State Crisis Takes Air Out of Anaheim Library Plan

Blaming California’s budget crisis, Anaheim is scrapping plans for a state-of-the-art library that some activists had envisioned as the centerpiece of a $65-million downtown revitalization project.

Several elements of the revitalization -- loft apartments, shops and parking structures -- can still move forward, but officials said Tuesday that the library will not be built because the city may have to pay the state an unforeseen $11 million over the next 18 months.

In addition to that kind of loss for cities, the state budget crunch is leaving redevelopment agencies in limbo throughout California, rendering them unable to secure bond financing for new projects, said Anaheim Redevelopment Director Elisa Stipkovich.

“We don’t see any way the Redevelopment Agency will be able to raise the capital to do the building,” Stipkovich said.

The Redevelopment Agency had earmarked $17 million for the library, with an additional $2 million funded by the city. In addition to the library, plans to renovate a historic packing house and the Anaheim Towne Center -- both downtown -- are also on hold.

Under Gov. Gray Davis’ budget proposal, redevelopment agencies may have to shift $750 million in property taxes to the state over 18 months -- money that has been staying in city and county coffers. Anaheim’s share would be about $9.9 million, Stipkovich said, on top of $1 million the city paid the state this year.

The 80,000-square-foot library was part of the vision for 6 acres lining West Broadway between South Anaheim and South Harbor boulevards. CIM Group, known for development projects in Brea, Old Town Pasadena and Santa Monica, will return to the City Council with alternative plans that may include attracting a culinary school.

Developers were hoping to break ground this summer, but the City Council is now faced with several dilemmas.

Council members must decide how to provide badly needed new library space, whether to move forward with all or part of the CIM Group project, and what to do with the space that had been earmarked for the library.

Mayor Curt Pringle said the city needs to be presented with several mixed-use options -- residential, retail, office -- to have a complete discussion before making any decisions.

“Everybody’s disappointed the library is not going to go, but the [revitalization] project needs to go forward in some way,” said Downtown Anaheim Assn. President Joseph Honescko.

“We’ve been working to develop an ambience for downtown. There is no downtown, everybody knows that.”

Although the city has attracted several large businesses to downtown, the area empties at night. A key goal in the CIM Group’s project was to add 450 luxury apartments and attract restaurants and shops. Developers also hoped that a library would keep people downtown into the evening.

Residents have been clamoring for a new library to help ease the burden at nearby Central Library, which has not been expanded or retrofitted since it opened in 1963.

“We’re definitely underspaced for the population we serve,” City Librarian Carol Stone said.

The Central Library is Anaheim’s most-used library branch, housing 46% of the collection and accounting for 37% of the city’s total circulation.

City Councilwoman Shirley McCracken described a crowded library where children must sit on the floor because there are not enough chairs, and high school students and senior citizens compete for time on computers.

“The community has been telling us for 10 years that they have an issue in this area ... and we’re putting in hundreds of new homes,” McCracken said.

“We have to go back to the drawing board before we give up this piece of property for another use.”