held hostage basically to their charges and their fees,” Stemle said. “I’m afraid we’re going to get sucked into a really high price and not necessarily get what we want for that amount of money.”

Newly-elected library board president Dean Vonderheide asked each board member their thoughts on moving forward. Across the board, they agreed that an engineering study needed to be completed. The unanimously voted to direct Shaneyfelt to propose an engineering study be conducted by Universal Designs and that the cost be split between the two entities.

Shaneyfelt told the board that he did not think the city would agree to the proposal based on the impression he has received from his meetings with the them so far.

The board agreed that an engineering study is necessary as part of the board’s due diligence in considering the building for the future home of the busy library.