FERNDALE - The new 15,000-square-foot Ferndale Public Library will have views of Mount Baker and Schell Marsh, and plenty of natural lighting.
Those were among the details revealed Tuesday, Aug. 2, during a presentation of the preliminary design for the library, which will be built on city-owned land next to City Hall on Main Street.
The entire project is expected to cost $5.1 million, including construction. Community fundraising efforts and the city of Ferndale, which is seeking bond money, will pay for the project.
On Tuesday, David Strauss of Seattle-based SHKS Architects talked about the building's design, which draws from Ferndale's agricultural heritage, the simple almost austere look of buildings at Pioneer Park, other buildings along Main Street, and community desire for a modern and adaptable building with connections to the surrounding natural area.
"The site is a fantastic site," Strauss said, adding it was a "beautiful wide-open space" with views of the Nooksack River.
Among the features of the one-story building and the area around it:
• A community meeting room.
• A plaza outside for people to gather.
• Windows and skylights for natural lighting. "Our intent was to provide as much light as possible," Strauss said, adding that it would get a lot of south light.
• Energy efficiency.
• 40 to 50 new parking spaces, along with shared parking with City Hall.
• Room for future expansion.
A new, larger library is needed to meet the increasing needs of a growing community, its supporters say.
In March, the library moved into its temporary home in Pioneer Pavilion, 2007 Cherry St., giving up its old space at 2222 Main St., which is being remodeled to become a new and larger police station.
The library will move again when its new home is completed next to City Hall.
Its old home on Main Street was 9,500 square feet. Its temporary home is 11,955 square feet.
When the new library is done, the city - which has committed $1.25 million to the project - will own the building, but the library will be operated and staffed by the Whatcom County Library System as one of its branches.
"We all want this to be something that Ferndale can be completely proud of," said Joan Airoldi, director of the Whatcom County Library System.
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