Consultants propose 2,000-sq.-ft. addition, makerspace and ADA upgrades for Newcastle branch; estimated cost about $1.4 million

Consultants for the Pioneer Library System told Newcastle officials that the city’s library branch is "undersized for its current service population" and recommended adding roughly 2,000 square feet, new collaborative spaces and ADA-compliant restrooms to address high visit and circulation rates.

Christy Lynn, a consultant working on Pioneer Library System’s systemwide master plan, told council members the branch serves about 10,540 people and that American Library Association guidelines suggest a community that size should have roughly 6,000 square feet; the Newcastle facility is about 3,400 square feet. "Your population of service is 10,540 people...the recommended square footage to provide services for your community is about 6 thousands a little over 6,000 square feet. Your current facility is at about 3,400," Lynn said.

The consultants’ schematic, presented to the council, would keep the existing city-owned space largely intact and add an approximately 2,000-square-foot wing that would create a dedicated children’s area with a story-time nook and play area, an adult collaboration/lounge area, two small meeting or study rooms, and a makerspace adjacent to the shared program room. The plan would relocate two rooftop condensers and the movie-box hold locker and would remove two parking stalls but retain a two-way drive lane off Tenth Street. The package presented includes a single unisex ADA restroom and an ADA staff restroom.

Why it matters: consultants said Newcastle’s branch posts the system’s highest visits per capita and highest loans per capita (about 9.6 loans per capita versus a system average of 4.5). Council members and presenters emphasized the branch’s frequent use by families, demand for private spaces for telehealth, tutoring and remote work, and interest in on-site maker equipment (3D printers, laser cutter, etc.) as services that would be enabled by the addition.

Cost and schedule: the consultants provided an order-of-magnitude cost estimate stated in 2025 dollars: building construction about $1,155,000, furniture about $82,000 and additional soft costs and contingency to yield a total project estimate roughly $1.4 million. The presenters said Pioneer would provide makerspace equipment (laser cutter, 3-D printer and related devices) at no additional cost to the city as Pioneer has done for other branches. On schedule, the consultants estimated a typical 6–9 month design period followed by roughly 9–12 months of construction; if all approvals and procurement were immediate, the earliest occupancy estimate given was late 2026, with spring 2027 judged more likely.

Operational and site effects: the plan would remove two parking stalls, require relocation of mechanical equipment and the book-hold movie box, and create a new emergency access point on the south wall. Presenters said the project includes options for phased construction to reduce service disruption; they suggested a potential temporary shutdown of about one to two months during interior renovation phases depending on phasing choices.

Funding and decision: Pioneer Library System staff said the library system has been reserving funds for branch projects across the system and that the board prioritized Newcastle along with other sites; Pioneer indicated it would fund the project costs included in the estimate. At the meeting a councilmember moved to authorize the city manager to proceed with negotiations and process the project; the motion carried with all councilmembers present voting in favor (recorded as: Jane Reed — yes; Todd D'Amico — yes; Mike Fullerton — yes; Marcy White — yes; Carl — yes).

Next steps: presenters said they will return during design stages to gather community input, refine plans and cost estimates, and work with the city on site logistics and phasing. Council authorized staff to proceed with negotiation and processing of the project.