During the last several weeks, the Library Facilities Services Division has made significant progress towards completing this important branch library renovation project. At the time of the Final Electrical Inspection, the City of Austin determined that the building should be retrofitted with a main electrical service disconnect switch, and by October 26th, this upgrade had been implemented and activated. This improvement has brought the 1960 Howson Branch Library into complete compliance with current City of Austin electrical code requirements. Within this time period, the Library Facilities Services has also successfully negotiated and executed a contract to redress the moisture intrusion in the building’s foundation, a discovered problem which has delayed the reopening of the facility to the public. On November 16th, Library Facilities Services and the general contractor began working closely on the arduous process of protecting the foundation slab from moisture penetration as well as with the overall weatherization of the building envelope. Precautionary steps such as removing excess landscaping and leveling the soil around the building were initiated before November 16th to pave the way for the comprehensive weatherization of the building now underway. The Library Department and other entities working on this project understand the importance of the Howson Branch Library to the surrounding community and are fully aware that the project’s delay due to the need to redress a previously hidden condition has greatly inconvenienced our customers. The Library Department appreciates the patience exhibited by its many supporters in the area while the Howson Branch Library is made ready to celebrate reopening in April, 2010. At the time of reopening, we are confident that the revamped Howson Branch Library will stand as an exemplary model of the City of Austin’s commitment to sustainable building practices while retaining the charm and character of the community it serves.
Please contact Library Facilities Services Project Manager should you have project specific questions.
Heidi Ruiz, LEED AP 512-974-7493
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