Architects and library board members reviewed preliminary designs Tuesday for an outdoor classroom to be built on the sloped corner between the Mesa Public Library and the Betty Ehart Senior Center.

The project would create a small performance-style platform and seating area that designers said could accommodate 30 fixed seats with movable furniture and additional space for blankets or extra seating, allowing gatherings of roughly 40–50 people. The plan includes a low, concrete-backed bench platform at sidewalk level, built-in seating, a storage shed for foldable furniture and tents, and two canopy concepts: a custom “tree-post” tensile-fabric design (concept A) and a simpler stretched-fabric canopy (concept B).

The project team said the site’s existing drainage and slope shaped the design. Wayne Lloyd of Lloyd & Associates Architects noted existing Ponderosa pines provide substantial shade at the location. “There’s great shade in this area,” Lloyd said. Designers said one pine identified on the site is unhealthy and would be removed, and that a trench drain and a small bioswale would need relocation to keep water away from the stage and seating.

Architect Kaye Lim said the team estimated the budget for the custom tree-post design (concept A) at about $415,000 and described that figure as conservative given post-pandemic construction-price volatility. “We’re at 415,000,” Lim said. The team said concept B would likely be roughly 10 percent less costly, and that the project’s original small-project allocation from Community Services was about $100,000, leaving a substantial gap between funds on hand and the architects’ estimate.

Design details discussed included: keeping the platform nearly level with the adjacent sidewalk for easy wheelchair access; decomposed-granite or ADA-compliant gravel for the front area; mortared stone seating with poured concrete foundations; and louvers or spaced canopy elements to allow airflow while reducing direct sunlight on performers. The tensile-fabric canopies were described as durable but not lifetime items; the team said a high-quality fabric could last 10–15 years in normal conditions and that the sails would likely be removed in winter to prolong life.

The team also reviewed optional features and costs: power would be provided from the library so performers could plug in speakers or set up a movie screen; a restroom is possible but was not included in the cost estimate shown and would increase the budget; lighting could be added later as a safety measure, with a ballpark of $10,000–$20,000 depending on the extent and fixture type. The project would include a small storage shed for folding tables and chairs.

Board members and members of the public asked about stormwater, long-term maintenance, noise impacts and the risk of fabric damage from severe weather. The architects said grading and trench relocation would redirect existing flows and that a more detailed tree survey and site visit are needed to confirm effects on remaining trees. Designers discussed removing random vegetation and doing modest grading to build the platform and seating.

Next steps presented by the library board: the project team will gather public feedback through printed display panels and comment cards in the Mesa Public Library lobby and at White Rock and the senior center, and through an online survey to be released within about a week. The board will incorporate that public input into a final design, refine the cost estimate and pursue funding. The presenters said if the committee wants the full design as shown, the board will need to identify options for increasing the project budget or remove elements to fit existing funding. The committee indicated the item may need visibility at the county level and could be presented to the county council as part of budget discussions.

No formal vote on the project was recorded in the meeting transcript; board members agreed to proceed with public outreach and further budget conversations.

The board asked the architects to return with refined cost estimates and a site survey; architects said they would follow up with the committee and help document existing lighting and access for the survey.