Bee Cave approves new library site as project delayed

The Bee Cave City Council on Tuesday amended its contract with library building architects to reflect a location change and gave an updated timeline for the project.

The council approved an agreement with Lake Flato Architects for the library's design in the city’s Skaggs tract on Bee Cave Parkway. The original agreement had the building location in the Revival tract on Texas 71 West. City officials now estimate the library construction will be complete in January 2028. The amendment reduced the library design fee from $3.04 million to $2.38 million.

"We had a reduction in scope (and) the site is going to be much easier to design on," City Manager Julie Oakley said. "We’ve worked with Lake Flato quite a bit throughout this process and continue to sharpen our pencils into what you see today."

Oakley described the current cost estimates and timeline as conservative.

"We will do everything we can to under-promise and over-deliver on budget and schedule," she said.

Oakley said the plan will become available to the public in September, ahead of its appearance for approval on the November ballot. The city also plans to host a town hall on the library in September. Construction is slated to begin in November 2026.

The building is approximately 20,000 square feet and will include interior gathering spaces, youth and tween services and administrative spaces. The old Bee Cave schoolhouse will be relocated to the site.

Mayor Kara King said it was disheartening to hear the updated completion date, but that she is optimistic about the project.

"That was like a gut punch," King said. "I think we’re all hoping we can get this ball rolling quickly. We’re going to hope that construction timelines flow, and maybe we can get it open a little earlier."

In November, Bee Cave residents passed Proposition G, which requires the city to obtain voter approval for any actions regarding subdivision, significant physical change or alteration, sale, purchase, donation, exchange or certain leasing of city property. This means that the city must ask the public for permission to use city land to build the library. King said the city is aiming for the November ballot.

Oakley said the city must draft ballot language and work with an attorney and City Council to pass an ordinance before Aug. 18, the special election deadline. The council has two regular meetings scheduled before that date.

"We need to start working on that now so that we can have that ready for City Council to approve to put that on the ballot for November," Oakley said.

The council also heard a report from the Capital Improvements Project Subcommittee, which met earlier in the month to discuss the city’s public safety facility, library and Central Park. The strategic plan for Central Park will be presented to the council for approval at the next meeting, Oakley said.

The first step in the Central Park project will be to conduct a civil study on what the project would do, how feasible the project is and how much it would cost to create more parking around the park, Oakley said.

Council members expressed excitement about the subcommittee projects.

"We’ve been talking about these projects for at least five or six years and we’re finally starting," Council Member Andrea Willott said. "It’s very exciting."