Dear Ladies and Gentlemen of the Baton Rouge Library Board:

As concerned citizens in and around the Baton Rouge area, we would like to see the Library Board vote to move forward with the complete reconstruction of the River Center Library.

The type of visionary thinking put forth in the feasibility study is exactly what the businesses and residents of downtown want and need. The old, introverted library needs to be scraped to the ground so that a new, energy efficient, open and dynamic library can be built in its place.

We understand that such a task is costly - but no less costly than doing nothing. As of right now, we have an under-utilized facility sitting on prime real estate. It is an inefficient building with inadequate facilities. A new modern and efficient building would not only have a low carbon footprint and underground parking, it would also be a model of innovation and creativity for the city- adding a new vitality to our growing downtown.

Our downtown is developing into a lively and thriving center for Baton Rouge. We are amazed and thrilled with the ever increasing number of people who live, play and work there. Recently, it was announced that the new Helix School project will reside in the Shaw Center. Imagine how excited these student and the children from the surrounding public schools will be when they get to go on a field trip to the new library? What better gift for our young minds than their very own state-of-the-art Library?

The design in the feasibility study has already won acclaim ( the P/A Award, presented by Architect Magazine to recognize progressive architectural design for unbuilt works) for its brilliant and unique design. We understand that this design is not necessarily the one that will be chosen. However, we emphatically agree that we need a new modern library in Downtown Baton Rouge where the current River Center Library stands today. The comment period ended some months back and the public overwhelminly supports this new Library.

Please vote to move forward with the demolition of the old Library and the construction of the new River Center Library.
Sincerely,

Sponsor

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