An architectural firm that has designed hundreds of libraries across the country will design the Johnson County Public Library’s new $8.8 million Clark-Pleasant branch.
During a board meeting last week, the library board chose HBM Architects, of Cleveland, a firm that has designed 450 library branches since 1976 to manage the project, which is expected to break ground this fall, with an opening tentatively scheduled for fall 2021, Lintner said in an email in December.
This spring and summer, the library system will sell bonds and secure loans to cover the cost of the project.
HBM will work with Indianapolis-based architecture firm Schmidt Associates and Indianapolis-based civil engineering firm JQOL on the project.
HBM will handle the vast majority of the design work, including the interior and exterior of the new branch, while Schmidt will handle mechanical and electrical engineering, such as electrical, plumbing, technology and landscaping work. JQOL will contribute on the civil and structural engineering side, said Lisa Lintner, the library system’s director.
Civil and structural engineering work includes the site work around the building, such as parking and any outdoor program areas, and developing the building frame, said Peter Bolek, president of HBM Architects.
The Johnson County Public Library wants to replace the current library branch, a 10,000-square-foot former office building on Tracy Road in New Whiteland the library has been using since 2002. The current branch no longer meets the needs of the area’s growing population. Library officials have said events such as story times fill up fast, meaning not everybody who is interested can attend. The new library branch is expected to double the size of the library at up to 20,000 square feet.
The Johnson County Council approved a property tax hike of 2.5 cents for every $100 of assessed value in December to pay for the library. The tax affects every person who owns property in the library’s geographic area, which covers all of Johnson County, except Greenwood and Edinburgh, both of which have separate library systems.
The library has looked at about 10 properties — mostly off U.S. 31 in Whiteland and New Whiteland — for the project, Lintner said during a meeting in December.
Next, the library system will next look to hire a construction manager as constructor, meaning it will lead construction crews and may also perform up to 20% of the construction work itself, Lintner said.
HBM was able to beat out Indianapolis-based krM Architecture due to its more extensive experience with libraries, board member Kirk Bixler said during the board meeting.
“Ninety-five percent of the work they do is libraries,” Bixler said. “That’s where their expertise is.”
HBM is currently working with Schmidt on a new 22,800-square-foot West Perry branch in the Indianapolis Public Library system; construction on that southside branch is expected to begin in April, said Lisa Gomperts, principal at Schmidt Associates.
When working on a library, the hope is to not only have spaces for people to read, but spaces for people to work together and host events, Gomperts said.
“Libraries have changed a little in terms of their needs,” Gomperts said. “A lot of focus is on collaborating and group meeting spaces, and access to technology and printed materials.”
It is still too early for any design work to begin for the new Clark-Pleasant branch, but Schmidt’s first step will be to meet with HBM to start preliminary design work. HBM will maintain creative control, she said.
HBM hopes it can design a library that people look to as one of their favorite places to be in the community, Bolek said.
“We specialize in library design," Bolek said. "We’re at the forefront of what’s happening today with libraries and the direction libraries are going in in the future."
“How do we bring the knowledge with Lisa (Lintner) and her library team to have a great 21st century library for the community and make it a destination?”
Since the design phase is just beginning, Bolek doesn’t have a timeline for when those designs will be complete, he said.
