Dayton Metro Library system-wide building projects
New buildings
Brookville library is $5.1 million; scheduled to be completed 2016.
Northwest Branch is $12 million; scheduled to be completed in December.
New Lebanon Branch is $4.7 million; scheduled to be completed in 2016.
West Dayton Branch is $9.4 million; completion date undetermined.
Renovations/Expansions
- E.C. Doren branch reopened in January after a $2 million renovation.
Miami Township Branch is $5.3 million; scheduled to be completed this fall.
Kettering-Moraine Branch is $5.5 million; scheduled to be completed 2016.
Project details to be determined
The cost and completion dates for the projects involving the Wilmington-Stroop, West Carrollton, Southwest Dayton, Northmont, East Dayton/Riverside, Trotwood and Huber Heights branches have not been determined.
The administration building for the Board of Education of Vandalia-Butler City Schools could move into the current Vandalia Library site at 500 S. Dixie Dr. once the new library is built.
The new $7.8 million library is part of Dayton Metro Library’s $187 million system-wide building project that involves consolidating 20 branches into 16, including the construction of 11 new branches and renovation of five existing branches.
“The plan is when we move into the new library, the board of education that currently sits on the northern most piece of the property in a very aging building will move out of that into the old library,” said Jayne Klose, community engagement manager for the Dayton Metro Library.
Vandalia-Butler City Schools owns the property where the library is located. “We have a lease to the land that the library is on,” Klose said.
“If the partnership moves forward, the board will vote on the agreement to partner on the project,” said Brad Neavin, school district superintendent. “No date has been set for this vote.”
The administration building, 306 S. Dixie Dr., is approximately 9,600 square feet and dates back to the 1930s. “It has housed a number of different businesses. At one time it was a farm implement store and at another time it was a car dealership,” said Mark Barhorst, the district’s director of Human Resources and Operations.
Construction of a new building has not been considered. “The costs of building a new facility are prohibitive at this time,” Neavin said.
The district is also considering demolishing the building at 306 S. Dixie, if the move to the existing library occurs. “The district has not determined these (demolition) costs, but they will be addressed in any agreement reached with the Library,” Neavin said.
If the board of education building is demolished, Klose said that could mean green space for the northern part of the new library property.
The potential move would affect the 23 employees that currently work in the administration office.
“We’re expecting to break ground this fall and we’re building a new library just north of the current library that is situated on South Dixie Drive,” Klose said.
The existing library is approximately 9,000 square feet and the new library will more than double that size to 19,000 square feet.
The new library will have meeting space designated for those who are participating in the library’s teen program, larger dedicated children space, a technology lab, larger meeting room, enclosed quiet reading area with a fireplace. “It’s going to be a very nice new building,” Klose said.
The current Vandalia library has nine full-time employees, one part-time employee and 10 library aides that each work about 12 hours a week.
“We’re changing our operating model. Having more efficient buildings will let us also be able to use staff more efficiently,” Klose said.
Vandalia’s new library is scheduled to be completed next year.
The system-wide project, funded with a 2012 bond issue, also includes renovating and expanding the main Dayton Library branch downtown. The estimated cost for that work is $63.5 million. The work is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2016 and the library has already been preparing for its temporary closing next week.
“On July 3, we close the main library to begin the major work of expanding and renovating the building,” said Tim Kambitsch, Dayton Metro’s executive director.
The estimated cost for the renovation and expansion of the Operation Center, which is the new service support facility, is $7.8 million. The work is expected to be completed this summer. “A temporary branch will open later in July at the Operations Center serving downtown visitors during the main library construction,” Kambitsch said.
That temporary branch will operate out of the former Hauer Building on South Patterson Boulevard.
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