Last year, the Summit Board of County Commissioners voiced support for expanding the renovation of the north branch of the Summit County Library in Silverthorne, so that it added up to 4,900 square feet and stayed around a $3.2 million budget.

During a Summit Board of County Commissioners work session Tuesday, Feb. 1, Vega Architecture Managing Principal David Grooms presented a new plan for the branch that includes a few tweaks. Summit County Assistant Manager Sarah Vaine said the firm originally had come back with a design that added 4,400 square feet and was $1 million over budget.

“We stuck with our instructions, which was not to exceed $3.2 million. We ask that they go back and bring a new design, which is what we’re presenting to you today. It’s sort of in the middle. It’s 3,400 square feet within budget,” Vaine said about the size and cost of the addition.

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Vaine said the firm cut features like a dramatic exterior entrance, a four-season heated deck and boiler, and a new heating system for the building. Grooms said the new design maintains the biggest asks of the commissioners.

“In the reduction, we were able to keep really the majority of the main functions of the project,” Grooms said. “We had not really lost any substantial shelving count or program functions. Everything is just a little bit tighter, but we think it’s absolutely workable.”

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To begin with, the renovation moves the administrative area to a larger space and adds a break room and restroom for staff.

To the west will be a new children’s area with a crafts space and a nearby family restroom and computers. To the north will be a new adult computer area and stacks for fiction and nonfiction. There will also be open and casual reading and work areas, a fireplace and a partially covered two-season deck to the northwest.

To the northeast of the building, there will be additional study rooms, specifically two six-person rooms and a smaller room for two people.

The building will also have space for a young adult section and study room.

On the south side of the building, Grooms said the firm has plans to reconfigure the existing conference rooms to make them more functional. Grooms said the plan is to install a conference room lobby with two separate doors leading into the room that will be separated by an accordion door. If a large space is needed, it can be pushed back, but otherwise, the space can be used simultaneously as two different rooms.

Construction on the project is expected to begin this summer with a target completion of spring 2023.