Crystal Lake planners back library expansion plan

CRYSTAL LAKE The citys Planning and Zoning Commission gave its informal blessing to plans to double the size of Crystal Lake Public Library.

An architect recently drew up plans to add more than 40,000 square feet to the library through a major expansion and renovation project.

Designs call for demolishing the house at 17 McHenry Ave. and the oldest part of the existing library building to make way for additions and a two-story parking garage with 200 spaces.

The library bought the house several years ago and has been renting it out. The parking garage would be on the east side of the librarys three-acre site at 126 Paddock St.

Commission Chairman Thomas Hayden said he was impressed with the preliminary plans.

I really like it, he said at a review meeting Wednesday. I think its outstanding.

The library has been cramped for years at about 40,000 square feet and 98 parking spaces. Administrators told the commission that studies dating to 1995 have shown the library needs more space for books, computers, meeting rooms and parking.

Voters rejected an advisory referendum in 2004 to issue bonds to build a new library at a different site. At the time, many voters said they didnt want the library to be relocated. Since then, library administrators have focused on rehabbing the Paddock Street building to handle a growing number of visitors and rising circulation.

It is a challenging situation for the library, commission member Darrel Gavle said. The site doesnt lend itself easily to being expanded. I think this particular model is, if not the best, very close to what the best would be.

Other commission members raised concerns about how a bigger, more dense library would fit in with the mostly residential neighborhood. Commission member David Goss asked whether neighbors had been notified of the expansion plans.

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Crystal Lake planners back library expansion plan