Do you have a creative idea for how the Valdez library building should be used when the county moves out? Tucson wants to know. The city will put out a call for ideas on how to redevelop the downtown site after decades as the county library building.
The county library’s move out of the Tucson-owned Joel D. Valdez Main Library was spurred by concerns about the extensive need for building repairs, among them a need for new elevators, a new roof and a new heating and air conditioning system.
At Tuesday’s city council study session, city leaders made clear that they wanted to think creatively about a use for the space, which anchors a downtown block in the center of the city. That could include a new cultural center integrated with commercial or municipal uses.
“To make it very very clear to the community, we are not disposing of this property,” Mayor Regina Romero said at Tuesday’s study session.
The county purchased the Wells Fargo building across Stone Avenue from the current location in downtown Tucson for $6.2 million to serve as the new main library branch this summer.
At the November Pima County Library Advisory Board meeting, library staff said they were in negotiations with an architect-designer for the new downtown library location, whose name would be formally announced when the contract went to the county board for approval.
It will be the end of an era: The main library moved into its current home at the site of the Jácome’s department store on Stone Avenue in May 1990, and was named in honor of former Tucson City Manager Joel D. Valdez.
Redeveloping Rondstadt
Council members also discussed finding a partner to redevelop Tucson’s central bus terminal, the Ronstadt Center, as well as an adjacent lot.
City documents say the goal is mixed-use development that would retain the transit center while redeveloping the surrounding 4.3 acres.
The city selected Peach Properties to negotiate a development agreement in 2015; the agreement expired in 2021 and a new request from the company “introduces substantial changes to timelines, City protections, and financial provisions that differ significantly from its original proposal.”
In response, staff recommended initiating a new process to solicit statements of interest from local developers.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print.
