Expansion of Turlock branch library could get final OK. It’s overdue
Expansion of the Turlock branch of the Stanislaus County Library could finally move forward Tuesday night.
The county Board of Supervisors will consider an $8.99 million contract with Roebbelen Contracting Inc. for detailed design and construction. The building could be ready for readers in spring 2021.
The library opened in 1968, when Turlock had about 13,000 people, and was designed for a population of 30,000. The city hit that milestone in 1983 and now has about 73,000 residents.
The interior space would grow about 60 percent to 16,531 square feet. The plans also include adding an interior courtyard and an outdoor children’s garden, totaling 2,484 square feet. The current building has no space devoted to kids’ story times and other gatherings.
The county plans to move its library services to the adjacent senior center during construction. Roebbelen is based in El Dorado Hills, east of Sacramento.
The board has already approved the funding plan. The largest portion is a $6.3 million loan from the county’s share of a national settlement against tobacco companies in 1998, to be repaid from the library budget. The county also would use money from its general fund, a library fund balance and fees on developers.
The board will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the basement chamber at Tenth Street Place, 1010 Tenth St., Modesto.
