Plans for expanded Neill Public Library enter early stages

PULLMAN — Library officials are considering ways to remodel the Neill Public Library.

While the expansion won’t happen any time soon, staff are getting plans moving.

The Neill Public Library Board explored options to improve the facility during its regular meeting Wednesday afternoon. Members are proposing an expansion of up to 3,500 square feet to support demands from growing engagement at the library.

Board staff have presented a nearly $8.4 million remodel that would increase the library to around 18,000 square feet. Documents attached to the meeting agenda show the expansion would correlate with the city’s population growth of 26% since 2004.

The plan is one of four remodel options. Library Director Dan Owens contacted six libraries across Washington that are either in the midst of or recently finished a reconstruction project. He received responses from the Spokane County Library District, North Olympic Library System, Walla Walla Public Library and Liberty Lake Public Library.

Based on the plans from those other libraries, officials estimate construction costs at $450 to $500 per square foot of expansion.

The documents include three other possible reconstruction scenarios, including a remodel to half the existing facility without changing the square footage, which would cost a little over $3.3 million; a complete revitalization of the existing facility with no change to square footage, coming in at just under $6.7 million; and a complete rebuild and expansion, estimated at $9.5 million.

The current facility located on Grand Avenue was built in 1992 at around 11,000 square feet, and was expanded to its current size of around 14,000 square feet in 2004.

Owens said at the meeting the library hired BERK Consulting, a Seattle-based business management company, along with SHKS Architects, a Seattle-based architecture firm, earlier this year to assess the library’s needs.

This year the team will perform a community services assessment to find what residents want from the library through processes like public hearings. Architects will also review the facility to see what needs addressing, like roof leaks or the HVAC system, which frequently breaks down, Owens said.

The library board will send the proposal to the city of Pullman’s Capital Improvement Program Committee for its 2026-31 cycle. The group meets each spring to recommend facility construction projects to the city council.

The committee is currently working on plans for a third fire station in Pullman. The more than $10 million plan includes constructing a station on Washington State University’s campus in 2028, which Pullman voters approved a $10.5 million bond for in 2018.

Owens said there isn’t a definitive timeline for the project. The library may apply for funding opportunities in 2026 to take advantage of the several grants circulating around the state that could possibly be awarded in the 2027-28 fiscal year.

Library officials note in the documents Washington’s Library Capital Improvement Program has provided as much as $2 million in funding for improvements, requiring a one-to-one local match.

The documents mention the program is up for reauthorization in the state legislature. Lawmakers are currently discussing reducing the match for rural and disadvantaged areas.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.