Beginning in 2028, Coronado Public Library will undergo a $7 million roof and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) replacement project that is expected to take over a year to complete.
Library director, Shaun Briley, told The Coronado News that it’s still too early to tell how this project will affect the public – but that most of the work is external and the existing interior systems will largely remain in place, so hopefully the impacts to the inside of the library will be minimal.
“Patrons will likely notice periods of construction noise and activity, primarily from work taking place on the roof and outside the building,” Briley said. But the inconveniences need to be weighed against the ongoing issues of roof leaks and underperforming air conditioning which impact more than comfort, but library operations as well, he said.
The current HVAC units were installed during a 2005 remodel and have both exceeded their expected service life, according to a report presented at an April 7 City Council meeting.
The roof has had a history of water leakage and drainage problems, along with overall age complications.
There are 14 HVAC units mounted to the roof. Because the roof needs upkeep as well, city staff combined the two projects into one.
All council members voted to replace the roof with a single ply polyvinyl chloride, or more widely known as, PVC, membrane system. This would cost approximately $1.6 million.
Council members also voted to go with city staff’s recommendation to replace all 14 HVAC units with new equipment and also add a 15th unit for the library’s archival room, which would help in environmental control for historical items. The total cost of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning work is estimated at $5.8 million.
That alternative was the least expensive and offered the quickest construction time and least disruption for library patrons. The only con: it would be 10-15% less energy-efficient than the other two options.
The other two options were:
- 1: Consolidate the majority of the 14 units into three bigger units, which would preserve energy but would require construction of beams and columns in the library to hold the weight of the heavier units.
- 1A: Option 1 plus additional systems which would also require supporting infrastructure to provide better temperature and humidity control throughout the building.
Council members expressed dissatisfaction with options 1 and 1A because of having to add columns that would interrupt the flow of the space in the library and having to do more disruptive construction.
Shoreline, a project management firm with the city, also tested the feasibility of using solar energy to power the library. They came back with three options.
Council members voted to approve an additional $100,000 for a solar study to see which of the three options to go with.
The total projected construction timeline would be roughly 16 months for roof and HVAC work and 18 months if the city decides to move forward with solar. Staff anticipates a construction contract to be awarded in winter 2027, with construction beginning by the second quarter of 2028 and completed by the second quarter of 2029.
