Santa Barbara Library Needs More Money to Finish Long-Delayed Renovation

Public Works Is Asking for $850,000 to Cover Expenses, Bringing Project Total to $11.4 Million

The Central Library renovation project has taken more than a year longer than expected and is expected to cost $2 million more than originally planned. | Credit: Jean Yamamura

Ever since the downtown public library broke ground on its three-part, $9.3 million renovation in May 2022, it seemed to be cursed with an avalanche of unexpected setbacks — asbestos abatement, surprise winter storms that turned the recently excavated ground into a muddy mess, and the sudden departure of the library’s director and services manager, who were both placed on indefinite leave in March under as-of-yet unexplained circumstances.

By August 2022, it became clear that the library would not be finished in time to host the scheduled October 2023 grand opening of the highly touted Michael Towbes Plaza, the biggest piece of the three-part project. At the time, the city hoped to have the plaza ready for the public by spring 2024. Now, it is more likely that the ribbon cutting won’t be until at least this fall.

Aside from the delays, the project has also accrued extra costs along the way. And this Tuesday, the Public Works department will be seeking City Council’s approval for an additional $850,000 to compensate the contractor and consultants, according to the report prepared by City Engineer Brian D’Amour, which would bring the grand total of the project to a sum of more than $11.4 million.

Sections of the downtown library have been closed off to patrons due to construction. | Credit: Jean Yamamura

The project is estimated to be about 85 percent complete, according to the report, though more funding is needed to make up for problems caused by supply-chain issues and “unforeseen conditions,” including hand-digging around existing utilities, repairing storm-related damage, and an adjustment to the hardscape in the plaza to allow for an increase in library programming space.

The three portions of the project are the Michael Towbes Plaza, the installation of a new ADA-compliant elevator, and the renovation of the lower-level staff area.

“Each of these projects remain a priority for the library, and funds will be requested as part of the next two-year budget process,” the report states. “It is anticipated there will be sufficient appropriations to complete the project with the recommended transfer of existing Measure C funds and available grant funding for the new ADA elevator.”

If approved, City Council would authorize the transfer of existing Measure C funding that was originally slated for other projects, including a transfer of $571,000 from the Eastside Library garage project, $160,000 from the existing library elevator upgrades, and $90,000 from the Faulkner Gallery kitchen project.

In total, Public Works proposed an increase of $99,000 for construction management to the Tynan Group and a $32,000 increase for construction inspection to Pacific Materials Laboratory. In addition to the approval of the $850,000 increase to the main contractor Nationwide Contracting Services, the project will have ballooned by more than $2 million since it was first approved by the city in March 2022.

This comes at a time when the city is in the thick of budget deliberations, with an expected $7 million deficit in Fiscal Year 2025.

The requested increase for funding for the central library renovation is buried in the city council’s consent agenda for Tuesday, May 7. Unless the item is pulled from the consent calendar by one of the councilmembers, the increase could likely be approved without any council discussion. Members of the public, however, can offer comments about items on the consent calendar during the public comment portion of the meeting.