$100 Million to Solve a $10 Million Problem

Renovate, Don't Demolish.

If Feasible, Build a Branch.

They Asked 2,800 of Us. Then They Ignored Us.

Welcome to Friends of First Addition

We are growing coalition of Lake Oswego neighbors, patrons, and civic volunteers working to hold the City accountable to its own community process  and to keep our library exactly where it belongs.

Questions The City Won't Answer

  • Written financial analysis for choosing a $100M new build over renovation — Requested, not received.
  • Accounting of the $2.5M in "deferred maintenance" — Requested, not received.
  • Cost of re-imagining and renovating the existing site to provide additional space --Requested by members of the Reuse Task Force at 1st meeting. No response.
  • Cost comparison of adding library amenities vs. using existing nearby facilities — Requested, not received.
  • Why "community input" language was cut from the Site Reuse Task Force charter and replaced by "generate revenue" — Unexplained.

 

Setting the Stage

  • City Commission study that had 1,000 interviews. 2,800 survey responses. 5 community forums.
  • Library was #1 ranked city service in resident satisfaction (2021 survey)
  • City has one of the highest per-capita borrowing rates in the nation
  • City debt trajectory: $700M wastewater, $21M fire station, $36M LORAC, now $100–125M proposed library, plus unknown costs for "water resiliency."

Where We Stand

Renovate the existing library. Don't demolish a building the community already loves....and can't afford to replace. If wanted and if feasible, build a second branch elsewhere.

The Community and Employees Spoke. The City Didn't Listen. 

In 2022, the City hired a consultant to find out what Lake Oswego wanted for the future of its public library. The process was thorough: 1,000 interviews, a 2,800-response survey, and 5 community forums.

The verdict was clear. Residents wanted:

  • ADA accessibility upgrades
  • Seismic safety improvements
  • Flexible small event space
  • Better technology
  • Basic building maintenance

The consultant's recommendation, the staff and  community's preference, when political viability and community support were considered, were to renovate the existing library, add a branch on the west side of town, and modernize both locations. Not demolish.

The City rejected its own consultant's findings and its own employees' recommendation, citing the cost of operating two sites. The 2023 financial analysis for the two preferred options was a 5-40% increase in operations costs. 

Meanwhile, the City has already issued a Request for Proposal for an Owner's Representative for a four-year demolition-and-rebuild project.

The community weighed in. The City moved on without them.

We Asked For...

Written financial justification for choosing a $100M+ new build over renovation. Not received

A full accounting of the $2.5M the City says it spent on "deferred maintenance" and maintenance deferred. Not received

A cost comparison: adding amenities to the library vs. using nearby existing facilities. Current data not received

An explanation for why "community input" language was removed from the Site Reuse Task Force charter. Response Response from staff said "As the Task Force begins their work together, it is very likely that they will establish criteria, like consistency with the neighborhood character and environment.  Council is not against these additional criteria by any means, they just wanted to give citizens the power to shape the recommendations as much as possible." Council established revenue criteria only in charter.

If the numbers support demolition, the City should have no problem sharing them. Until they do, we don't think the case has been made.

How You Can Help!!  Talk. Write. Attend. Contribute.             

We provide various ways for you to engage with the ongoing discussions and actions concerning the Lake Oswego Public Library. If you're not on our distribution, Join our mailing list below to receive updates and calls to action.  Here are some specific actions you can take now:

Committee Formed to Look at Reuse 

Second Meeting: September 30th 7-9 at the Library

First Meeting: August 26, 7-9 p.m. at the Library (waiting for video to post)

On July 21, the City Council approved 20 members for the Library Site Use Task Force (several from First Addition, and we thank them for stepping up). But there's a problem: the Task Force's only charter criterion is revenue generation.

That's a sharp reversal from the City's own earlier language, which promised:

"Any reuse of the current property will be part of a broader community planning process, including opportunities for public input... balancing neighborhood perspectives with long-term community-wide service needs."

That commitment is gone from the final charter. We're asking the City to put it back.   

A Building That Needs Repairs, Not Replacement

The City says it has spent $2.5 million maintaining the library in recent years, and its own Q&A materials acknowledge that refurbishment costs less than building new. So why is demolition on the table?

We've requested a full accounting of that deferred maintenance spending. We're still waiting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Library Already Works

Lake Oswego doesn't have a library problem. It has a library the community loves.

  • Library is highest-ranked city service in the 2021 resident satisfaction survey
  • Known for welcoming staff, a safe environment, and trusted access to information and connection
  • City has one of the highest per-capita borrowing rates in the nation

Many of the "wish list" features driving the case for a new building like large event and theater spaces, indoor play areas, teen lounges, maker spaces, and flexible meeting rooms already exist elsewhere in or near Lake Oswego. We've asked the City for a cost comparison between building these into a new library versus partnering with facilities that already offer them. We haven't received one.

Lake Oswego is Approaching $1 Billion of debt.

That's on top of:

  • $700 million  wastewater treatment replacement
  • $36 million for the LORAC swim complex
  • $21 million for the South Shore Fire Station
  • A likely future cost for water system resiliency upgrades
  • An aggressive school improvement program already underway

Every dollar spent demolishing a library that could be renovated is a dollar not available for the infrastructure this city actually needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's a Better Way...But It Needs to Be Studied!

We believe the City should form a third task force — one charged with developing a renovation-based alternative that reflects what the community actually asked for: a remodeled library, a satellite branch, and expanded book pickup/drop-off access, all at a fraction of the cost of new construction.

We're asking for a full cost estimate of this option, satellite branch included, before any further steps are taken on demolition.

This isn't about blocking progress. It's about doing the math before we spend $100 million we don't need to spend.

 

Where's the Written Financial Analysis of why $100 million is being spent to solve at $10 million problem. 

We have requested a financial justification for the decision to spend make a $10 million solution into a $100 million new project. We have not received it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lack of Public Transport is a Red Herring

We agree the existing library needs ADA upgrades, and we support making them. But moving the library elsewhere isn't required to achieve that  and doing so would make the library harder to reach for more people, not easier.

  • Public transit is available within two blocks of the current site
  • The Adult Community Center and Metro provide door-to-door service for seniors and residents with disabilities
  • Rideshare is widely available throughout Lake Oswego
  • The Rover Bookmobile already extends access community-wide
  • Parking for large events is available throughout the neighborhood

The current site is walkable for a large share of residents.  A new location would mean more driving, more traffic, and less access for many.

Renovating in place delivers full accessibility without sacrificing the walkability that makes this library work for everyone.

Revenue Only" Means Sold to the Highest Bidder

If revenue generation stays the only criterion for reusing the current site, there's one likely outcome: the property gets sold to the highest bidder. With the state limiting cities' control over local zoning, that raises a real risk. The site could be overbuilt with non-affordable, high-density housing, with no requirement to serve the neighborhood at all.

A library site is community property. It shouldn't be treated like a line item on a balance sheet.

About Friends 

We are  growing coalition of well over 100 Lake Oswego neighbors, library patrons, and civic volunteers working to hold the City accountable to its own community process — and to keep our library exactly where it belongs.

 

 

First Addition Forest Hills Neighborhood Association has a section devoted to the Saving the Library.  It has a great deal of  background information if you want to learn more.

 

Join Us.  This IS Winnable.

The strength of our neighborhood and community lies in our collective action. By working together, we can secure a bright future for the Lake Oswego Public Library.

Contact us

Our community

100 Friends Working Together
Lake Oswego, Oregon, United States
Email: friendsoffirstaddition@yahoo.com

Help us out by donating