Four possible sites outlined for new Cedar Rapids library

There are new developments on the future location of the downtown Cedar Rapids Public Library.

During its meeting this morning, the library board of trustees named four possible sites. Three of the sites surround Greene Square Park.

Here are the sites:

• The True North site, just south of the park.
• Banjo Engineering, diagonally to the east of the park.
• The Gazette block, diagonally north of the park.
• The Emerald Knights site, which is on First Avenue East between Seventh and Eighth streets.

Both the board and the city council are eager to make a decision since it will take a while to build or renovate.

"It is going to take us likely two years to build a library, so we were shooting for December 2012, but we will likely be pushing into early 2013, but 2012 will continue to be our goal," library trustee Doug Elliott said.

The board is considering several factors, including space and parking.

Mayor-elect Ron Corbett told the board to recommend a top site and an alternate the first week in January.

The board has considered site selection in general terms for nearly a year, but the city has always told the board before to hold off on a final choice while officials coordinated a number of major flood recovery decisions.

Corbett, though, wants a decision within days. This morning, the board looked at the options.

The plan is to make a choice of the top two finalists at a meeting Jan. 7, then enter negotiations with owners and pick a final selection 30 days later.

FEMA's recent decision to pay to relocate the library out of the flood zone freed up leaders to make the decision.

All the four options would cost about $45 million total, leaving library trustees with some money to raise.

"Right now we're estimating $7 million," Elliott said. "We might have to adjust that.  We're getting significant investment from FEMA.  We have $10 million in I-JOBS and a million dollars in donations we haven't solicited."

The addition of the KCRG-Gazette Building was the one surprise in the race to name a preferred new location for the city's main library.

Several trustees noted pluses and minuses with all four sites, and there are not favorites yet and still some unanswered questions.

Next week, trustees make a formal recommendation to the city council.

-- Dave Franzman, KCRG-TV9

REPLAY live coverage of today's meeting: