History
By the late 1990’s it became apparent that Snohomish had grown to the point that our publicly owned Carnegie Library could no longer adequately meet the needs of our community. A newly constructed library was to open in 2003, leaving our Carnegie available for possible new public uses. In July 2002, the Snohomish City Council held a community meeting to begin accepting public suggestions regarding the future of the historic 1910 Carnegie Library Building and Grounds. A survey was distributed to the public soon after, to gauge the broader public’s opinions about future uses. In early 2004, the City Council appointed a group of Snohomish citizens known as The Snohomish Carnegie Preservation Committee, with a mandate to study the possible restoration of the Carnegie Library for future public use.
For a year, the committee met monthly with architectural consultants to determine the best possible uses and rehabilitation strategies for the Building and Grounds. From all the information collected to that point, the phrase “Gathering Place” emerged as the guiding theme for rehabilitation and future function of the site. In early 2005, the committee came to the City Council with the recommendation to develop a masterplan to restore the Carnegie Library using BOLA Architecture + Planning, known for their extensive experience and involvement in the restoration of historic structures. The City Council approved this approach and authorized the establishment of the Snohomish Carnegie Foundation. In September 2005, the Foundation received its not-for-profit status and completed its strategic planning process.
Since that time, the Foundation has partnered with the City of Snohomish and worked with the Snohomish community to develop the preferred uses of the Building and its surrounding Grounds. Outreach was made through a local focus group, public meetings, a telephone survey and information gathered from local high school students. Through these efforts a concept for the use of the site emerged: a family-oriented educational center. “The Carnegie Educational Center, A Place For Families” will honor the intent of the original Carnegie Library Building, serving our community in a contemporary fashion for the next 100 years.
Our rehabilitated Carnegie Building and Grounds will serve the educational, cultural and recreational needs of our community -- and in fact already is offering community events. The Snohomish Theater Project at The Carnegie is our resident theater group. Established in 2009 they have offered an originally written play celebrating our City’s 150th year and an originally written play at Christmas with yet another production for the 2010 holiday season. Last Leaf Productions offered Shakespeare in the Park in the summer of 2010. The Carnegie has established an annual Christmas Bazaar. The Carnegie is lighted for the holidays, with a beautifully lit Christmas tree, ushering in Santa for the kids. We just completed our second annual Snohomish Carnegie International Film Festival (SCIFF), showcasing the work of independent filmmakers from the Northwest and around the world. As its reputation grows, SCIFF promises to bring in much artistic talent and public interest.
The Carnegie is strategically located where the Snohomish historic business district and residential areas meet. It has been the hub of our community in years past, and promises to fulfill this role again as revitalization of our historic City continues to evolve. Restoration of the Grounds will provide much needed gathering space for our entire community, whether it be for art in the park, our farmer’s market, or spending contemplative time honoring those lives lost in the service of our nation.
Much work is to be done. At this time a masterplan design study of the grounds is underway. BOLA Architecture + Planning and The Berger Partnership have been engaged to work with the City, the Foundation, and the newly formed Carnegie Citizens Advisory Committee to develop a site plan that the community can and will embrace. Public outreach is ongoing for this phase.
The City and the Foundation successfully partnered to apply for a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to seismically retrofit the Carnegie so that it can serve as an Emergency Operations Center for those unusual and unexpected times that the City must manage its operations from an Emergency Center. For example, when our community has a significant flood and vital public communications and management must be handled in one center, the Carnegie is the command site for coordinating emergency operations. The City and Foundation received notification in 2010 that FEMA has approved an $837,000 grant for the structural and seismic upgrades necessary to the Carnegie Library Building. This grant is a major first step in a campaign to raise the necessary funds to rehabilitate the Building and Grounds. Our current estimates for the total rehabilitation of the facilities and to endow the future educational and cultural programming of the Carnegie are approximately $3.5 to $4.0 million. Further grants will be sought as well as a private capital campaign.
Foundation Board
Melody Clemans, president
Rebecca Loney, secretary
Anne Eason, treasurer
Greg Guedel
Dan Reynolds
Candace McKenna
Rosanna Sze
Leah Harrison
Fred Lighter, board consultant
Ex Officio Members
Dwight Knechtel
Elizabeth Grant
Bill Bates
Cathy Reines
Ed Poquette