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Sammamish: Monthly Update Archives

June 2008
The design team recently submitted a permit review plan set to the City of Sammamish. A site development application for the project was previously submitted and is still pending. The two permits are anticipated to be received at approximately the same time.

May 2008
Design work is progressing on the Library and parking project at Sammamish Commons. The consultant team is preparing the construction documents in anticipation of issuing a permit set for the City to review. A site development permit is currently being reviewed by the City. KCLS’ current schedule includes issuing a bid set for contractors in June 2008.

April 2008
Design work is progressing on the library and parking project at Sammamish Commons. The consultant team is preparing the construction documents needed for the building permit application and a site development permit is currently being reviewed by the City. The current timeline includes issuing a bid for contractors in July 2008. It is hoped that the permit review comments and the final steps in the city review process will be completed by July 2008.

March 2008
KCLS has finalized the purchase agreement with the City of Sammamish for the new Sammamish Library property. At a recent Kiwanis meeting, during which the design of the new Library was presented, Sammamish Mayor Lee Fellinge agreed that the Library development will be a great addition to the City Hall and Park complex. The consultant team continues to work through the construction documents and specifications with the intent to submit for a building permit in May 2008. If all goes as planned, the site development and the building permits could be obtained as soon as July 2008. KCLS anticipates beginning construction in fall 2008.

February 2008
The design development plans for the new Library and parking on Sammamish Commons have been completed by the architectural team led by Perkins + Will, Inc. The building design includes 19,500 square feet of space for the Library and parking for 68 vehicles. A site development permit application from the City of Sammamish was submitted and the design team continues to work on refining and further developing the documents in anticipation of applying for a building permit in May 2008. KCLS and City of Sammamish staff is working to complete the purchase and sale agreement for the parcel on the Sammamish Commons.

January 2008
The schematic design plans for the new Sammamish Library are progressing and are expected to be complete by mid-December. The building is approximately 19,500 square feet and above-ground and below-ground parking will accommodate 68 vehicles. Next steps include applying for a site development permit from the City of Sammamish, finalizing the design development plans and completing a purchase and sale agreement with the City for the parcel.

December 2007
The schematic design plans for the new Library and parking at Sammamish Commons are progressing and are expected to be completed in December. 

November 2007
The preliminary design plans for the new library and parking on Sammamish Commons are progressing and are expected to be completed by mid-December. The building is approximately 19,500 square feet and includes parking for 68 vehicles. A public meeting about the general location and design of the Sammamish Library drew more than 50 residents on November 7, 2007. The community was generally pleased with the location of the new library at a new development adjacent to Sammamish City Hall. With three high schools in the immediate vicinity there was much discussion about the need for enough room and resources for students at the new library. Residents were urged to encourage the City to keep up momentum on this project so that a building permit can be issued and construction can start next summer.

October 2007
KCLS and city of Sammamish staff are finalizing a purchase agreement for land to build a new library, after the Sammamish City Council voted to officially offer the City Hall site property to KCLS for the development of a new library. The offer is significant because it allows KCLS to officially begin planning and designing the building. The architect was given a notice to proceed to design a 19,000 square foot library with parking both under the building and adjacent to the library building.  A community meeting on November 7 will allow citizens to see preliminary site designs and offer comments and suggestions. The Council attached a number of conditions to their vote, which will be negotiated in the process of working out the formal legal agreement. However, the spirit of the vote was such that both the Library and the City are convinced that an appropriately sized library can be developed on the site within the resources available to KCLS.

September 2007
KCLS is working with the city to build a new 19,000 to 20,000 square foot library adjacent to the Sammamish City Hall. The Capital Plan Strategy accounts for the current cost of constructing this library with underground parking. Preliminary designs and budgets are being reviewed for feasibility because although the site offers a considerable amount of existing infrastructure, site costs will run almost $2 million. Given the history of the site and environmental issues that have been raised by members of the community, some underground parking will be necessary to avoid legal challenges. The site does, however, give better access than the current library as Sammamish continues to be one of KCLS’ busiest libraries and the current building is often overwhelmed by the number of patrons. The City Hall site is close to three high schools and offers the possibility of creating a great public space combined with the existing City Hall, a large public plaza and a very large public park.

August 2007
The City’s Master Site Plan process will be finalized this month. The position of the library should remain along the southern flank of the public plaza on the Sammamish Commons site. KCLS will proceed to plan and design for a 20,000-square-foot library with required parking and landscaping with the architectural firm Perkins + Will.

July 2007
At the end of the three-month effort to plan for the development of a 20,000-square-foot Sammamish Library and YMCA facility with City Hall and a major park, the City of Sammamish reviewed the Master Site Plan and guidelines with the City Council. Following a major fireworks program at the park on July 4, they determined that the library should not be built in such a way that it reduces the size of the plaza. Because this was contrary to the master plan and would reposition the library to its original location in the Commons, Sammamish asked KCLS to wait until they rezone the site so retail or other uses could be co-located with the library. With costs increasing at $70,000 per month, KCLS told the City that we will proceed with the design we can afford based on current cost estimates. The City Manager will consult with the Council at their September meeting to determine whether the City will still offer to sell us the property. Our only alternative would be to expand the library at its current site.

