Phoenix plans new library near Desert Ridge Marketplace, another in Estrella

By Mark Carlisle
Mail | X: @mwcarlisle

Phoenix is planning two new public library locations: one near Desert Ridge Marketplace and one in the Estrella neighborhood.

The city aims to start construction for the Estrella library in the 2027-28 fiscal year and start construction for the Desert View library, the one near Desert Ridge Marketplace, in the 2028-29 fiscal year.

Residents can vote now to name the Estrella library branch.

Deputy Library Director Laura Castillo said both regions have a lot of enthusiastic residents.

“The community are definitely looking forward to these two new additions,” she told the Library Advisory Board during its meeting on Wednesday.

Funding for both new branches was specifically included in the general obligation bonds that Phoenix voters approved in 2023, along with funding to expand the Yucca Library to double its current size.

The city has a budget of $8.5 million for the Estrella library and $10.2 million for the Desert View library. Both libraries will be 12,000 square feet.

The highlighted area on this map is where the city of Phoenix's master-planned Desert View Civic Space will be. The location of the library within that space is yet to be determined. The Desert Ridge Marketplace is to the right of the picture.

(Courtesy Maricopa County Assessor)

The Estrella library will be northeast of 99th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road. The Desert View library will be southwest of Tatum Boulevard and Deer Valley Drive.

Both libraries are planned to include a meeting space, programming area, computers, study rooms and library materials. Castillo said the footprints of the buildings would be similar.

Both libraries are part of a broader master plan for a civic space. The Estrella Civic Space, which is further along in the design process, already has a police station and fire station built. The master plan includes plans for a park with soccer and softball fields and Public Works Department buildings.

(Courtesy Maricopa County Assessor)

(Courtesy Phoenix Public Library)

“We are very excited to be part of the larger scale of this master plan,” Castillo said.

Along with the online survey to vote for a name for the Estrella library, library staff is working with a third-party vendor to create a survey that will be mailed out to residents in the area to solicit feedback and “get their interests, their priorities and put it all together and make a beautiful location,” Castillo said.

The mail surveys will also be made available for pickup at all library locations.

Library Services Director Erin MacFarlane said she and her executive team try to incorporate as many of the public’s priorities in a new library as they can — within reason.

Erin MacFarlane

“Like, we’re not going to put a water slide on the outside of the library. You know what I mean?” MacFarlane said.

Advisory Board Member Kathleen Ingley asked if these new locations will have room to grow if need be, given that they are on the smaller side for a library branch and the library system is currently working on expanding the similarly-sized Yucca library. Castillo said by looking at the master plans for the areas, it appears they do, but they will ask the architect for the Estrella branch, BWS Architects, about the possibility for that branch in upcoming meetings.

MacFarlane said one of the most important things about designing a library is flexibility. The city is looking to have some library branches double as things like literacy centers or family resource centers. MacFarlane said the rooms for those services may only be used a few hours each week, and the library system wants to be able to make as much use of them as possible.

“I always say I want to ‘go-go-gadget it.’ Like, how can we make it so that it can flip around or change in a way to serve different members of the community at different times based on the needs,” MacFarlane said.

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Mark Carlisle
Associate Editor | Phoenix

mcarlisle@iniusa.org

Meet Mark

Mark Carlisle joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, covering Glendale. He has since moved to the Daily Independent team, primarily covering the city of Phoenix along with other topics affecting the Valley at-large.

Community: Mark enjoys taking his two young sons to parks, the Phoenix Zoo, the Phoenix Public Library  and other fun events around the Valley. He also participates in a local book club.

Education: Chapman University with a BA in English Journalism and one in Screenwriting.

Random Fact: Mark worked at a tuxedo shop in college. Just don’t ask him to tie a bowtie.

 Hobbies: Spending time with his wife, sons and dog, watching sports and TV shows, listening to audiobooks and occasionally writing fiction or designing a board game.