OAKLEY — Fundraising efforts for a new Oakley library and community center received a boost with a $400,000 grant from a private family foundation. However, the project is still far from the $28-million goal for a new standalone structure.
With the grant from the Walnut Creek-based Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation, the city currently has about $10.5 million in funding available for the project. This includes $4 million from the city’s general fund, $3 million from the special community projects fund, $500,000 in public facilities impact fees, and $2 million in assumed residual land value from a planned public-private partnership with a developer to construct housing.
The money available also includes $980,000 through fundraising efforts by Friends of the Oakley Library, donations, grants, and allocations from Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis’ Livable Communities Trust Fund.
As of December 2024, the city had identified funding to potentially deliver a 9,000-square-foot modern library, estimated to be at least $1,000 a square foot. However, the city said that having a facility that would house the library and a senior and veteran’s center to meet its current and future needs would cost closer to $28 million.
Oakley Assistant City Manager Danielle Navarro said the amount of funding identified will dictate the size of the project.
Navarro said the city issued a request for proposal on Feb. 3 for the design and construction of the new library and community center as part of a mixed-use housing project under a public-private partnership.
The initial proposal will satisfy the state’s requirement under the Surplus Land Act of declaring the city’s owned surplus block on O’Hara Avenue, which used to house the Contra Costa County Sheriff Delta Station building.
“Filing the notice of availability (makes) the property available first to affordable housing developers, among other requirements, before proposals from other parties can be considered,” said Navarro in an email.
However, early interest appears low as no parties attended the mandatory pre-proposal virtual meeting on Tuesday. Proposals are due by April 4.
Navarro also said the city council will discuss the library and community center funding in its mid-year budget update on Feb. 25.
The current Oakley Library moved into Freedom High School in 1999. It was meant to be a temporary location, but outgrew its 3,000-square-foot space years ago.
To accommodate a growing number of residents, the city was supposed to identify a new location for the library by 2004. Two decades later, the new library found a potential home at the Oakley Civic Center Plaza.
Over the years, numerous ideas have been floated to establish a standalone library in different locations. In 2012, Friends of the Oakley Library suggested turning the former CentroMart Building on Main Street into a library, but it was later occupied by a grocery store.
The city proposed a parcel tax measure in 2016 in hopes of raising money to build a library. That measure, which required two-thirds of voters to approve, failed.
Mayor Shannon Shaw hopes the city will be able to find a developer who can build houses, as well as the library and community center.
“We don’t know what is going to happen, but that would be ideal,” Shaw said, referring to the planned public-private partnership initiative.
Shaw said the city council initially agreed to move forward with a full design of the library and community center project for a cost of $28 million.
“But because we didn’t get that money, it’s going to have to come back to council to decide what we are going to do,” said Shaw. “Essentially, it is going to be redesigned to meet the eligible funds we have because the library we had designed for isn’t going to be constructed if we only have $10 million.”
She said the city council will have to determine if the project will be scaled back or built in phases, but she is worried that a longer wait to kickstart the project may result in higher construction costs.
“The longer we wait to start something, the higher the construction costs can go. So we have to weigh the cost,” said Shaw. “But it (should) balance the needs and wants with what we can afford.”
Contra Costa County Library Public Information Officer Brooke Converse said the high school has been an “excellent landlord” all these years in taking care of the library’s needs and appreciates the school allowing the library to share their space.
But sometimes, it can get crowded, especially when events occur. Converse said the library has two sides, the high school and the public side.
“Sometimes, when the school’s side is closed, it can make things crowded on the public side,” said Converse. “Our library is popular, so when we have bigger events, and there are many people, it feels pretty tight. There are definitely situations when there isn’t enough space for us.”
She said the library is hopeful that the city will be able to find the funds to build a new space for them to cater to the growing number of residents.
“The people who live in Oakley and in East County definitely need it. It would be so wonderful to have a new library to (cater) to that area,” said Converse.
Steve Lesher, chair of the board of directors of the Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation, said Oakley is a special community, and the library is a special project.
“Libraries have been a major focus for us because they are gateways for our learning, our inspiration, and our togetherness,” said Lesher in an email to this news organization. “Oakley is making a generational investment in their community, and we are pleased to be a part of it.”
