October 16, 2002

Design Detailings: Engineers to look at Ref. 51 impact

The American Society for Engineering Management, Seattle Section, hosts a discussion "R-51: Opportunities From Chaos" at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23.

Bob Josephson, the director of transportation at HNTB, will discuss how the regional civil engineering community may be affected if Ref. 51 passes or fails. Ref. 51 would boost the gas tax by nine cents a gallon and would raise $7.8 billion over 10 years for transportation projects.

The event will be held at Rock Salt Steak House at Latitude 47, 1232 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle. Cost $25 with registration by Oct. 18, $30 after the reservation deadline. For reservations, call (206) 695-6670 or e-mail lkd@shanwil.com.

Q&A for 3 Northgate library design finalists

A consultant selection advisory committee has recommended that ARC Architects, Hewitt Architects in conjunction with Johnston Architects, Miller/Hull Partnership and Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership remain in consideration to provide site planning and design services for a community center, library and park in Northgate.

Committee members evaluated the qualifications of nine firms before selecting the Seattle-based finalists to interview and introduce to the public. A total of 17 firms applied for the job.

The Seattle Public Library and Seattle Parks and Recreation are jointly sponsoring a public reception for the finalists from 7 to 8:30 p.m., tonight, at Olympic View Elementary School, 504 N.E. 95th St., auditorium/cafeteria. The consultants will display examples of their work and be available to answer questions. Community members are invited to drop in during the event and fill out a comment form. For more information, call Tim Motzer, parks project manager, at (206) 684-7060, or David Kunselman, library project manager, at (206) 386-4096.

The consultant selection advisory committee will interview teams from the firms and make a recommendation to library board of trustees and Park Superintendent Ken Bounds. During the week of Oct. 21, the Library Board and Bounds are expected to select a design consultant. The Library Board meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library, 2021 Ninth Ave.

The project includes building a 10,000-square-foot library, a 20,000-square-foot community center and a 1.67-acre park on the former Bon Tire Center site at Fifth Avenue Northeast and Northeast 105th Street and the commercial site a block north. Two commercial buildings on the property will be demolished. The library and Parks Department are coordinating site planning for the new facilities, which are expected to be finished in 2005.

The $5.1 million library will include a new collection of 40,200 books and materials, reading and homework areas for children and youth, computer work stations and instruction areas, and a meeting room.