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It seems to me, if the Library was serious about relocating and wanted to do it smart, why on God's Green Earth haven't they considered the old Feldman's Building? The price is right, for starters.Then there's the visibility factor. They went on and on last night about being located where they can be seen. Well, there's not a better visibility location in ALL of Salisbury. Riverside Drive, Camden, Carroll Street, Market Street, Fitzwater, Rt 50, you name it, this location would be ideal!
Parking is not an issue and to me the biggest plus about this location, well, there are several but one of the biggest is you'd be tearing down buildings that just need to go anyway. So who are these consultants that didn't consider this location? You can steal this building right now as I know the owner is dying to get out of his mortgage there.
Think of the positive impact it would have on keeping all that traffic in the Plaza area. If coffee shops opened and other businesses that could grow because of the Library traffic, it's a win/win. Now I know some of you are going to say, oh sure Joe, you own a building there and you'd benefit from such a project. Maybe so, I don't know. However, my thought was more towards a location that would be positive for the Downtown area. Keeping the Library Downtown IS the ANCHOR Business the Plaza so desperately needs.
Anyhow, expand on this if you'd like but I see nothing but positive results from this location versus any other at this point. Tear down Feldman's and build a 5 story building right there and even consider additional parking below if necessary.
Again, I don't think anyone is going to see the Library get any commitment from the County or the City right now because funding just isn't there. HOWEVER, there's a Grant for $750,000.00 on the table right now to purchase land and I personally think this is the location they should consider before it goes away.
31 comments:
really bad access for easy parking.. and make that already congested area even worse... bad idea
I think they should also look at the E.B.S. building on the corner of Commerce and Rt 13.
i think feldmans is a great idea. i think the library should be closer to the plaza than the rt 13 suggestion - it will generate more foot traffic to help support downtown businesses.
1. I fail to see what is wrong with the library at its present location. Lots of parking, great access, right by the "hopefully sometime worth visiting" downtown.
2. The proposed location across from the Royal Farms in the parking lot is horrible. No parking, you are drawing people AWAY from downtown, you eliminate the area for the Park n Flea (a very successful draw for the city's residents,) and horrible access.
3. Spend the money on improving what is already there, and established as the library instead of spending money on something we do not need in order to create yet another abandonded building.
This will not end well.
BTW- I like the idea Joe, but I would think, in the long run, something better could be done for the entire downtown business/living idea with the Feldman's location.
I think it's a good idea--parking is available on the street behind the building. I think it could definitely benefit downtown. Congestion might be a problem though......
there needs to be a couple bars, a couple hip clothing shops (REAL ONES, not local bs) some cool cafe style restaurants, and then you will have a working downtown... add a starbucks first, that would help more than anything.
then maybe add something like the BHive in Baltimore, a co-working place for free-lancers, graphic designers, web developers etc, anyone who needs internet, creative minds around them, and a cool place to work...
If they felt the current building was too out moded to modernize, Feldmans is like a straw hut compared to that. No way could they retrofit that building for a decent price. Start from scratch, build green, get everything you want, and save money.
We have the internet why do you even need a library, help everyone get on line instead.
Bad neighbors.
That area sucks plain and simple. Until the river issue is resolved nothing could possibly be sustainable public or private. Downtown should be leveled.
i wouldnt put a library ANY WHERE near that bus station/royal farm store/panhandle area... what a joke that area has turned into... and no, it was not the porn shop that made that area so bad, it's the degenerates who ride those darn shore transit buses.
They would have plenty of room in the current library if they got rid of the regional library stuff in the basement...that's what I read, so why don't they just get on of the downtown buildings like Feldman's, the old fire house, or whatever to move that stuff out. Leave the original library where it is, it's already a draw and if a new library would draw so much business downtown, why doesn't the current one (act a draw I mean)?
Several possible sites:
Old Salisbury Mall
Old Daily Times Building
Stores including the Red Door sub shop on Route 13.
Suggest a location outside of the downtown area. It's hard to get there. But for right now, perhaps the best option is the old firehouse and keeping the current site as part of the facility.
Feldman's needs too much work and their is a parking and traffic problem. They should stay where they are.
They could probably down size it's just a matter of time before Obama starts book burning...
The Feldman's building would have 3 points of access, which could be good. There is a municipal parking lot just across the street. If the Urban Salisbury plan reversed traffic like it proposes to do access could be easy and more people could be drawn downtown. It would also be easier to walk or bike to than the RT50/13 proposed location. It sems worth thinking about. The buildings need to go and a new library on that site could be just the thing to begin true renewal of the heart of our city. Even if the first phase was acquisition, demo and site prep, it would open up space until the economy turns and the expenditure becomes practical. A library is more than books and if Salisbury/Wicomico is going to attract businesses and retain families a facility like this is a key element.
Parking under the building! Feldmans building should be torn down. It is moldy and a health problem. That empty space which movies 6 was sitting on looks better that that old decrept building.
