Dispute Over Construction Costs Threatens to Derail New Central Madison Library

Link to March 17 Wisconsin State Journal article, "New $37 million Central Library may be dead".

Excerpt: After years of hope and planning for a new Madison Central Library, a proposal for a new $37 million, six-story glass and stone facility may be dead.

Construction was supposed to start this fall, but negotiations between the city and the developers, the Fiore Cos. and Irgens Development Partners, have broken down over costs.

Unless the dispute over about $2 million in costs can be resolved — a scenario called “unlikely” by a Fiore official — Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said he intends to propose that the existing library at the corner of Fairchild and Mifflin streets be renovated. The mayor said he has “not given up” on the new library proposal.

“We will have a new library,” Cieslewicz said in an interview. “New may mean a rehabilitated library at the current site. But it won’t look anything like the old library. We will do it on time. We will do it on budget.”

A renovation would cost an estimated $27 million, he said. Renovation also would mean that a second phase of development would not occur on the existing library site.

Related articles:
Madison Public Library Project Faces Delay in 2011. (3/9/2010)
Construction, Cost Concerns May Delay Madison Central Library Project. (1/25/2010)
New Madison Central Library Wins Council Approval. (11/11/2009)
Capital Times Endorses New Madison Central Library. (11/10/2009)
Madison Council Begins Review of Mayor's Budget on Tuesday. (11/6/2009)
More Questions About Madison Central Library Project. (11/1/2009)
New Madison Public Library's First Change Order: Rooftop Garden. (10/28/2009)
Call for Referendum on New Madison Central Library Not Attracting Support. (10/21/2009)
Madison Board of Estimates Rejects Library Referendum. (10/13/2009)
Some Madison City Council Members Want Referendum on New Central Library. (10/9/2009)
Wisconsin State Journal Editorial on New Madison Central Library. (9/13/2009)
New Madison Central Library: Let the Positioning Begin. (9/1/2009)
New Madison Central Library on Mayor Dave's Front Burner. (8/30/2009)
New Madison Central Library: Build or Renovate? (7/7/2009)
Motley Brown Not Reason Enough. (6/11/2009)
Fiore Plan Receives Unanimous Support. (6/5/2009)
Fiore Plan Gets Nod from Committee. (5/15/2009)
Public Forum Focuses on Central Library Options. (4/24/2009)
Developer Sweetens the Deal. (4/21/2009)
Visualizing a Remodeled Madison Central Library. (4/4/2009)
Renovation Plan Put on Table for Madison Central Library. (3/26/2009)
Residents Critique Proposals to Rebuild Downtown Library. (1/9/2009)
Competing Developers Defend Their Central Library Plans. (1/8/2009)
Comparison of Downtown Madison Library Proposals. (12/17/2008)
Two Proposals for New Madison Central Library. (12/3/2008)
Best Headline of the Week. (9/6/2008)