Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

Certain_Concept t1_jecgk3j wrote

Wow! It looks really nice. How long is construction supposed to take?

BTW. Off topic but for a walkable city I've been kinda disappointed by the lack of bikability of certain roads. For example Snowden connects several of us to shops but there are often no bike lanes which would make it unsafe.

19

throway35885328 t1_jedhb3k wrote

Tbh even with a bike lane I wouldn’t feel safe biking on snowden past McGraw Rd…

3

crruss t1_jec59by wrote

The picture makes it look like this is replacing most of the Whole Foods parking lot. I’m curious as to where they plan to put parking for this massive library plus Whole Foods shoppers.

14

Sure_Comparison6978 t1_jec7oic wrote

There’s a parking garage next to the parking lot that doesn’t seem to get much use

8

veryfirst t1_jecav4t wrote

Do you mean the one by JCPenney by the mall?

1

mynamesafad OP t1_jecf6ew wrote

There is a parking deck directly next to the lot where this is going. It is only 2 levels, but it is rarely used. Just south of Grillmarx

9

Shento t1_jedejci wrote

I thought that was whole foods employee parking. Pretty sure I remember a sign saying that. Not enforced?

1

Sure_Comparison6978 t1_jecf22s wrote

No, the one close to Whole Foods

8

veryfirst t1_jecgdhx wrote

Right, I forgot about that lot, used to park there to go to the CA office when it was located there. I would love to see them fix up the walking path over Little Patuxent Parkway and hopefully increase parking at this two level parking structure you mentioned.

Fact is that of everything the county or developers could build there, a library like this would be pretty great.

9

calanthe t1_jecwdck wrote

Gregg Fitchett said the library will include a parking component, so possibly underground parking or part of the building we haven’t seen

8

calanthe t1_jecbeaw wrote

FAQ here on the library’s website

8

imani_TqiynAZU t1_jeeuh8h wrote

I hope people actually read this so they can stop asking obvious questions here.

3

DanielLikesPlants t1_jed5xt0 wrote

the architecture firm is amazing im so happy they’re going to build something here!

7

Medicsavage t1_jecwfwe wrote

I like the idea as it would make the library itself more accessible but isn’t there another branch close by? Or am i misremembering? Would that branch close down or would it just be moving to this new location? Or would both be open to help with foot traffic?

4

calanthe t1_jecz44t wrote

There is a connector roadway planned between broken land parkway and US 29 that goes pretty much directly over the site of the current Central library, so this would be a replacement

8

bigjd7 t1_jeesiuo wrote

I read the article as their will be housing where the old library was.

2

tacitus59 t1_jeecu0z wrote

I wonder about the details - like is it going to be affordable condos or apartments or a mix and how is the housing part going to be managed?

3

Dfranco123 t1_jeftmbi wrote

Affordable housing in Columbia… lmfao my rent for a 2 bedroom just got bumped to 2,300. I live near Target btw. Smh. What will it be in 2026 3k? 😂

3

Sufficient-Item-2750 t1_jeggzo3 wrote

In case this is helpful and not too wonky, I will share that affordable housing is generally defined using a percentage of area median income - to see what is "affordable" at various percentages check out the link below. If you are in market rate housing (unrestricted), it does fluctuate with the market without an affordable cap and to your point, is might often not feel affordable.

Using this chart, your two bedroom unit would be affordable at the 80% of area median income level if it were priced at or below $2090 a month including utilities. Bedrooms are priced with an "estimate" of 1.5 people per bedroom (no matter how many people are actually living there). For a two person household to be eligible to rent that apartment with two bedrooms, they would need earn at or below $74,320 per year. As area median income changes (it usually rises, but sometimes it goes down) the limits change. The basic idea nationwide across many programs is rent + utilities should be about 30% of people's income to be considered affordable. Some of the details vary, but this is generally how most programs are structured. There is only one meaningful program that creates affordable housing at scale throughout the country and it is the low-income housing tax credit program. It's kind of a misnomer, because if you look at the income limits below you can see many are not low - they actually span a broad range of jobs including many public servants.

https://dhcd.maryland.gov/HousingDevelopment/Documents/rhf/2022MDIncomeLimitsRents.pdf

2

sublimethought5 t1_jeen9bm wrote

Hopefully this can get in place by 2030 if they start in 2026. The construction might be a bit disruptive if I'm looking at the scale of this right.

2

throway35885328 t1_jedhj3b wrote

As much as I don’t like the rapid development and the Merryweather District, the English major in me is getting a little excited about a new library…

1

hiruy2000 t1_jef7tra wrote

In just the past three years, this county has committed north of $250 million on two buildings. During both instances the developer never defined what “affordable” means.

Meanwhile Howard Hughes Corporation and their allied developers can take this government promissory note to their investors and bankers to finance their other boondoggle projects.

$250 million would pay for a lot of low-income housing. It would end homelessness in Howard County.

−3

ravens40 t1_jeflim0 wrote

Is there really demand for a library? One would think in todays digital world, libraries would be going away. Maybe I'm wrong or missing something.

−3

Sufficient-Item-2750 t1_jegfdg8 wrote

Libraries have expanded in a lot of new exciting directions over the past years - cool summary here and it encompasses things the county is already doing on some level in various spaces (makers space - Glenwood, DIY rental Elkridge, stop by East Columbia any day after school to see what a hot spot that is with teens and school aged kids for learning)- I suspect this library will be showcase that folds many things together.

https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/technology/2-st-century-lbraries-changing-from-the-ground-up-lj210616

4