The historic Willemsen property off Dairyland Road in Buellton will soon look a lot different than it does right now.
In late February, work began to convert the former residence into a new city library.
According to Buellton city leaders, the current library off Highway 246 is too small for the community and they need a new one.
“It is really great that they are going to put in a new, larger library for the city. It is a definite need,” said Buellton resident PJ Schooter.
Schooter lives just a few houses away from the project, and on Wednesday, crews with Quincon Inc. filled us in on their renovations.
“We are beefing up the foundation of the existing building, and then we are going through and demolishing all of the existing finishes and fixtures,” said superintendent Moises Olmedo.
Meanwhile, as part of a separate project, efforts are underway to convert another building on the Willemsen property into a new children’s museum.
“I think it is really great that the City of Buellton is taking care of the residents and the children here, teaching them about the history of Buellton,” Schooter added.
Though representatives with the future museum were unavailable for interviews Wednesday, they said they are still fundraising to make the project possible.
Regarding potential traffic and parking concerns with the developments in her neighborhood, Schooter feels those issues have been properly addressed.
“They are taking care of the parking issue. They are developing parking down below,” she explained.
While the grand openings for both the museum and the library are still a few months out, Schooter says she is optimistic about how each facility will benefit the area.
“It is definitely a positive thing for the Buellton residents,” she stated. “We all can enjoy it to some level. Either hanging out at the library and reading a book and checking out the view, or sending your kids or grandkids to the museum.”
Buellton City Manager Scott Wolfe says once the new library is open, the current one will be transitioned into a senior center. He says the total cost for the library renovations is estimated at around $2.4 million.
Olmedo says Quincon’s work on the new library should be completed before the end of July.
