January 18, 2020

Mallory Herrmann
citydesk@lstribune.net

The Colbern Road branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library is expected to be torn down and replaced with a building twice its size. It had been due to receive a major renovation and expansion, but as the architects began putting the plan together, they suggested starting over completely.

At a presentation to the planning commission last week, Brad McKenzie of Sapp Design Architects explained that the exterior walls are load-bearing, and the library would need to spend a lot of extra money to adjust those walls to facilitate an expansion. Instead, the architects proposed a brand-new building, with a smaller footprint due to a more efficient design.

“They agreed starting over makes the most sense,” McKenzie said.

The 33,000-square-foot branch will be a destination library, featuring a community room that seats up to 240 people, smaller collaboration rooms for 2 to 6 patrons, expanded children’s area features, a café with extended hours and dedicated space for Square One Small Business Services,.

Mid-Continent Public Library’s Square One Small Business Services offers resources and programming to support local small business owners and entrepreneurs.

McKenzie said they hope to begin work on the site, located at 1000 NE Colbern Road, in two or three months. The project is expected to take about a year.

“And in the meantime, they can go to the new East Lee’s Summit branch over on Blue Parkway!” he said.

That location, at 2160 SE Blue Parkway, is expected to open later this year. A third branch in Lee’s Summit is located at 150 NW Oldham Parkway.

There were no public comments, either in support of or in opposition to the project, during the planning commission’s Jan. 9 public hearing. The commission gave unanimous recommendation for approval of the plan. Commissioners John Lovell, Jeff Sims and Dana Arth were absent.

The city council will vote on the preliminary development plan at an upcoming meeting.