County chooses design firm for Leonardtown library replacement and Garvey Center; 16'month design schedule planned

St. Mary's County officials said on Nov. 10 they had selected a design firm for the Leonardtown library replacement facility and Garvey Center and expect the design phase to take roughly 16 months.

George Erickson and library project staff described a selection process that included the new library director, trustees and senior center representatives. Erickson said cost estimates from the top-ranked firms arrived recently and that the preferred firm's proposal "is within budget." After negotiated best-and-final offers and commissioners' authorization for an award (the construction notice-to-proceed would follow bond and contract requirements), staff said the design clock would begin.

Erickson described a charette process that will gather input from the library board, senior activity center and the public. He said the team aims to produce three concepts early in schematic design to avoid protracted conceptual debates and to return with a staff recommendation. The project schedule the county described calls for the architectural design phase to take about 16 months from notice to proceed, with subsequent construction funding to follow.

Commissioners and staff discussed coordinating the library/Garvey plans with surrounding parks and school connectivity, and agreed to pursue public vetting while keeping the library as the project driver.

Ending: Staff said they will seek commissioners' concurrence to award the design contract, begin the charette and bring early concepts to public sessions and future work sessions for input.