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Ashland delays ruling on library By JOHN DARLING ASHLAND -- Architects unveiled a final proposal for an Ashland library expansion Tuesday night, but several City Council members got sticker shock at the $7.8 million cost and said new fire stations must come first. The council postponed a decision on a May public vote on the library until Thursday, when a study session is set to discuss a new fire station. The two-story addition to the 1912 Carnegie library would quadruple its size to almost 29,000 square feet. The extension, designed by SERA Architects of Portland, would front Siskiyou Boulevard and would include the site of a present five-unit brick office complex. Council members praised the building as "ideal," but, said Councilman Don Laws, "I am shocked at the cost. It's close to twice what we originally heard. I look forward to it someday, but we need to move ahead quickly on the fire station." Ashland's two fire stations have been pronounced unsafe, cramped and inaccessible to people with disabilities in three studies over the past decade. Councilman David Fine, who said he would oppose the library, called the fire stations "a top priority for several years." The library can be next in line, he said, but the present library proposal is "just too grandiose" and includes too many features that aren't necessary, such as a rooftop reading terrace, a "hangout space" with concessions in front and a multipurpose room. The proposal doesn't add enough parking spaces, he added. "I'm not really happy with it," Fine said. "We've spent $67,000 (for a study) planning the ideal library, not a realistic one." George Sheldon of SERA said, "We tried to be frugal." Councilman Steve Hauck expressed reservations but said he would clarify his position Thursday. Carol Wheeldon was the only council member to support the project. Councilwoman Susan Reid is on vacation and Mayor Cathy Shaw has been a major supporter. Shaw votes on council issues only in the case of a tie. Two tenants of the office building adjacent to the library, John Kalb and Rick Nagel, said they would like to keep their offices, adding that the owner does not want to sell. Laws said this presents an obstacle. "I don't like condemnation, although we may have to resort to it with the fire station." Expansion of the main fire station would require property being used by Blue Mountain Cafe. Ashland resident Dennis Donahue proposed using the defunct Natural History Museum as a library and using the old Carnegie as a reading room. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA