Plans to replace the venerable Pleasant Hill library with 34 new homes while laying the groundwork for future construction of a new, $27 million city library and sports field – moved forward Tuesday after approval of a key land component by the county Board of Supervisors.
Supervisors approved transfer of nearly 4 acres of county-owned land to the city for the new library – scheduled to be built in 2022 – while simultaneously approving sale of another chunk of that land to the city’s Recreation and Park District for future construction of the sports field.
The park district will pay $4 million for the land. The city’s current library, built in 1961 and the most heavily visited in the county library system, is expected to close for good June 3 despite community protest. City officials had argued the keeping the old library open until the construction was commenced on the new one would be cost prohibitive.
Transferring the properties is part of a phased plan to raze the old library, put up 34 two-story homes on the site and secure the property for the new library and field. An additional 2 acres of land near the old library will also be conveyed to the city – at no cost – to build the new one under an agreement with the Mount Diablo Unified School District.
The new library is one component of a 15-acre site at the intersection of Oak Park Boulevard and Monticello Avenue, currently referred to as “Oak Park Properties.”
Along with construction of a new library building, a park with athletic fields, the project calls for improvements to the Grayson Creek corridor, and significant improvements to Monticello Avenue and Oak Park Boulevard.
