Liverpool Central Library | William Brown Street | £50m Refurbishment

[the golden vision]

Originally Posted by Villiers Terrace

Arf.

Many libraries, at least in London, are primarily creches now. As I say, the authority needed to maintain the original concept of the library, the enforcement of rules (silence and order being prime) has been largely ceeded in the face of ethno-cultural "sensibilites", and a (well-founded) fear of conflict by library staff.

The British Library in Euston however remains fantastic.

I remember reading something recently about the 'Silence ' in libraries was to be gradually phased out, with the obvious exception of reading rooms. The changing function of the library has obstensibly been expediency. People weren't using them to borrow books so some of the 'extra curricular' stuff has been necessary to keep them open. What i would be concerned about particularly concening the re-development of the Central Library would be any reduction in the their stock of books. 4 or 5 years ago the Library came in for some criticsm when it reduced its stock, selling rare books off to dealers, hope this isn't the case again.

[Howie_P]

Originally Posted by the golden vision

What i would be concerned about particularly concening the re-development of the Central Library would be any reduction in the their stock of books.

It will have 30,000 fewer books, (see post #80).

[the golden vision]

Originally Posted by Howie_P

It will have 30,000 fewer books, (see post #80).

Downsizing in other words. I wonder if the new Birmingham Library will have less books?

[Howie_P]

Done deal: Liverpool Central Library and Archive
Regeneration & Renewal, 13 September 2010


Prime spot: Liverpool Central Library is located
between a museum and an art gallery within the
city's Unesco heritage site

The partnership behind the revamp of Liverpool Central Library and Archive turned to the Private Finance Initiative to help fund the project. Reporter Hannah Jordan.

Liverpool's historic central library occupies a prime spot within the city's Unesco World Heritage Site, sandwiched between the World Museum Liverpool and the Walker Art Gallery. And like many old buildings, it is in need of some love and attention: its walls are damp and its roof leaks.

The debate about how best to sympathetically restore the library and its archives had raged for almost a decade before the process formally got underway in early 2008 when Liverpool City Council put out a tender to find a development partner to take on the design, build, maintenance and financing of the redevelopment of Liverpool Central Library and Archive.

According to Alan Metcalf, interim head of libraries and information services at the council, what the authority was looking for in a partner was an organisation that could deliver a modern library and archive facility, refurbish the listed buildings and ensure that the library has a "enhanced presence" within the conservation area. The council also decided that the project would be funded via the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). "There are a limited number of opportunities to fund a joint library and archive redevelopment," says Metcalf. "The PFI route was the best fit in terms of meeting our objectives."

Bids were submitted later that year and, in October 2009, the council revealed the winning bidder: Inspire Partnership, a joint venture between Amber Infrastructure and Shepherd Construction, with architects Austin-SmithLord and facilities management firm Cofely. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport provided £50 million in PFI credits to fund the project and the final piece of the jigsaw was put in place last month when city council and Inspire Partnership signed the PFI contract. Under its terms, the council will pay Inspire Partnership an annual sum to manage and maintain the facility over 25 years.

Metcalf says that the council received four "very good" bids from potential partners, but that the Inspire Partnership proposal consistently scored high against all the evaluation criteria, including design, cost and technical issues. "So, we didn't need to compromise," he says.

Mike Leto, project director at Amber Infrastructure, says that the council was looking for a long-term partner and that his company has a strong track record when it comes to delivering infrastructure projects on behalf of the public sector. "We invest in a lot of social infrastructure projects," he says. "We've got over 80 schools in our portfolio, as well as police stations and all sorts of public sector buildings. So, the library project fits with our DNA." Leto adds that the PFI scheme also fits neatly with Amber Infrastructure's business plan. "We're interested in long-term relationships and the cash flows that derive from those investments. In this case it was a perfect match because of the long-term relationship that the client wanted." Leto declines to comment on the profit margin that he anticipates Amber Infrastructure ultimately making on the project, saying only that "the profit margin that we're looking for depends on the risk profile of individual schemes. Both the authority and ourselves felt that it was a fair transaction."

