New city building plan in the works
New city building plan in the works
By JILL DENNING GACKLE
Not only is the council looking at a new appearance for the city, but the a new look for city offices and library is in the works, too.
Joseph Larrivee, architect, of Bismarck presented a proposal that calls for major changes to the War Memorial Building: a remodeled library, a new doorway, a conference room, four offices and a meeting room. The plan calls for a meeting room and library on the main floor with offices upstairs. Total square footage would be 6,785.
The council has a lot of choices to make at this point: type of roof, $50,000 for elevator to the second floor because of the American Disabilities Act, how to pursue a one floor structure or how to purchase the building to the north and construct that direction.
Larrivee said a price tag of $700,000 - $750,000 could be expected.
In reviewing the proposal, Langhans said the library “doesn’t get used a ton.” He suggested that the library be downsized from the initial plan of nearly 2,000 square feet. Hoffman suggested that the city auditor’s office should be on the main floor. Hart suggested that the library be moved upstairs with the offices downstairs; the elevator would make that possible.
