Kaplan said the planetarium component has synergy and functional adjacency drawing power. Including retail in the project can make the project more user friendly. While the Library is not a retail destination it will draw many people. He suggested if the Board and City wanted to increase the amount of retail space the market could support 15-25,000 square feet including the Library gift shop, the planetarium shop and ticketing shop, a gourmet coffee shop, a full service restaurant and quick service restaurant and some retail stores. The proposed planetarium option shows attendance figures up to 350,000.
Teachers tend to return annually with different students.
The timeframe proposed for the housing portion suggests starting now in order to place it at an advantage over related development. That schedule is not achievable since the Library's schedule and process is not underway until the fall. The proposed housing timeline is aggressive to take advantage of the optimal window. The proposed costs seem high. There is a lot of turnover and empty retail space in the area.