June 2007
The City of Sammamish reviewed the Master Site Plan and guidelines for the new library and YMCA on the Sammamish Commons site on June 18. The Council was generally supportive of the plan favored by KCLS, which allows for the library to be developed independent of the YMCA. We will now proceed with the building design and address any site issues. We will also negotiate with the City for a purchase of the property. Architects Perkins + Will did a good job describing the plans and the alternatives. The City is equally committed to the YMCA, but their process may take longer before they are able to begin.

March 2007
The new Sammamish Library may end up being a partnership of a different nature with the City of Sammamish. With our newly hired architects, Perkins + Will, KCLS will embark on a master planning process for the Sammamish Commons site. There will be no formal agreement with the City regarding acquisition of our portion of the property until the study is completed (estimated to occur in June). Ultimately, it will give us an opportunity to share the costs of some infrastructure with the other partners.

February 2007
On February 23, KCLS selected an architect for the Sammamish Library project. We were pleased to find out that City Councilmember Don Gerend will participate in the selection process. The Sammamish City Council is preparing to finalize an agreement for the property intended for the new library. This project has potential for partnering with other service agencies and the City. For that reason, KCLS will be participate in developing a master site plan, which would look at parking, access and traffic circulation, surface water management and design considerations. The process should be complete by mid-June and will coordinate well with the architect selection and design processes.

January 2007
Architect submittals have been received for these new projects. Interviews are anticipated in February.

December 2006
KCLS staff has been negotiating with the City on the purchase terms and conditions of the property adjacent to the new City Hall. While the City’s current zoning does not allow for co-development of the site with commercial or retail partners, there are thoughts that another community-based activity might be co-located near the library. In any case, we assured the City that it was our intention to keep the project moving forward and for the time being, will assume no other partners on the site.
KCLS will select the architects for the Kenmore and Sammamish libraries at the same time, as we did with the Newcastle and Duvall libraries. A call for proposals was made and submittals are due in January. Since there has been great interest in both of these projects, KCLS plans to work with the local Friends of the Library to advertise for residents to serve on the architect selection teams. Each City will have a team that includes a representative of the City, a representative from the Friends, another community member, a KCLS staff member and a KCLS Trustee.

November 2006
KCLS and City staff is working finalizing a purchase agreement for the Sammamish Commons site.

October 2006
Sammamish City Hall and an entrance to a large new City park are significant features of the Sammamish Commons development at 228th Avenue and SE 8th Street. After extensive investigation of other sites in the area for the new Sammamish Library, as well as a full analysis of the pros and cons of building at the Sammamish Commons versus expanding the current library, KCLS staff will recommend that the new Sammamish Library be sited at the Sammamish Commons. All other properties in Sammamish were too expensive and/or required significant time to work through environmental issues. Two issues prohibit KCLS from expanding the current library: the construction budget does not allow KCLS to produce a well-designed and cohesive building and the site has severe access limitations as cars going northbound on 228th cannot turn left into the library lot. According to Sammamish City staff, the Sammamish Commons site is also preferred by the City Council. The City has been very helpful during KCLS’ deliberations. The preliminary indication is that the site will be affordable. Also, building the library on a new site will allow KCLS to sell the current library to buffer rising construction costs. If the KCLS Board and City Council approve this transaction, KCLS can begin the architect selection process immediately.

September 2006
The Sammamish Commons site for the new Sammamish Library continues to be an elusive goal. Based on the dramatic rise in construction costs and the spatial constraints of that site, KCLS has concerns about the ability to develop a 20,000-square-foot library at that location. Underground parking would be necessary, which makes that option more expensive; however, there are few alternative sites that meet KCLS’ requirements. Those that do are extremely expensive. We have committed to giving City officials, who have been very cooperative, an indication about the site in the near future. An analysis has been conducted of a 20,000 and 22,500-square-foot Sammamish Library. In looking at the City population, service area population and registered borrowers, a 20,000-square-foot library would put Sammamish near the top of list for square foot per capita of all KCLS Libraries. Only Redmond has a higher ratio on the combined ranking. Again, KCLS will be challenged to accomplish the 20,000-square-foot building in the current construction environment.

July 2006
Consultants have completed the pre-design study for the Sammamish Commons site adjacent to the new city hall facility. This location will meet our minimum site requirements, but is costly due to extensive site work and under building parking construction that would be necessary, which adds significantly to the cost. At the City’s suggestion, other sites are being explored to see if an equitable site could be developed less expensively. The process of evaluating the value of the current library is also underway. Interest in acquiring the land and the building has been expressed from parties other than the City of Sammamish.

