Phoenix City Council would like to own, not lease, the Yucca Library.
Though moving forward with plans to expand the library, which is on rented land, Councilmember Laura Pastor added the stipulation to change plans and instead build a new library on a nearby city-owned property if that property becomes available for repurposing.
City staff presented an item last week to expand the library, located at 15th and Montebello avenues at the southeast corner of the Christown Spectrum Mall. Though the library building, which opened in 1969, is owned by the city, the land is owned by Kimco Realty, the owner of the mall.
Phoenix’s Yucca Library, at 15th and Montebello avenues, is shown in 1976. The branch opened in 1969.
(Courtesy city of Phoenix)
The expansion of Yucca Library was included in a large packet of budget priorities approved by voters in a general obligation bond election in 2023.
The expansion requires an amendment to the land lease. Phoenix currently leases 43,560 of land for the library. It plans to add 10,000 square feet onto the building. That will require the city to lease the parcel being used for the library’s parking lot as well, an additional 72,830 square feet.
Councilmember Laura Pastor, whose District 4 contains the library, did not like the idea of spending that much taxpayer money on something the city does not own.
A patron returns a book in the outdoor return slot at Phoenix’s Yucca Library, at 15th and Montebello avenues.
(Courtesy city of Phoenix)
Though the current land lease ends in 2057 and the amended lease would extend that into 2075, Pastor confirmed with staff that there are procedures for either party to terminate the lease. And if the lease were terminated, the library building would transfer to Kimco.
Pastor brought up a city-owned property on the other side of the mall, the 19th Ave/Montebello Park and Ride, saying the city is in the process of going to the Federal Transit Administration to see if at least some of that land could be repurposed.
City council ultimately approved the amendment to the land lease for the existing library but with a stipulation added by Pastor – if the park-and-ride property is able to be put up for a request for proposal, some of it should be carved out for a new city library.
“I think that’s really, in the long-term, the best interest for the city. Because the library is on city land, and it’s also our building that will be built,” Pastor said.
Laura Pastor
The park-and-ride property is 444,040 square feet.
If a new library were to be built, the city would still own the building – though not the land – for the existing Yucca Library. Pastor said that building could be repurposed into a heat respite center “or anything else.”
Under the new lease terms with Kimco, the city’s base rent will be $5,000 per month, plus applicable taxes, and will increase 10% every five years, which is within the range of market rents determined by the city’s Real Estate Division.
We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Mark Carlisle can be reached at mcarlisle@iniusa.org.
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.
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