Why the City Should Pause the Plaza Project, Scrap the Parcel Tax, and Use Existing Buildings Instead
El Cerrito can modernize its library in a faster, more predictable, and far more affordable way — without taking on the financial risk of a $28 million construction project or locking residents into a 30-year parcel tax that escalates with multiple inflation factors.
The current El Cerrito Plaza proposal is the most expensive and least predictable option available. Meanwhile, practical alternatives exist that the City has not fully evaluated. Using existing buildings — such as the vacant Marshall’s or Barnes & Noble — combined with expanding the Stockton Avenue branch offers a lower-cost, lower-risk solution that does not require a parcel tax or provide a financial advantage to a developer.
It is time for the public to see the full picture.
A Practical Alternative: Use Existing Buildings and Expand Stockton
Two large, centrally located retail spaces — the old Marshall’s and the old Barnes & Noble — are currently empty. Both are:
- 15,000–20,000 square feet
- Easily accessible from major streets and transit
- Surrounded by ample on-site parking
- Available without relying on the Plaza developer’s timeline
- Ready for quick conversion
These buildings could serve as a temporary or even long-term library while the existing 6,500 sq ft Stockton Avenue library is expanded to 12,000–13,000 sq ft at a reasonable construction cost.
This combination offers:
- Far lower total cost
- Predictable timelines
- Faster delivery of improved library services
- Guaranteed parking
- No need for a 30-year parcel tax
- No developer handout
- No dependency on delays or negotiations with a private developer
The City has not presented this option alongside the Plaza proposal.
How Much Would a Bridge Library Cost?
Using the City’s own rent and improvement assumptions from the October 2025 library newsletter:
- Rent: $30/sq ft/year
- Tenant improvements: $350/sq ft (high-end estimate used by the City)
Since this is only a 3–5 year lease during construction, the cost is straightforward.
20,000 sq ft option
- Annual rent: $600,000
- 3-year rent: $1,800,000
- 5-year rent: $3,000,000
- Improvements: $7,000,000
Total cost for 3–5 years: $8.8M–$10M
15,000 sq ft option
- Annual rent: $450,000
- 3-year rent: $1,350,000
- 5-year rent: $2,250,000
- Improvements: $5,250,000
Total cost for 3–5 years: $6.6M–$7.5M
Even using the City’s high-end improvement estimate, short-term leasing costs far less than the Plaza’s projected $28 million — and comes with guaranteed parking and minimal risk.
We could have paid for this option if the City Manager Pinkos had bothered to apply for a grant. Instead, she’d much rather raise our taxes.
Is the Plaza the Most Expensive Option?
In almost every respect, yes.
Plaza Library (El Cerrito Plaza)
- Cost estimate increased from $21 million to $28 million
- No dedicated parking
- No signed development agreement
- No guaranteed timeline
- Two inflation escalators (unprecedented locally)
- Already years behind schedule
- Financial structure benefits the developer
- Requires a 30-year parcel tax to support uncertainty
Given El Cerrito’s fiscal constraints and history of underestimated project costs, the risks are substantial.
Twenty Years of Pursuit, But Conditions Have Changed
Former Councilmember Greg Lyman, City Manager Karen Pinkos, and a small group of insiders have advocated for a new, large library for nearly two decades – except when they had selective memory and cut the budget ☹
Their interest is clear, but the environment has changed significantly:
- Digital access and online research tools have grown
- Inter-library loan systems are robust
- Library usage patterns have shifted
- Construction and borrowing costs are far higher
- The City’s financial position is weaker than in earlier years
Continuing to pursue a large, custom-designed project in today’s cost environment places significant pressure on taxpayers.
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 