The Pikes Peak Library District held a lunch meeting at Farmers State Bank March 18 to review architectural plans for the new Falcon library. Architect Ryan Wallace from Humphries Poli Architects, presented aerial, floor and elevation concept drawings.One drawing included a view of the library as seen from the Rock Island trail. The library building is 6,000 square feet, and employees and visitors will share parking with Farmers State Bank, which donated the land to the library.The plans show a reading hearth, a browsing room, a children’s library, a teen center, a community meeting room, operations center, two study rooms and a porch.Wallace’s slide show included photos of other Colorado library interiors that the firm has designed. Some of the interiors included fireplaces and open tresses and different meeting room designs, etc. – all of which could be incorporated within the Falcon branch, he said. To make the library uniquely Falcon, Wallace said the design firm took photos of the area’s landscape and used them in the design and the theme: “Falcon – where the plains meet the mountain.”Dolores Fowler, executive officer of the Pikes Peak Library District Foundation, discussed fundraising ideas. Contractor bids were due March 28, and included on PPLD’s wish list are lumber, concrete, floor materials and cash donations. “We do not have a capital fund for construction,” Fowler said. “Taxes cover only operating costs, so we must raise the funds to build the Falcon branch.”Fowler said she wanted residents to know there will not be a tax increase to expand the library to Falcon. Other fundraising ideas include interior wall tiles or mosaic pieces that community members could purchase in memory of a loved one. The name of the person would be engraved on the tiles. She also said they plan to work with community businesses to raise money. “We are open to all suggestions to raise funds,” Fowler said.PPLD is anticipating a mid-2009 opening date.
