Library presents plans for center building

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | May 29, 20130

Plans for the Whitman County Library’s Bettie Steiger Community Enrichment Center are moving forward. Drawings for what the center may become were presented by Whitman County Library Director Kristie Kirkpatrick at a Colfax Chamber of Commerce meeting May 21.

Showing several slides of architectural drawings by Tom Maul of Seattle-based Hutchison & Maul Architecture, Kirkpatrick explained how the former Hamilton Drug building may be modified.

Maul donated the drawings, which show a modern, open space with moveable walls and an industrial grade kitchen.

Kirkpatrick talked about how the building may be used, including an area to sell local items, flexibly-sized rental space for events and other features. She said the goal for setting any rental fees would be to break even.

Maul completed the drawings this spring for “the center,” as Kirkpatrick refers to it. He has also done work locally for the Dahmen Barn in Uniontown.

“Depending on the final uses for the building, the drawings will continue to be modified,” said Kirkpatrick. “We wanted to have a basis to refer to as we’re starting our quest for locating funds.”

In recent months, the Library Foundation has been cleaning and preparing the former Hamilton Drug building for potential construction, following receipt of a .09 grant last year for $13,000.

Now, Kirkpatrick said, the foundation aims to find grant money to complete the center.

Toward that goal, Jeanelle Miller, a graduate student at University of Idaho, will be an intern for the library this summer to help write grants.

The money to buy the building was donated by Don Steiger and the McGregor family. The Library Foundation made the purchase in 2011 for $75,000.