Board hears four options for Main Library project; foundation and tax credits could offset costs

The Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education on Sept. 23 accepted as an informational item a presentation on options for the downtown Main Library and heard public pleas for a bold design that signals a modern, public-facing building.

Laura Hunt, director of libraries, told the board the library system has "a total library capital fund and cash balance as of 07/01/2025 of almost $48,000,000," and that a remaining half-mill of library levy revenue would yield about $680,000 a year going forward. Hunt summarized a recent facilities assessment and the library’s long-running need to address an aging, awkwardly laid-out building that dates largely to 1966.

Brad McKenzie of SAP Design Architects presented four approaches the firm developed after stakeholder engagement and building analysis: A) renovate the existing building and add on (tax-credit eligible renovation work); B) gut and alter the existing building with additions (not pursuing historic tax credits); C) demolish and build a new 96,000-square-foot facility; and D) repurpose the existing building for administration and construct a new library building. McKenzie said the program target is about 69,000 square feet for library functions plus roughly 27,000 square feet for administration and processing — about 96,000 total — while the existing building (excluding basement) is about 75,000 square…