BRADENTON BEACH – Mayor John Chappie proposes further elevating the Tingley Memorial Library to create a ground-level public parking lot below the library building.
The city-owned library was built in the early 1990s using $240,000 of the $678,801 that Beulah Hannah Hooks Tingley bequeathed to the city in 1986 to create a public reading room. The remaining funds continue to be used to fund the operations of the library, which isn’t part of the county library system.
The library building is already elevated by approximately 6 feet, but that doesn’t leave enough space below for parking.
Chappie initiated the library discussion during the June 6 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting.
He said the city doesn’t have the money to purchase additional land for public parking and the goal is to create more public parking spaces on land already owned by the city.
Chappie said he discussed the idea with Building Official Steve Gilbert and Gilbert suggested issuing a request for proposals (RFP) for the architectural and engineering services needed to determine the feasibility of elevating the library building.
CRA Chair Ralph Cole asked Gilbert if the building could be elevated.
“That’s why we go out and hire an architect, with an engineering firm in back of them, to look at it and tell us that,” Gilbert said, noting the wooden library building sits atop steel beams.
“You can jack up just about any building you want to, it just depends on how many zeros you want to throw under it,” Gilbert said of the potential cost.
He said the combined insight of an architect, an engineering firm and a house moving company would provide the CRA and the city with a better understanding of what’s possible.
“Will it work? Is it feasible? And if it will work, then how do we want to proceed? At that point, you have several decisions to make,” he said.
“I think it’s worth looking into. We need as much parking as we can get,” Cole said.
“I think you’re halfway there,” CRA member Ed Chiles said when suggesting looking further into the future to account for the city’s continued growth and increase in visitors.
“That’s not going to stop,” Chiles said.
He noted that the library property is located next to the city hall property and the two properties combined would create a large area to work with.
“I think we should look at the whole campus. If you’re going to go up, combine the library and city hall. That’s what we need for the next 30 years,” Chiles said.
Chappie noted there are state-imposed restrictions that limit the use of CRA funds. He said City Attorney Ricinda Perry will write a legal analysis/position paper that supports the proposed use of CRA funds.
“What I’m asking today is to direct Ricinda, myself and Steve to work on an RFP to utilize CRA funds for a public parking lot,” Chappie said.
The CRA members unanimously approved Chappie’s request.
