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PROPOSED NEW LIBRARY PROJECT

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The Clearview Library District asked voters’ approval for a 2.585 mill levy increase to pay for the construction and operation of a larger, more central library facility that would better serve the growing communities of Windsor, Severance, and West Greeley. The measure did not pass in November 2018.

The Library Board will work over the coming months to gather public input and craft a new plan to address the issues faced by our current, limited building. A public feedback session will be scheduled in the near future. 

About the Project

The new, 38,000-square-foot (approximate), $23-million library facility would have housed:

  • A dedicated children’s area with a story time room and a craft room.
  • A teen area for young people to read, use a computer, and connect with other teens.
  • A computer lab for individual use and technology classes.
  • A makerspace for people of all ages to design, work, and experiment.
  • Dedicated quiet spaces to work, read, or just enjoy the quiet.
  • Small meeting rooms for groups to study or work together.
  • Small conference rooms for larger groups to meet.
  • A community room for library programming and events.
  • Large, divisible community meeting spaces for conferences, meetings, and larger events.
  • Space for 30% more materials.
  • Outdoor spaces for all ages and a plaza for outdoor events.
  • A large parking lot.
  • A connection to the trail system around Windsor Lake.

View a comparison of the features of the proposed new library and the current library buildings.

Learn more about the history of the proposed new library project.

The Team

Architects – Barker Rinker Seacat
Owner’s Rep – Dan Spykstra, Wember, Inc.
Construction Manager at Risk – Fransen Pittman General Contractors
Financing – Stifel, Nicolaus & Company
Design Advisory Committee
Joann Perko, Library Board President
Katie Scherer, Library Board Secretary
Julie Stout, Library District resident
Joyce Johnson, Library Foundation President
Ann Kling, Director
Bud Hunt, IT & Technical Services Manager
Casey Lansinger, Public Services Manager

Frequently Asked Questions
    • Northern Colorado has experienced tremendous growth in the last 20 years, and, as a result, demand for our services has outpaced our current facility’s capacity. To maintain our current level of service and prepare for future growth, the Library Board considers a new facility the best investment for the Library District’s future.

      Since we opened our current location on 3rd Street in 1997, the population of the Library District has grown from 9,834 to 25,123. Each of the communities we serve — Windsor, Severance, and West Greeley — has experienced unprecedented growth, expanding 156%, 616%, and 37% respectively since the 2000 census.

      Demand for our programs has grown 887% in eight years. In 2017, people interacted with the library more than 290,330 times. The library averages nearly 19,000 visits per month. Last year, 361,874 physical items were checked out of the library and the Bookmobile, and more than 53,000 people attended 2,276 programs.

      In addition to growth in demand for services, our facility is stretched beyond capacity. According to a 2014 study conducted by the Colorado State Library, Library Research Service (LRS), our current facility ranks in the bottom 25th percentile for the ratio of size to the number of patrons served.

      We’re unable to keep underutilized items, as shelf space is at a premium. On average, items that aren’t checked out for 18 months are removed to make room for new requests. Libraries with sufficient space are able to retain items for three to five years.

      And, in July 2018 we added a storage container in the parking lot for event and program materials.

    • The proposed new facility will provide the space we need to continue our exceptional level of service, meet the vision of our growing communities, and provide a location that will allow us to evolve as our district grows and changes in the future.

      At our current site we cannot expand — we are landlocked and the building cannot support a second floor. In addition, our current facility is unable to serve as an operational hub for branch libraries around the district.

    • “Strengthen the community” is part of our mission, and we believe we play an integral part of maintaining the small-town feel our communities value. Our patrons’ vision for this new facility is to be a gathering place for all ages and groups with:

      Gathering spaces for small and large groups.
      A large community room that can serve as one space or divided into three separate spaces for seminars, trainings, and meetings.
      Outdoor patio / event spaces to connect with nature.
      Access to technology and a 15-seat computer lab.
      Connection to downtown Windsor and area trail systems.
      A central location for our three communities (Windsor, Severance, West Greeley).

    • The Recreation Center (Town of Windsor), the schools (Weld Re-4 School District), and the library (Clearview Library District) are services provided by separate entities and separate funding sources. For example, the Recreation Center expansion was funded by a sales tax measure within Windsor city limits, and the Weld Re-4 School District’s recent bond and mill measures are funded through property taxes within their district.
      Each entity offers different services that enhance the quality of life for our citizens, and are all experiencing similar needs due to area growth.

    • If the voters approve the funding in November 2018, construction would begin early in 2019 and would take approximately one year to complete.

