In which I ramble about the Cedar Rapids Library and downtown.

The Cedar Rapids Public Library opened a location in downtown for the first time in a year. I was very pleased as my use of the library dropped off without one, and the library was an important part of the downtown.

The fact that they opened the location in the Armstrong building made me think. Why is the city looking to build a new library when there are so many vacancies downtown? Wouldn't a commercial store front, or an office space serve the needs of a library just as well as a custom build building?

I would think a partnership like that would serve both parties well, the library would benefit from existing infrastructure, parking is available (especially after 5 and on weekends), there is as much bus access as Cedar Rapids will currently provide, and a location in the core of downtown would allow the library to better benefit from the numerous events in downtown. The surrounding area would benefit by the increased draw outside of the Monday-Friday, nine-five time slot.

With a large amount of the Linn County government currently located in previous retail space, I'm surprised that I haven't heard similar discussions about the Library's permenent downtown location.

A secondary argument can be the environmental impact. Alliant Energy has spent a lot of money putting up billboards with the message "Rebuild green," which is a good message (as much as I hate the term "green"). But it overlooks the most enviromentally friendly option, not building new at all, simply work with what we currenlty have, and we currently have a lot of empty office and retail space in the downtown.

The Armstrong building is so called, because it used to be a department store (Armstrong's department store), which has since closed and been turned into retail and office space. If the library were to have a large location in it (or a similar building), people going to the library would be more inclined to go to a store or restaurant as the walk past, and we might actually have a chance to recreate a vibrant commercial area in downtown Cedar Rapids.