Anchorage panel hears plan to renovate Old City Hall into downtown library funded by state grant and Getz Trust

Anchorage Public Library leaders and the Anchorage Library Foundation told the Assembly Municipal Services, Ethics and Elections Committee on Dec. 18 that two negotiated agreements would let the municipality renovate Old City Hall and operate a downtown library for 12 years, contingent on Assembly approval Jan. 7.

Elizabeth Nikolai, acting director of the Anchorage Public Library, said the project relies on two funding sources: a $2,500,000 state grant intended for construction and funds from the Getz Trust intended for operations. "The municipality of Anchorage will renovate Old City Hall and then, operate for 12 years a library in Old City Hall," Nikolai said. Municipal and foundation attorneys have negotiated separate agreements making the municipality a subgrantee for the construction funds and documenting the foundation's operational support.

Roe Surgluiski told the committee the combined funds are "approximately $14,500,000," with the Getz Trust portion near $8,600,000; Chelsea Ricola, vice president of the Anchorage Library Foundation, identified herself for the record. Nikolai said the construction grant paperwork currently identifies about $2,380,000 routed to the municipality, with a remainder retained by the foundation for operations.

On operations, Nikolai said the agreement starts at $450,000 annually for maintenance and operations, adjusted for inflation, and is designed to support a 32-hour-per-week downtown branch modeled on similar Anchorage branches. "It also it would be a 32 hour week library, which is very similar to what we are doing in Mountain View, Muldoon," she said, describing typical schedules of five-day operations with variable daily hours.

Becky Lamperson, municipal manager, told the committee there is no municipal capital contingency built into the commitment. "There isn't," Lamperson said when asked whether contingency funds exist. She described that as the "biggest risk" and said the municipality and the foundation would work together on fundraising plans if projected costs exceed the grant. Lamperson added that the operations agreement includes a mechanism to revisit hours or program levels if the annual operational support proves insufficient.

Committee members pressed on accessibility and co-location questions. Nikolai said the city will begin an architectural concept and accessibility survey if funding is approved, and that an elevator replacement is likely. On co-location, Nikolai said previously discussed Parks & Rec plans have shifted and the library is currently slated to occupy the second floor while Visit Anchorage would remain on the first floor.

Nikolai also described a systemwide 'community resources' team — previously labeled social workers in some budget discussions — that has moved from alcohol-tax funding into the general operating budget for 2025; those positions are expected to serve all branches, including the future downtown site.

The library and foundation representatives said they will submit a minor technical correction requested by finance to the agreements before they appear on the Jan. 7 Assembly agenda. No formal committee vote was taken at the subcommittee meeting; committee members simply heard the presentation and asked clarifying questions. The Assembly is scheduled to review the agreements on Jan. 7.