June 2006
Staff is involved in productive meetings with the City of Sammamish about the new library. KCLS agreed to continue its due diligence on the Sammamish Commons site. So far, however, it appears there are a number of steps the City will have to take to make this site viable. We do not know the cost and it appears that underground parking may be the only way to build a library of 20,000-square-feet or more on the site. A study about the appropriate size of the library for the community is also being conducted. The City would like to assure the community that whatever size library is built, it will be large enough for the current and future City of Sammamish. With advice from the City, KCLS is also keeping an eye out for other possible sites that would aid in building as large a library as possible.

The site is constrained and will either require beneath building parking or arrangements with a neighboring property owner for overflow for library Use. Discussion continues with the City to develop the site to its maximum potential. The location is near the new City Hall and park near the intersection of 228th Avenue SE and SE 4th Street.

May 2006
KCLS staff has taken steps toward investigating the development of a new Sammamish Library on the property next to the new Sammamish City Hall known as the Sammamish Commons. The City of Sammamish has not yet completed an assessment of the property so it is unknown how much it will cost. Also, the initial investigation of the Sammamish Commons site revealed the requirement that any development on the property may only cover 30% of the land. Since the City is keen on KCLS developing a library larger than the planned 20,000-square-foot building slated in the Board-approved Capital Plan, that stipulation is troubling. The City of Sammamish initially responded that KCLS could buy open space in the adjacent park to satisfy the requirement.

Bohlin Cywinski Jackson was selected to provide pre-design architectural services. The scope of work includes an assessment of the maximum build-out for the parcel the City of Sammamish offered to KCLS. It is assumed that parking will be below the building and extend to the edge of the available property. The estimated number of parking stalls is 104. Cost estimates are being developed for 20,000 and 30,000-square-foot buildings. Preliminary architectural work shows 30,000-square-foot building could fit on the site if all of the parking were located under the building, which does not allow for any open space and certainly not nearly enough to make up 70%. KCLS staff will meet next week with City officials to get clarification of this situation and hear how they propose KCLS fund a project that is twice that put forth in the bond plan. Because the City of Sammamish may want to buy the current library, an appraisal was also completed.

April 2006
KCLS has begun the investigation and due diligence phase for locating the new/expanded Sammamish Library in the Sammamish Commons, home to the soon-to-be completed Sammamish City Hall. In agreement with the City Manager, the current Sammamish Library will be appraised by each agency. Once the appraisals are complete, each party will select an appraiser to review the work of the respective appraisals. The City of Sammamish continues to express that they want a library larger than the planned 20,000-square-foot building. They may offer KCLS an incentive to do so in the process of acquiring the library site and through the sale of the current library to the City. KCLS hired an architect to do initial space planning on the site.

Based on the Board’s preference for the Sammamish Commons site, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson was selected to provide pre-design architectural services. The scope of work will include an assessment of the maximum build-out for the parcel offered to KCLS by the City of Sammamish. A professional real estate appraisal of the value of the existing library property and improvements should be available by May 1

March 2006
More than 40 people attended the public meeting regarding site selection for the new/expanded Sammamish Library. There was no clear consensus on any of the three sites in question. The site near the new Sammamish City Hall in the Sammamish Commons development received the most positive comments. Much of the discussion, however, focused on the community’s desire to have a larger library. They are concerned that the 20,000-square-foot library included in the bond issue may be undersized for their rapidly growing community which is, in many ways, landlocked by its heavy traffic.

KCLS staff indicated that any decision about the ultimate size of the library would depend on what arrangements could be made for the purchase of the site and the disposition of the current library. We also indicated that the new library could not be larger than KCLS can afford to operate and that it would have to be in scale with the rest of the System in recognition of the Board’s policy of equity across the service area. Only with those caveats, did we expressed that there might be room to consider a change in plans if the aforementioned concerns were addressed.
Following the Board meeting on March 28, follow-up discussions will be initiated with the owner of the preferred site.

Public Comments from the Site Selection Meeting held on March 20, 2006

February 2006
KCLS is pursuing several site options in Sammamish on or near 228th Avenue in the City’s new Urban Center.

January 2006
KCLS is pursuing several alternative sites in Sammamish with a goal to locate the new library on or near 228th and within the City’s new Urban Center (centered by a new City Hall and a park).

October 2005
Lake Washington School District representatives have been working through various processes to determine if a vacant school site on 228th Avenue SE in Sammamish can or should be surplussed. In the past few days, we were informed that the City of Sammamish has an option on land in another area and will not be a partner in this location.

September 2005
Lake Washington School District representatives have been working through processes to determine if a vacant school site on 228th Avenue SE in Sammamish can or should be declared surplus. When a determination is made, the City of Sammamish and KCLS will study the site for a proposed Library/Public Works Facility.

April 2005
Site selection has begun. Many community representatives have come forward with parcels for review. At this times, only sites on or near 228th are being given serious consideration. There is a great deal of interest in this process from both the City and citizens in the area. Meetings this month included discussions with the City’s Parks Director to discuss the City’s goals for the library location, as well as with two representatives of owners with parcels near 228th.

March 2005
Site selection has begun on the plateau. Many community representatives have come forward with parcels for review. At these times, only sites on or near 228th are being given serious consideration. There is a great deal of interest in this process from both the City and citizens in the area.

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