    • The cost to homeowners is estimated at an additional $5.43 a month with a $350,000 residential property for the proposed $23-million building. The additional monthly cost to business property owners would be $6.25 per $100,000 of commercial market value.

      This includes nearly $5 million for development of the site (roads, sidewalks, and other infrastructure), some of which will be recovered from neighboring properties as they are developed.

    • The costs for the building, site development, furnishings, and technology are broken down as follows:
      Building Construction - 62%
      Off-site Development - 13%
      Library Site Development - 9%
      Contingency - 6%
      Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment - 5%
      Professional Services - 2%
      Technology - 2%
      Greenspire Development Reimbursement - 1%
      Soil Testing and Permit Fees - 1%

    • The new facility would be funded by a 2.585 mill levy increase, which will cover the construction and operation of the new building. Once the building portion sunsets in 25 years (or less) the total mill levy will be 4.146, an increase of only 0.600 from the previous rate and one of the lowest in the area.

      Current area mill levy rates (as of 2018)
      RE4 School District - 49.19
      Weld County - 15.80
      Severance - 12.635
      Windsor - 12.03
      Greeley - 11.274
      Windsor Severance Fire District - 7.194
      Windsor Severance Fire District Bond - 0.505
      AIMS Community College - 6.317
      Clearview Library District - 3.546 (current)

    • The Clearview Library District is a separate entity from the Town of Windsor. Mill levies and bond measures are the only form of funding available to us.

    • We do not receive enough revenue to operate and save funds for a new library. At its current cost, it would take 130 years for the library district to save enough funds to build a library. Every year, rising building costs in Northern Colorado would set the district back further.

      The library did save funds for many years; those funds were used to purchase the property on Main Street and to hire an architect to begin the design process.

    • The current building cannot structurally hold a second floor, and the current parcel and location are built out as far as they can be.

    • The property is located in the heart of our district (Windsor, Severance, West Greeley) — at Greenspire Drive and East Main Street, near Main Street and Hollister Lake Road.


    • In January 2016, the Library Board, Downtown Development Association, and the Town of Windsor received a matching grant from the Colorado Dept. of Local Affairs to study five potential site locations. All of the properties were evaluated on the same set of criteria: site capacity, image/visual quality, visibility, accessibility, demographic patterns, neighborhood compatibility, legal matters, availability of utilities, physiography, and cost effectiveness.

      Of the properties studied, the Greenspire property emerged as the best site because of its central location within the district, visibility, adequate space for a building and parking, and affordability.

    • Five acre lots that are accessible and visible are not easy to come by in the central part of the district. The opportunity arose, and the Library Board approved the purchase with reserve funds as an investment in the district’s future.

    • The site connects to the Windsor Lake Trail, which provides access to trail systems and bike routes across the area. The town also envisions increased bicycle and pedestrian activity throughout town in its Complete Streets Program and Comprehensive Plan. We will work with the town as an advocate for continued improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists.

    • If funding for a new facility is approved by the voters, the 3rd Street building will be sold and the proceeds would be used to pay down the cost of the new library. While this facility would no longer house our library, we care about the neighborhood and what happens to the building. We are committed to working with our neighbors and potential buyers to ensure a good fit.

    • Before we’re able to build branch or neighborhood libraries, we need a central location that can offer efficient operational support that branches need, like material processing, staff spaces, IT support, network connectivity and setup, and material storage.

      We have heard and seen throughout our conversations and planning meetings the need for services and offerings – computer lab, meeting rooms, dedicated children’s area, and Makerspace — that multiple smaller locations cannot support.

    • Yes, the bookmobile is an important component of our outreach efforts and will continue to travel to neighborhoods in Windsor, Severance, and West Greeley.

    • The decision to request funding for a new facility from district residents, as well as the design and vision of the building, is a direct result of continued dialogue with the communities we serve. We held five public meetings, conducted a survey, and facilitated nine focus groups. A detailed timeline of our events can be found here.

    • The unprecedented growth of our communities and increased demand for services have stretched our facility beyond capacity. Informed by community feedback and support, the Library Board believes a new facility is an investment that will allow us to maintain and expand our level of service.


      The Library Board worked with the project manager to reduce the project total by $2 million and to reduce the total mill levy increase by 0.515. Additionally, the library used reserve funds to finance architectural design fees, further reducing the project costs.

    • If you would like to know more, please email us at connect@clearviewlibrary.org.

Take a 360 virtual tour of several of the new library interiors (best viewed on a mobile device):

The Community Room

The Entry Atrium

The Childrens Library