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Sneak Peek: Plans For Molino Library, Museum, Community Center
April 7, 2010
Preliminary architectural drawings are done for the renovation of the old Molino School into a community center, library and museum.
The drawings show one section of the main building converted into a library with both a children’s and adult area, computers and thousands of linear feet of book shelving. The old auditorium will remain a community auditorium with available seating for 242 people. The rest of the building will include a museum, classrooms and meeting rooms.
“We are very pleased with the design,” Gene Fischer, director of the West Florida Public Library, said in an email.
The final drawings from DAG Architects are expected to be completed and the project let for bid by summer, according to District 5 Commissioner Kevin White.
“By this time next year, we should have the project completed,” White said. Plans are still in the works to convert additional portions of the facility in offices for county officials, he said.
On February 12, several top county officials toured the old school with White. Among those touring the building was Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley who is considering moving her north end office to Molino when her lease at her current Cantonment location expires in 2012. Supervisor of Elections David Stafford and Property Appraiser Chris Jones are also considering locating in the building.
In May, 2009, commissioners approved the $400,000 purchase of the building from the Escambia County School District. Commissioners have since approved a budget of $2,089,156 from Local Option Sales Tax monies for the renovation project. DAG Architects is being paid $214,580 to design the renovations.
The school campus includes 9.66 acres and four buildings — the largest of which is 16,630 square feet.
First opened in 1939, the Molino School closed in 2003 when the new Molino Park Elementary School consolidated Molino Elementary and Barrineau Park Elementary.
Pictured top: District 5 Escambia County Commissioner Kevin White and Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley discuss potential plans for the old Molino School in the auditorium of the facility back in February. Pictured bottom inset: This end of the old school will be converted into a library. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
15 Responses to “Sneak Peek: Plans For Molino Library, Museum, Community Center”
WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS A VERY LONG TIME. I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT IF SOME OF THE SPACE WAS USED FOR COUNTY AND STATE OFFICES. MAYBE SOME SPACE COULD BE LEASED OUT TO PRIVATE COMPANIES.IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE HAD A COUNTY COMMISSION OFFICE IN THERE ALSO! THANKS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN GETTING THIS PROJECT OFF THE GROUND!!! AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO MR. KEVIN WHITE FOR ALL HE HAS DONE FOR US IN DIST. #5
I am waiting to see the 1/2 mile track, and bleachers so we can start our daily walk/run/exercise. We could even have our on community Relay for Life if the track and some bleachers were in place. I didn’t see in the plan so I guess it is on another phase of the plans?? Come on Mr. White, this work could be done with imate labor and county road crews. We have nice chain link fence to have a common entrance to the grounds, this is can be done.
Hurray! Now, Commissioner White, let’s start planning a bike path along 95-A!
I am ecstatic that all the plans will finally come to fruition. Molino is the most centrally located spot for the rural areas in our county. Now, people from Walnut Hill, Century, Molino and Cantonment (and all the smaller ones in between) will not have to brave the traffic or waste the gas to go all the way downtown to conduct their business. Win/win situation for those of us north of 9 Mile.
We NEED this library. There are sooooo many of our citizens who have not had access to the library services because of the distance. This will allow more people access to books (whether for fun, research, education or who knows what) as well as newspapers (no, not everyone carries a subscription to the paper) and computers and the internet. There are a lot of people who do not have computers or internet service. This will provide them an opportunity to enjoy the “advantages” that those of us who do have enjoyed over them.
It’s fantastic for our local kids. I’m hoping that they will also offer GED and literacy classes along with basic computing skills.
As someone else has said, I and my kids will certainly use it and I am glad that my tax dollars are being spent on something that I will actually get some use out of and enjoy. I say, “Hallelujah! It’s about time!!!”
The reuse of this old building is a super idea that has been in planning for a while. There have been meetings here and while some times there were not a lot of people at the meetings it still looks as if it is coming into being. THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE WORKED ON THIS PROJECT.
Response to nudo: Where is this Molino library and museum that you’re talking about? We’re not cutting anything back, we’re expanding our own ability to learn for ourselves. People in Molino never really have had that chance besides driving miles and miles for this sort of access. I believe this is the best idea for Molino in the longest time.
I love the idea!!!! We drive to the Century library from Molino and my three children will for sure be regular visitors at the new Molino facility. I am excited about the possibilities this and future projects can bring to the North End. I totally agree with the comment made that these are funds from a different pot than the road paving. Either it is spent for this project in our district or it will eventually be spent for the same kind of project in another district.
This plan seems to be workable for this old historic building. My hope is that it will NOT become a hangout for people with nothing better to do. A library and museum are things that this area really needs. There will be plenty of people using those computers too. Let’s support this effort even if you don’t think you will personally use it. Many people will find that it’s a great benefit to the community.
Let’s look at the Positive side.
1. The county is giving $2 mil to the school board. We do not loss any money it is going from one of OUR government agencies to another.
2. An eyesore is getting refurbished and utilized.
3. Contractors will be paid to do the work. Hopefully local contractors. This is good for the economy.
4. We get a library, instead of driving 20 or 30 miles to Century or Pensacola to go. Good for our children and community.
5. County offices will be located here paying no rent or less rent than they are paying now at none county buildings. Not to mention having a one stop location for county business here on the north end.
6. There will be classrooms that can be used by community agencies, PJC, or UWF.
So folks our glass is not half empty, it’s half full.
I believe that the money being spend is from Local Option Sales Tax that was already designated and set aside for a library. So you are not spending more money. If you remember correctly when everyone was voting on the sales tax the county had information meetings set up and people had input as to which projects were the most important to them.
I don’t think the school district moved Molino Elementary because of the facility. They combined Molino Elementary with Barrineau Park Elementary. By doing that they were going to save money and have the ability for new student increases. Our area is growing by leaps and bounds and neither small school could accommodate more kids, short of stuffing them in the classrooms like sardines.
An ancient mess to one person may be a historic site to another. We all have things we value in our community. My tax dollars pay for your favorites (whether it be boat ramps or baseball parks) and your tax dollars help pay for mine.
A good use for a historic building.
I’d like to be able to “run over to the library” instead of “go all the way into town”.
Anything that could have a positive impact on literacy & learning is welcome in this area.
if they dont use it here they will just give it to some one els to sit on the couch
I agree that lots of other more important projects should be getting these tax dollars…..
Tax payers have now paid TWICE for the property, and will pay another $2mm-plus in renovations just to get a 70 year old facility that was not cost effective for thee school district to do that. This is insane in this recession!
Yes Molino needs a community center & library, but not this Ancient mess.
If my math is correct that’s 2.7 million in tax payer money for a school that’s closed. Do we really need another library and museum? How can we come up with money for this but our streets can’t be paved, or were cutting back on teachers or we can go on and on….Great idea.