Gibson Library move delayed

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008 | midnight

The economic downturn has not stopped the Henderson District Public Libraries' plan to relocate the James I. Gibson Branch, but it has caused a delay.

The district originally planned to sell the branch's existing facility, at the corner of Water Street and Basic Road, to the city and then move to new digs down the street at Lake Mead Crossing, the shopping center under construction at Water Street and Lake Mead Parkway, by the middle of next year.

Now, library district Executive Director Tom Fay is saying the move probably won't happen until early 2010.

"Basically, we've had some delays with all of the stuff that is going on in the economy," Fay said. "I don't think it was anyone slowing things down. It was just a matter of getting all the agreements in place."

In 2010, the library district will still have 75 years left on the 99-year lease it signed with the city in 1986 for the land where the Gibson Branch is located, just north of City Hall. Last year, the Henderson City Council agreed to the district's proposal to void the remainder of the lease and purchase the building for $4.1 million.

The two sides said it was a mutually beneficial move, allowing the library branch to leave its cramped quarters for a larger facility that will allow it to update its services, while giving the city the opportunity to recapture a piece of land in the city's main campus.

Henderson spokeswoman Kathy Blaha said the city has not determined how it will use the building.

On Nov. 18, the council unanimously voted to delay the deal until the district is ready to make the move.

Fay said the delay may be a blessing in disguise. The district is already slated to open a branch in the Sunset at Galleria mall in March, the new Green Valley Branch in April, and a small facility at the new Senior Center in August.

Pushing back the Gibson move by a few months will allow the district some breathing room, he said.

"In some ways, (the delay) is probably a good thing," Fay said. "It spaces things out for us."

Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at 990-8928 or jeremy.twitchell@hbcpub.com.