The old mall across from the civic center would be a great site. The traffic could easily be handled. The parking could also serve as overflow for the civic center. This is a county library not a Salisbury library isn't it?
I had heard that a call center was going to go in there. But perhaps not. Why not upgrade their current building, find a new location for the regional library and put city hall in Feldman's, if we need a new city hall. This is just like the old theater issue. Davina Grace-Hill wanted to build a 10 mil arts center when they could have gotten started in the theatre for about 1.5 to 2 mil. Look where that got SWAC... I don't buy the its cheaper to build new than upgrade. That may be the case when building a school when everything has to be leed certified, and class rooms and over all facilities have to meet strict size standards. But come on, I'm not buying the "we need a new library" theme. Make do with what you have and find opportunities to improve.
Excuse me, but just who is it that walks to the library? The street people who use it during the day? Most of us have to drive to the library anyway so what is up with keeping it downtown? Nothing downtown anyway except a bunch of empty buildings.
Not to mention to increase your property value Joe.
it needs to stay downtown!
does the library not want to admit the obvious? They aren't struggling to get exposure or visability. NO ONE WANTS to go to the library. Do you think any more than maybe 5% of kids nowadays have the desire to go read and learn on their own? The lower economic people don't care about it, the middle and upper class have internet and other resources. You could put it next to wal-mart and still no one would want to go in there.
Rob S
Anon 11:57 and 11:10,
They will NEVER be able to acquire the old Times building (PRMC bought it) or the Old Mall site (it's zoned as a PRD)! So quit throwing in all of these stupid ideas that will never work for such obivious reasons.
Are we looking to improve our city?
OR are we looking to spend money that is a grant? Does that mean it is free? We want to buy a site because money is availale? Seems to me that the past administration took money "infastructure" or police and fire protection, or somehting like that, and waited 5 years before purchasing the "site" of the current fire depatment boodoggle...
wise men say...only fools rush in....
A new library would be great, it would be a wonderful thing to have, meanwhile Salisbury is a ghost town, lets think this thing through, a cultural center with a library, art galleries, stages, film studio's ;recording, fine arts facilitiesartist studios for rent, etc, would be a real addition to the center of our lovely city. but just a library seems short sited, and not too wise.Computer banks,
The current site is more than adequate and accessable. If they feel the need for more space within, buy the cannon building and expandout that way, since the consultants (I hate depending on some outsiders to tell us what we need, and how much did that cost us, by the way?)say the current building can't support another level to the building, which I would get a second or third oppinion on. So, I would like the library to remain where it is, for several reasons. It's a very efficient building as it stands now, with solar carrying 3/4ths of its heating needs in winter. So, it is already is a Green building!
The library we have works fine, and if it needs an addition put on it, that would be fine. Great location, build some satellite branches with the money if it's burning a hole in your pocket.
It's a county library not a city library for one. The access and safety would be terrible for two. The cost of Feldmans demolition alone could exceed $400,000 for three.
If you could locate near the civic center, parking and access from the bypass would be easy.
It could also become more of a multi media center and change the way local people look at libraries.
I guess few see what I see down the road. Sure, there are some quiet souls who know as I do, however, to sound the alarm of fact, of reason or of reality is futile. People, we are at the end of progress! We now begin regression. Governments can only tax and borrow so much. We are in the first ten minutes of a five hour turbulant flight. Anyone who believes we have begun to turn around this economy is ignorant of the world economy. Multiply the library situation, the 13 acre "park we have to have" and the previous issue with the Ford Ranger by all the cities, counties, states, and federal departments that waste and abuse our taxes, and then explain to me (or our children!) how we will ever return to prosperity.
how about the rite aid building next to burger king on mount hermon road. New building not doing anything easy access and not that far from downtown?
Some of these comments are hilarious. First off, Joe, which is it--a terrible idea when it's on 13 or a good one at Feldman's (when it makes you money). As many have already pointed out, you'd have to gut Feldman's and start from scratch. Not a bad proposition and the location isn't bad IF you stay off Mill street. And IF we knew what was going to happen with the river.
The location on 13 would NOT do away with the Flea market--the parking lot would still be there, just under the cover of the library. A flea market could still be had. Plus, the building could be designed as needed not forced on them.
For those of you who think the current building is adequate--have you been in the current building? It is rundown, it can't hold all the catalogs, and is NOT accessible. Last week the (very ancient) elevator broke down. Guess what? If you are in a wheelchair you are suddenly unable to access the library AT ALL. You had to wait for the elevator to get fixed. Very nice.
For those of you who think libraries are a thing of the past you should know that library patronage is up in the past 2 years and will continue to rise as long as the economy is bad. This is the prime (and only) location for many residents to get internet access as well as reading material. This is an investment in the future of Salisbury. What's it gonna be Shore-ons? Do we really need to be dragged into the 21st century kicking and screaming?
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