Opinions on old library? Speak out next week as city considers land swaps
Winter Park will hold a neighborhood meeting about the future of the old library followed by a review of potential real estate swaps for the high-profile land
By Beth Kassab
Residents who want to be heard on the future of the old Winter Park Library across from Rollins College will have two opportunities next week.
On Monday, the city will host a session in the City Commission chambers at 5:30 for residents and others to ask questions and voice opinions about the development of the property at 460 New England Avenue that could turn into anything from a home for local nonprofits to workforce housing or a mixed-use development.
City staff will provide a presentation at the meeting followed by a chance for nearby residents to comment along with any other members of the public.
Then on Wednesday, the City Commission will take up the matter at its regular meeting, including a discussion of two potential land swaps recently proposed to city staff.
One offer involves trading the land near the police building at 501 N. Virginia Avenue plus cash for the library property, according to a memorandum included in the commission agenda.
A second concept would provide the city the Bank of the Ozarks property at 1100 Orange Avenue for the old library land to be developed into workforce housing, the memo says.
The commission could decide Wednesday if it wants to pursue one of those options or issue a new Request for Proposal for ideas. So far the commission has said the new development can not exceed four stories or 55 feet, must maintain the oak tree on the east side of the current building and agreed to give preference to concepts that include the arts and local nonprofits.
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By: Beth Kassab
No biography available at this time
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Covert the old library to a 3 deck parking garage. Keep the library facade and put the paid pubic parking inside the structure. Since the Alfond Inn had an expansion without adding parking, the city could also rent some spaces to them.
Great idea!
No to the workforce housing.
The residents want the old library to be OUR library.
So what is the City Commission waiting for?
Better get busy selling Library and Events Center to fix up the OLD Library so the residents can have it as OUR library again
That’s the way it was BEFORE the previous City Commission STOLE it from the residents.
If the City Commission doesn’t give the building back to the residents as a LIBRARY it only proves that the new City Commission is just as corrupt as the last and nothing has changed in Winter Park.
Our family concurs with the writer above. We wish the old library had been updated as needed and remained where it was. The atmosphere and access to all of the media and books inside was so much more inviting and comfortable than the new library. The new library is very industrial in design and layout. Even the old bookstore offered more variety in books and materials such as paperbacks, magazines, books and other media. Our family used the old library all the time, and we have lived here 50 years. I wish the city would bring back a warm, welcoming, family friendly library.
Land swap sounds like connected folks dumping a less desirable property they don’t want for one they do. Who will be appraising the swap pieces for value? In my opinion, SELL the land you don’t want and BUY the one you do. At market rate. The City would be foolish to not get a bidding war going on that old library land and use the proceeds to pay down that new library bond.
Winter Park resident MUSHROOMS!
Why isn’t this important meeting being broadcast to residents?
At present, residents CANNOT attend virtually. WHY?
The city says they want resident input; however, the meeting is being held “In-Person Only”.
Curious who made this decision?
The wording in the Agenda as posted online is concerning. Why wouldn’t the City leadership want input from all Winter Park residents?
The Agenda reads;
“The purpose of this meeting is for the Commission to receive input from residents in the area surrounding the old library on the future use of the property. This meeting will not be broadcast, and virtual participation will not be available.”
Maybe The Voice can find out who at the City of Winter Park made this decision?
Calling for transparency and inclusion!
Maybe the decision on the future of the Old Library has already been made by a few?????
I’ve got an idea! Hold an in-person meeting in June when half the city’s most involved residents are out of town. Actually, that’s not such a novel idea after all ….
Lisa Everett, You’ve got that right. I thought the days of scheduling summer time meetings on really key decisions was a thing of the past. Why now…all of the sudden? The library’s been sitting idle and neglected for years. And why no video access for the Monday meeting?
The property is clearly a Gateway from the East into our City and should become a PARK as we are a City of parks. Anything else is inappropriate and very costly to renovate the outdated building. A land swap has not defined the purpose.
Agree! The old library parcel is a benchmark city Grade A asset. Don’t sell prime real estate assets. Land bank it and keep it green. it’s a gateway opportunity. It will only increase in value with time—if we continue to own it. The former commission sold off the old Bowling Alley site on Fairbanks, contiguous to MLK Jr Park. That was a tragic mistake. It could have provided another stunning gateway entrance to the city from the west and served as balance to acreage absconded for the library/events center on the northern boundary. BTW, how did that work out for you at $42+ million with floors that are already cracking?
Many dilemmas here. Whatever the city does it should benefit the greatest number of existing residents and be of equal or lesser of a problem for the nearby homeowners. Of course parking will not be a problem-just use the Suntrust garage!
What happened to proposals for a new space for the Winter Park Playhouse???
“The Playhouse” sounds like the name of a swingers club.
Would cause too much of a backup in traffic on Aloma.
I wonder why Rollins College is not interested in this property as it is adjacent to the campus and the Alfond Hotel. Certainly this would be a useful property for the college to house administration and offices.