The amount of work that the council had put into preparing to go out to tender made life easier all round, says Leto. "The council had done its homework and had a well organised team that managed the process very efficiently. It meant that the negotiation process wasn't particularly arduous because everybody knew the parameters from the outset."

Building work is due to begin in November and Leto says he is confident that the project will be completed towards the end of 2012.

Key facts

The deal: A £50 million project to redevelop Liverpool Central Library and Archive
Parties involved: Liverpool City Council and Inspire Partnership
Finalised: July 2010.

For more Done Deals, visit regen.net/donedeal

Source: Regen.net

[Howie_P]

[jetsetwilly]

I sincerely hope those boards are going to be decorated soon, like the Museum of Liverpool ones. White chipboard does not belong on William Brown Street.

[Doug Roberts]

The stone flags are being kept in storage to be used on the reinstatement.








Bammy could you move this thread to the construction section? thanks.

[Chris B]

From the Daily Post -

£50m Liverpool Central Library revamp gets underway

Nov 11 2010 by Marc Waddington, Liverpool Daily Post

WORK has started on the multi-million pound renovation of Liverpool’s Central Library.

The Daily Post was given exclusive access inside the magnificent Georgian building which has lain empty for several months while its priceless archives were carefully removed.

The most valuable book in the collection is a complete volume of James Audubon’s Birds of America, rare first editions of which sell for upwards of £4m. One of the only other complete volumes in Britain belongs to the Queen.

The library is also home to the original Liverpool charter from 1207.

Article continues here, including Gallery - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/...2534-27638330/

[Doug Roberts]

[Howie_P]

[Babaloo]

Cheers, Howie. It's the first pics of the completed interior that I'm dreading, although the roofspace will be a bonus.

[buggedboy]

Anyone that has a traditional view of what a library looks like is likely to be dissapointed.

Our library will be a combination of the JMU Aldham Roberts Learning Resource Centre....(not library...libraries are soooo 20th century) and the set from Tron: Legacy.

Minimal, sparse, with wi-fi areas for uploading virtual books or our smart phones, kindles and ipads. Books will be present, particularly for those who do not like technology, but nowhere near as much as the old library. I might lament this, but I am no longer the generation they primarily target (and I'm only 31!).

I think I'll miss the Picton Reading room in particular. There was something stately about that place. Leather bound books as far as the eye can see, a Conan Doyle inspired space where you feel steeped in the history of literature.

Still, the rest of the place was falling apart so you take the rough with the smooth.

[ramsbrook]

I agree with you bugged...maybe cos I fall into the 30sommit... I liked that you could hide away in a corner somewhere to study.... but agree it needed a major major revamp. As for the picton reading room I confident that cant be changed too much and if any part should continue to a have 'Silence Please' sign..surely its this room. Fingers crossed!

[and-r]

the picton reading room isn't going anywhere is it though, its only the 70s part of the building that is being redeveloped

[buggedboy]

Originally Posted by and-r

the picton reading room isn't going anywhere is it though, its only the 70s part of the building that is being redeveloped

http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/leisure_...ment/index.asp

3.10 onwards. Looks pretty different to me. As long as it all gets used more, I'll be happy.

[Portobello Red]

Originally Posted by buggedboy

http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/leisure_...ment/index.asp

3.10 onwards. Looks pretty different to me. As long as it all gets used more, I'll be happy.

Looks like an updated video:

[and-r]

thats a tad bizarre, the picton reading room is grade 2 listed and shouldn't really be changed at all, even states as such in the description that it will be restored rather than anything else. i really hope that final image is wrong as that is nothing but barbarism

[and-r]

Originally Posted by buggedboy

http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/leisure_...ment/index.asp

3.10 onwards. Looks pretty different to me. As long as it all gets used more, I'll be happy.

in fact, if you look at the ceiling of the bit after 3.10 it looks more like the basement beneath the picton room because of the ceiling joists holding up a flat roof

[buggedboy]

Possibly. Actually, I think there's a snippet earlier where you can see the Picton Library through an open door. Maybe it'll stay after all. I'll have to re-watch.

edit: 2.13.

[Nathan4]

I'm sure the round room on the video is called the international library, I can't find the pictures that I've seen but there is a lot less vertical height than the Picton Library, there's no chance that they'll be getting rid of the Picton.