Preparations for stucco surface begin along the main entry promenade of the new Clifton Branch. (Photos on this page taken by Jennifer Deering, Mesa County Libraries)
After a long, cold winter, it finally seems safe to say that spring is here! As we roll into May with warmer weather, construction of the new Mesa County Libraries Clifton Branch continues on schedule.
While there may not be much new to see from the outside, crews have been busy transforming the inside of the 17,800-square-foot building, located at 3270 D 1/2 Road next to Rocky Mountain Elementary School. In the past month, ventilation ductwork has been installed, plastic coverings have been placed over window openings to help keep cold air and moisture out, and contractors have started hanging drywall throughout the building, giving shape to interior spaces defined only by steel skeletons a few weeks ago.
Some of the spaces we are most excited about in the new branch include the teen room, the children’s room, the community living room on the east side of the building, the staff area on the south side, and the two large multipurpose rooms, which will include a moveable dividing wall similar to the community rooms at the Central Library. Outside, concrete walkways and porch roofs have also been added in the past month.
The library has begun working with Mesa Moving to plan for the Clifton Branch move this August. Current plans call for the current Clifton Branch to close permanently Aug. 14. Moving into the new building will take a little more than two weeks, and we are hopeful that the new library will be open to the public the week of Aug. 28, just a few weeks after District 51 schools return from summer break.
The building is projected to cost $11.5 million, with $8 million of that amount provided by the Mesa County Public Library District and $3.5 million being raised by the Mesa County Libraries Foundation.
Find out more about the new Clifton Branch and how you can help support this project by visiting the project webpage or by calling library Development Director Ami Schiffbauer at 970-683-2438.
The intricate framework for what is to become the colorful, exciting entry portal for the children’s area at the new Clifton Branch begins to take shape.
Drywall panel installation quickly progresses in what is to become the Community Living Room & Fireplace area of the new Clifton Branch.
Door and window frames begin to populate the open portals of the developing study and meeting rooms of the new Clifton Branch.
Sidewalks that will eventually connect the new Clifton Branch Library to the new Clifton Community Center and early childhood education center begin to advance across the bustling construction site.