Most people in the Grant Park and Hollywood neighborhoods, especially folks who live east of 33rd Avenue, probably believe that the new Hollywood Branch of the Multnomah County Library, to be built on Tillamook between 40th and 41st Avenues, will be a two-story mixed use building, with the library occupying the first floor and a few units of apartments on the second floor. This is exactly the information that was posted on the library-renovation display in the existing Hollywood branch library, as well as on the library?’s internet site, until January 5. Stories to this effect have also been reported in the Hollywood Star. But whether by plan or omission, we have been seriously misled.
A few local residents who attended a public meeting on Dec. 13, 1999, were shocked to learn that the library plans now call for a building close to 65 feet tall, with nearly 60 apartment units on four floors above the ground-floor library. Some details of the plan were presented at a public meeting on January 10.
The whole emphasis of the project has shifted--from building a new Hollywood library branch, one that we could all be proud of, to building a very large apartment building with the library on the bottom of the heap. This scheme is being driven by the Multnomah County Commissioners, not the voters who overwhelmingly approved the bond measure that is paying for library renovation and construction.
A 65 foot building on Tillamook would be entirely out of scale with the surrounding homes and businesses. (For comparison, it would be two stories taller than the Dania furniture store.) The building is being planned with only 39 parking spaces, 9 of them reserved for Dania--so only 30 parking spaces for the residents of 60 apartments plus library patrons. The inevitable result would be spillover parking on our neighborhood streets, which are already overcrowded. Commute-time traffic in the immediate neighborhood would probably become much heavier. Crossing Tillamook on foot is already a dicey proposition and will become even more so.
The proposed 65 foot building is possible only if the revised Hollywood zoning plan is approved by the City Commissioners in March.
I urge readers to reflect on what they would like to see for a new Hollywood library, and to make their opinions known to county and city commissioners.
By Joseph Walder
A few local residents who attended a public meeting on Dec. 13, 1999, were shocked to learn that the library plans now call for a building close to 65 feet tall, with nearly 60 apartment units on four floors above the ground-floor library. Some details of the plan were presented at a public meeting on January 10.
The whole emphasis of the project has shifted--from building a new Hollywood library branch, one that we could all be proud of, to building a very large apartment building with the library on the bottom of the heap. This scheme is being driven by the Multnomah County Commissioners, not the voters who overwhelmingly approved the bond measure that is paying for library renovation and construction.
A 65 foot building on Tillamook would be entirely out of scale with the surrounding homes and businesses. (For comparison, it would be two stories taller than the Dania furniture store.) The building is being planned with only 39 parking spaces, 9 of them reserved for Dania--so only 30 parking spaces for the residents of 60 apartments plus library patrons. The inevitable result would be spillover parking on our neighborhood streets, which are already overcrowded. Commute-time traffic in the immediate neighborhood would probably become much heavier. Crossing Tillamook on foot is already a dicey proposition and will become even more so.
The proposed 65 foot building is possible only if the revised Hollywood zoning plan is approved by the City Commissioners in March.
I urge readers to reflect on what they would like to see for a new Hollywood library, and to make their opinions known to county and city commissioners.
By Joseph Walder
