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PAST NEWS ARCHIVE
March 27, 2001
Contact: Patricia Fraga, Austin Public Library, (512) 974-7528
Fax: (512) 974-7442
PLEASANT HILL BRANCH TO REOPEN APRIL 7
The recently renovated Pleasant Hill Branch of the Austin Public Library, 211 E. William Cannon Drive, will reopen to the public with an Open House on Saturday, April 7, at 10:00 a.m. The branch has been closed since June 26, 2000.
Hand-to-Mouth Puppet Theatre will present the puppet show, "Strega Nona," at 11:00 a.m. for children of all ages. Refreshments will be provided.
Renovations include 50 parking spaces, a new and lovely adjoining pocket park for the community's greater use and enjoyment, an outdoor reading area, the Council Ring, to enhance children's programs offered at the Pleasant Hill Branch. Renewed infrastructure, including new carpet installation throughout the building, complete painting of the interiors and exteriors, installation of a monitored fire detection and alarm system, an upgrade of the security system, enhancements to the circulation desk and book shelving, and the retrofit of the entrance doors with an automatic door system to improve accessibility.
Pleasant Hill Branch opened to the public in 1986 as an 8,000 square-foot facility with 20 parking spaces. When this parking capacity became inadequate to the heavy usage, the Pleasant Hill Parking Improvements CIP (Capital Improvements Program) Project was funded in FY1997-1998, in the amount of $334,000, for the construction of an additional parking lot near the Pleasant Hill Branch. Necessary land acquisition and design costs were included in the project's budget.
On May 15, 1998, the City of Austin acquired the 1.5-acre parcel adjoining the Pleasant Hill Branch property to the south, in the amount of $97,161, for the purpose of expanding parking at the site. The engineering design of this expansion was initiated in 1999, and the completed construction documents were advertised for contractor bids on February 28, 2000. On May 11, 2000, the City Council approved on consent the execution of a construction contract with the low, responsible bidder, Muniz Concrete and Contracting, Inc. (MBE/MH), of Austin, Texas, for parking lot expansion at the Pleasant Hill Branch, in the amount of $237,908. The Capital project consisted of site demolition, a 30-space parking expansion, creation of a water quality pond, landscaping, irrigation, and site security lighting.
Notice To Proceed with the project was issued to the contractor on June 26, 2000, and the Pleasant Hill Branch was closed to the public on that day as the existing parking lot was needed in its entirety as a construction staging area. While the project has unfortunately been plagued by multiple rain delays from the time of its inception, the Library Facilities Services Division was able to make good use of the prolonged closure to carry out much-needed, extensive renovations to the facility.
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