The clock is ticking once again for proposals and bids to be submitted to the city of Emporia for the historic Carnegie Library.
As KVOE reported Wednesday, commissioners voted to reopen the application window for another 30 days after a “private entity” failed to submit a bid to purchase the property due to a miscommunication. At this time, the city has only received four proposals for the property from the Emporia Public Library none of which would see the library purchase the building.
Upon hearing the news the application window was being reopened Library Director Robin Newell says she was surprised, however, she believes it is a “fair” decision.
The library’s proposals include: joining the current library and Carnegie buildings in some way, demolishing the Carnegie for parking or demolishing the Carnegie for a new building at that address, expanding the current library to the north and replacing the former Emporia Arts Center and SOS building at 618 Mechanic. Newell says the Library Board of Directors have been asked to rank those proposals by the city during its monthly meeting next week.
Newell says that won’t be an easy task.
All bids and proposals for the Carnegie Library building must be submitted to the Emporia City Managers’ Office by noon on Sept. 8.
