Summit County library plan discussed

(Park Record) As officials explore relocating the North Summit branch of the Summit County library into the old hospital in Coalville, County Librarian Diana Skousen said she is not a fan of the proposed location.

"With the seismic concerns and everything, that really bothers me," Skousen said. "I don't like that building."

The brick building at 80 N. 50 East, which currently houses the Summit County Health Department, was built in 1938. The structure is one of few left in the area built under the Works Progress Administration.

It served as a hospital for the East Side of Summit County for years. Now some members of the Summit County Council hope to remodel the building into a 5,200-square-foot library for the North Summit area.

"I'd like to see the building remodeled if it makes sense," Summit County Councilman Chris Robinson said.

Currently, the North Summit branch of the Summit County library is housed in a roughly 900-square-foot space at Coalville City Hall.

"Going from 900 to 5,200, it seems like that would last a long time and be a big increase to what we have," Robinson said.

The Health Department could continue to use about 1,800 square feet of space in the building, he explained.

But VCBO Architecture, which the county hired to examine the roughly 7,000-square-foot building, suggested the structure should perhaps be demolished.

Because tile was used in the construction of the interior and exterior walls, additional support is needed to meet seismic requirements.

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