Monday, June 30, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
UTAZ Blog
UTAZ™ Awarded Contract for Maricopa Library: Groundbreaking June 3rd
On June 3, UTAZ™ Development broke ground on the Maricopa Grand UTAZ Professional Village™ on the northeast corner of Desert Greens Drive and Smith Enke Road. Additionally, the Gilbert-based commercial developer has been awarded (in a unanimous City Council vote) the contract to build an 8,000 square foot public library—the city’s first—on the site, which will include more than 60,000 square feet of office space in 16 buildings. Offices will vary in size from 1,500 to 8,000 square feet and are expected to be complete in 2009. “There are few buildings of greater, long-term civic value than a first-class library,” said UTAZ™ president and CEO. “We are very honored to be selected for this project and look forward to unveiling a beautiful and much needed new facility next year.” Marciopa Community Services Director Marty McDonald plans to devote an area of the new library to small business, providing educational materials to help owners and entrepreneurs navigate the complications of owning a business, which dovetails with UTAZ™ Development’s core mission: helping small business owners. “We have had great success developing a superior product that allows small business owners to enjoy beautiful office space while realizing the benefits of ownership,” Willett said.
Consistent with other UTAZ Professional Villages™ (there are 36 in all), the Maricopa Grand UTAZ Professional Village™ will feature high quality design, distinctive architecture, abundant front door parking and monument outdoor signage—all designed to increase aesthetics and, ultimately, revenues. The complex will be ideally located adjacent to the Rancho El Dorado master-planned community as well as several community golf courses. The surrounding area has 4,000 existing homes and plans for an additional 4,000 in the near future.
EMail This PostLibrary News - Maricopa
By BEN NORRIS, Staff Writer June 02, 2008
UTAZ Development, UTAZ Development plans to build an 8,085-square-foot library — shown in this artist’s rendering — at Smith-Enke Road and Desert Greens Drive in Maricopa.
MARICOPA - Community Services Director Marty McDonald says a library is the single-greatest civic investment a city can make.
Now, after four years of research and planning, the City Council unanimously has approved a location for the city's first permanent public library with a 5-0 vote May 21.
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday at Smith-Enke Road and Desert Greens Drive.
"Our goal is to be open sometime between December and January," McDonald said. "We're starting with a dirt field. It's going to be a 100 percent new building, our first brick-and-mortar library."
The council awarded the contract to Gilbert-based UTAZ Development, which will be paid $1.9 million for the 8,085-square-foot building.
The city estimates the total capital costs of the new library at $3.2 million and plans to hire an assistant library manager and two full-time library assistants.
Currently, more than 17,000 items are crammed into a 1,550-square-foot converted army barracks, donated in the 1980s and supported by volunteers before Maricopa became a city.
"We have definitely outgrown that location," McDonald said.
He approached the council claiming the city was "grossly deficient" in meeting the minimum standards of staff, book collection and size. The former army barracks, he said, is old and outdated.
McDonald said he wants to devote an area of the new library to small business, providing educational material to help owners and entrepreneurs navigate the complications of owning a business. The new library will also house a history room.
Computer services are going to be expanded at the new location. Currently, four computers are crammed into a space smaller than the average walk-in closet. Two additional computers are in the front lobby.
The bulk of the library's books are packed into one room, where the children's area backs up to an aisle too small to push a wheelchair through.
The new library will be part of a UTAZ development called Maricopa Grand Professional Village. The development will consist of around 80,000 square feet of space.
The library will have 44 parking spots, nearly double the amount needed based on initial projected usage.
The new location will not be the end of library expansion. Within the next five years, McDonald said, the city hopes to open a new flagship library, turning the new library into an extension branch.
©Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc. 2008
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Maricopa Grand Groundbreaking 06/03/08
News
City breaks ground for new public library
By RuthAnn Hogue
June 03 , 2008
Dreams come true.
Just ask Linda Wilmeth.
Wilmeth was among those in a small crowd on Tuesday who turned out for the official groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the beginning of construction for the new Maricopa Public Library, slated to open in mid December.
“It’s exciting,” she said, wiping away a tear.
Wilmeth, the second employee to serve patrons of the Maricopa Public Library since its adoption by the city in September 2004, has actually been busy taking care of checking books in and out and reading stories to children for more than a decade.
For the past 11 years, she's been located in a donated portable building just east of John Wayne Parkway and north of the railroad tracks at the Maricopa Casa Grande Highway. But even before then, she said, she had already become involved.
“To me, the library is a service to its city,” said Wilmeth, who was visibly overcome with emotion each time she spoke of her years of service and her anticipation for what is yet to come.
The initial program began more as a limited service than an actual facility in 1958 when a few families heard about and took advantage of a Pinal County grant to obtain books to loan to locals.
Mayor Kelly Anderson presented awards to the John and Mary Lou Smith Family, his parents, Oliver and Hermina Anderson, and the Harry and Pat Brock Family, honoring their historical roles in Tuesday’s event.
Martin McDonald, acting director of Community Services, said things have come a long way since then, adding that even when the new library is built on the northeast corner of Smith-Enke Road and Desert Greens Drive, there will still be much room for growth.
“We’re going to take the traditional library concept, shake it up a little bit and do something new.”
McDonald, the first city employee to oversee the library, gave a nod to the Friends of the Library, who have provided much-needed support over the years, to the founding families and, of course, to Wilmeth.
“We’re really excited about doing something very special for the community,” McDonald said. “We’re going to open a beautiful and gorgeous facility.”
When completed, the library in the Rancho El Dorado community will feature 8,085 square feet in a single story, light-filled building with community meeting rooms and gathering spaces, a family place and storytelling area and a computer station.
McDonald said the need for an up-to-date library in a city such as Maricopa is apparent.
“We pride ourselves on having a highly educated population and workforce,” he said.
Anderson, who spoke before McDonald, agreed.
“The facility is not a luxury,” he said. “It’s a necessity of life. Today’s leaders read. And tomorrow’s leaders read.”
For more information on library programs, contact the Maricopa Public Library at (520) 568-2926.
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