Bonita Springs workshop: Council leans toward replacing old library, sets facility priorities and timelines

City staff presented a multi-year facilities assessment at a Bonita Springs City Council workshop and asked council members for direction on several large capital decisions, including whether to repair or replace the former library building and how to prioritize the recreation center renovation.

The presentation reviewed prior actions and urgency. Staff said the city executed a multi-year contract with engineering firm Weston & Sampson for a facility assessment that included six city-owned sites and 19 buildings; council later approved approximately $2.9 million in Priority 1 repairs to address immediate life‑safety and code-compliance issues. Staff listed completed work such as a new City Hall generator (with the refurbished generator moved to the recreation center), City Hall parking-lot improvements, pool-house structural and electrical work, roof replacements, mold remediation and elevator modifications.

Why it matters: Council must weigh near-term repair costs against replacement costs for aging, storm‑damaged buildings, and set priorities that…