The $3 million public library renovation project which is currently underway is looking very promising and Shea along with KBW, the company responsible for the amazing renovation of the Old Court House, is carefully handling the project which will preserve the historic integrity of the building itself which was constructed in the 1920's, as well as modernizing the building which will take it deep into the 21st century.

City Manager Gloria Barrientos informed The News Gram of the fact that what has been normal operating procedure in the past is to receive these types of reports and updates within the context of the meetings of council, but with this $10 million project, administration chose to allow council and department heads to see this progress first hand as Shea guided the group through the library which is one of the bigger of the proposed expenditures.

The library itself has been veritably gutted leaving only the trim and wood floors which will all be refurbished and preserved and will include a children's library and updated reading area downstairs with short shelves and nouveau decor, much of the reading and reference materials upstairs along with a large conference room for meetings and office spaces for library employees as well as the wiring and servers for the extensive computer system which is being installed.

The old Katydid Room which is the basement of the facility will house the computer center which will have four computers surrounding each column which were visually the most attractive aspect of this area back in the 1970's.

The tour continued on through the morning and the better part of the day on Tuesday on the tour which included the aquatic center the Bridge II expansion project, drainage areas on De Bona and 57 Heights, the water plant, sewer plant, fire station #2, the Benavides Heights Community Center, Kilowatt Drive and the Union Pacific downtown property.