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The Legislature’s special committee on the future of the Old County Library has started its work, meeting for the first time a week ago to discuss the process for its deliberations.  The Committee’s first task will be to review responses to the County’s Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to acquire and redevelop the County-owned Old Library site, located at the corner of Ithaca’s Cayuga and Court Streets, once the building is vacated next year.  As a carryover from last year’s Capital Plan Review Committee, the Old Library Committee, chaired by Legislature Chair Michael Lane, is charged with conducting review and recommending action related to the RFEI process and the site’s future.

The RFEI, released late last year, requested expressions of interest for the purchase or lease, and redevelopment of the Old Library property.  Submission of any proposals in response to the RFEI was required by last month.  The County’s Planning Advisory Board is currently conducting a preliminary review of the submissions, with a recommendation to the committee expected by month’s end.  The Old Library Committee will then review all expressions of interest and make a recommendation to the full Legislature, which will also see all of the submissions.

Both the Planning Advisory Board and the Old Library Committee will recommend which of the respondents to the RFEI (if any) should be invited to submit more detailed proposals in the next stage of the process—response to a formal Request for Proposal (RFP).  Recommendations at this point do not relate to determining the party to redevelop the Old Library site.

Committee members agreed that, while the County will maintain confidentiality of material as allowed by law, information including proposal sponsors, and project concepts and descriptions will be public information.  It is expected that information will be released as soon as next week.  The committee discussed the importance of public input, and how that should be solicited and effectively incorporated into the process.  County Administrator Joe Mareane advised that public input at this stage should be focused on whether there is any reason for the County to not invite a prospective developer (which has already submitted an expression of interest) to move ahead to the next stage of the process.

Chair Lane noted that, considering the unique nature of the Old Library site, care is needed in deliberations, and that the process should lead to a “calm, clear, rational decision” by the Legislature.

The Old Library Committee next meets May 2.  It is hoped that the Legislature’s review of the expressions of interest can be completed by July 1 at the latest, with the Request for Proposals to be released that month.

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