MISSION VIEJO

The City Council early this week approved a $90,000 contract with LPA Architects to design the expansion of the Mission Viejo Library.

LPA Architects is the firm in charge of designing the new City Hall, which will be built across the courtyard from the library.

Preliminary plans for the expanded portion of the library, which must be approved by the Planning Commission and City Council, call for it to include additional study rooms, collaborative workrooms, increased shelf space for books and an expanded children’s area and staff work space.

The expansion will also include a studio to accommodate Mission Viejo TV, which broadcasts the City Council meetings.

Deputy City Manager Rick Howard said the building is projected to be about 13,000 square feet.

“It’s going to be very similar in scope, look and feel to the original building,” Howard said.

The city is working to design and construct the library expansion simultaneously with the new City Hall in order to reduce the costs of both projects.