Escondido council approves temporary move of main library to North County Mall during renovation

The Escondido City Council on April 16 authorized staff to temporarily relocate the Escondido Public Library to a North County Mall storefront while the main library on South Kalmia undergoes a major infrastructure renovation, voting to approve three resolutions that fund the move and authorize tenancy and moving services.

Assistant Director of Community Services Robert Rhodes and project manager Ed Vasquez outlined the renovation scope and the need to operate a temporary library during construction. Vasquez said the work will address deferred maintenance and accessibility issues, listing roof replacement, HVAC replacement, ADA restroom upgrades, electrical upgrades, hazardous‑material removal and a first-floor reconfiguration to improve meeting, study and collaborative spaces.

Staff said the project received a $10 million Building Forward grant from the California State Library and that construction bids were due April 17, with an anticipated contract award May 14 and a construction period of roughly June 2025'March 2026 plus a three-month contingency. "Construction bidding period open for a period of 45 days," Vasquez said, noting public bid opening scheduled April 17.

To preserve library services during construction, staff recommended leasing a 15,406-square-foot storefront area near Target at the North County Mall. Economic development management analyst Francisco Vargas summarized relocation costs and terms: total temporary-relocation costs of about $828,000 through July 2026, including $167,206.46 in rent (which includes three months of contingency), $100,000 for two new book drops and initial fit-out, $77,030 in common-area maintenance costs, $191,250 for utilities and trash, approximately $170,000 for technology infrastructure, $64,000 to rent 180 mobile book carts, $28,400 for professional moving services (Office Furniture Solutions) and $15,000 estimated marketing and communications costs.

Vargas said staff selected Office Furniture Solutions through a competitive procurement to perform the coordinated round-trip move. The move timeline would close the main library for packing April 28'May 2, the professional move May 5'9 and an opening of the temporary location May 27. The plan includes interim pick-up and limited services at the Pioneer Room and the Mathis Center during the transition.

Library Director Rina Landa described how collections and seating would be arranged in the smaller storefront space and said children's seating and tables were prioritized; adult seating will be supplemented by mall common‑area seating. The Pioneer Room will provide limited services during the packing period and will revert to its historical/genealogical functions once the temporary mall site opens.

One council member gave a campaign disclosure and recused themself from the item before the vote; that recusal left four voting members. Mayor Dana M. White moved to approve the three resolutions: (1) allocate $828,000 for temporary relocation costs (Resolution 2025-33), (2) authorize a public service agreement for professional moving services with Office Furniture Solutions (Resolution 2025-26), and (3) authorize a tenancy agreement for the temporary library location with EWH Escondido Associates / North County Mall (Resolution 2025-39). The council approved the package 4'00.

Staff said funding will come from the general fund and other available sources and that the temporary mall location, while smaller than the main library (approximately 15,406 sq ft versus the main library's roughly 40,000+ sq ft), will preserve core services, computer access, holds pickup and digital collections while construction proceeds.