Overview:
Using property tax and Measure B revenue, the Leo Politi Branch library will move to a new site that’s four times bigger.
The Leo Politi Branch Library will relocate into an old Rite Aid building with substantially more space than its current location, following approval from county officials Tuesday.
The move would take the northeast fresno library branch from a small strip mall at First Street and Bullard Avenue to the opposite side of the same intersection. In terms of space, it would be a big upgrade — going from a 5,016 square foot building to a 21,440 square foot property that used to be a Rite Aid.
Fresno County Public Library Director Sally Gomez said in a news release that the relocation would expand offerings and turn the Politi library branch into a hub for learning, creativity and community engagement.
Moving into the new space will allow for the Politi library branch to add more public computers, expand its children’s and young adult sections, have indoor meeting rooms and a multi-use community room, according to a news release.
The new location, like the old one, will be rented by the county. The Politi library branch’s new landlord will be the Jeff and Velvet Jue Family Trust, which will cover the cost of first renovating the old Rite Aid property before the library’s official relocation.
The renovation could take up to a year, said Principal Librarian Fae Giffen.
The relocation and rent payments for the new location will be funded through property tax revenue and Fresno County’s Measure B — a one eighth percent sales tax in Fresno County that generates revenue for its 34 library branches.
Rent for the site would begin at $47,383 per month, which will increase annually by 3%. Along with other fees including property tax, maintenance and a three percent management fee, the county will be paying more than $600,000 to rent the library’s new location.
In total, rent for the new location would be a maximum of $7.8 million over the next decade, according to a county staff report.
The library branch was named after Leo Politi, a Fresno native known for authoring and illustrating children’s books. It’s one of the busiest branches, according to the county library.
For more than a decade, community members had been seeking a larger space for the Politi library branch and hit roadblocks as recently as last year, according to The Fresno Bee.