All I have heard from the City of Winter Park is that they are “…not interested.” I wonder why…. Michael Harrell
So many uninformed facts with these comments. I sat thru this entire history and as a long time resident, I feel NO connection to the OLD library building. Demolish is the best answer. Use the $$$ or even build a parking garage.
I proposed a mixed use for the old Library when the Commission solicted suggestions in April, 2022. I continue to think my proposed uses would best serve Winter Park residents. A parking garage would be a disaster, both aesthetically and practically. It’s also not a good location for a park, with all traffic aimed directly at it. I do think that the Historical Center could fit in nicely with what I proposed. Here’s my op ed in from the Sentinel:
Keep developers away from Winter Park library site
Orlando Sentinel April 20, 2022
Jerome Donnelly
A comment in a Sentinel article that imagines the former Winter Park library building “transformed into a trendy food hall with boutique shopping” sounds like a belated April Fool joke. So does the further remark that the city will be “requesting proposals from developers.”
Approaching developers about uses for the former library building has to be the least promising way to serve Winter Park residents. Winter Park has a plethora of restaurants and boutiques on Park Avenue — a couple of short blocks away.
Any commercial or other zoning erosion would be fundamentally inappropriate in that largely residential, “old Winter Park” neighborhood. Fighting off repeated developers’ attempts to intrude into that neighborhood have been successfully waged since the early 1970s; this is not a time to nullify that success.
My comments derive from a longstanding awareness of the neighborhood, including the recently vacated library site. Back in the 1970s, I was the city commissioner who proposed that the city should acquire the property. I argued that the developer’s intent to construct a condominium building on the site — a huge, almost comical, inverted pyramid considerably larger than the adjoining Langford Hotel itself — would be detrimental to the neighborhood.
I maintained that the city had a number of possible uses for it. Rachel Murrah, representing the Board of the Winter Park Library, pleaded that the property might be used to replace the library on nearby Interlachen Avenue. My fellow commissioners agreed that an enhanced library kept right in the center of the city would be a boon to everybody.
That library, designed by local architect Don Duer, opened in 1979, attested to by a plaque on its outside wall commemorating the date and the names of the city commissioners who made it possible. A third story was added some years later, as anticipated in the original design. The library’s recent move to a westerly site makes the old centrally located building all the more desirable as a place to serve various community interests.
The building’s highest and best use for city residents would be as a low-impact community center. As such, it could provide several of the extra-library features patrons once enjoyed there, beginning with its use as a comfortable gathering place.
Combined uses might include a revival of the New Leaf bookstore, an array of periodicals, space for small group discussions, the comfortable seating of the old library, and a coffee and snack nook (but not a restaurant, which would overwhelm the area).
It could also provide several computers with high-speed, fiberoptic internet (something which was available when it served as the old library but which was never activated, apparently to bolster the erroneous claim that a new library would be necessary for high-speed internet). These and similar uses would provide a comfortable location and would be particularly attractive as a place for older residents informally to socialize. It would be popular as a gathering place without attracting hordes, any more than when it functioned as a library. As before, most of these functions could be handled by volunteers.
The upper floors could be partitioned and leased as offices, possibly for tax preparation, financial counseling, NGOs, etc., to cover maintenance costs. Such uses should be popular but would not draw crowds.
Let’s face it; the new library building provides some improvements over the old library, but those gains are offset by some serious losses. Besides being less pedestrian-friendly, the new library building is simply less inviting. The new library is not as comfortable or as well-lighted as the old one. Parking is farther from the building than at the old library. Many bookcases are short and require squatting or kneeling on the floor to search for titles. Nor is seating as comfortable as in the former library.
A community center in the old location will offset those losses and supplement the new library. If you like the idea, let the Commission know.
Jerome Donnelly served three terms as a Winter Park City Commissioner.
“Where have you gone, Jerry Donnelly? Our City Its lifts its lonely eyes to you.”
Winter Park should keep control of the land. The idea was initially to keep the old building and repurpose it. Is that still an option? It should be.
I agree that the property should benefit the majority of residents. It would make a nice home for WP Playhouse or some other type of entertainment venue.
I agree with Kevin , Gateway Park !
What I really object to is having meetings about it during the summer. Many people are away or not tuned in to what is happening at this time of year. This timing has happened before.
As others have stated: “This is OUR library.” Every citizen should have an opportunity to voice their opinion. If the City Commission was truly seeking input from all interested parties, they would not have scheduled this meeting (absent virtual participation) during the time of year many residents are out of town.
Don’t make a “vanilla use” of the old library site. Make it a “special use” to honor WP residents over time. Make it a low-intensity use.
Those were just some of the themes and recommendations made by neighborhood residents at Monday’s commission listening session on future use of the old library site.
Couldn’t agree more. Seize the unique opportunity. Plan for a very public use—which underscores our city’s entranceway. As another resident explained: it’s a “bookend” parcel. It welcomes all comers to our city.
Refrain from a land swap—of any kind—for the old library site. It’s a “very public” asset. Once we lose these unique well-placed parcels, they’re gone for good. We never get them back.
Instead, find another way to purchase the Bank of the Ozarks site and add that acreage to Progress Point/7 Oaks Park. All boats rise.