Photo by karon.

I’m not sure about you, but when I go to the library, my focus is on the books, not so much the landscaping. But after reading this report from Michael Neibauer at the Washington Business Journal, maybe I should make it a point to stop and enjoy the shrubbery.

There’s a new one-story library being planned at the corner of 24th and L Streets NW as part of a mixed-use West End development. So far, so good. According to a fact sheet [PDF] supplied by the library’s developer EastBanc to the Council, the library’s 20,000-square-foot building will cost $541,000, and the structure will be completely operational — electricity, lighting, everything up to code — for about $1 million. That’s not too shabby, considering that the new Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Neighborhood Library, which will open on August 2, ran the District $1.2 million in design costs alone.

But then you get to the real bulk of the cost: parking will run EastBanc well over a half a million dollars for but 12 spaces. One wonders: at that cost, and at a location that’s easily accessible by foot, bike, bus and Metro, why does the library need to install 12 parking spaces at an average cost of $46,106 per space? I’d assume that there will be some kind of on-site parking for the development’s planned retail — and even if not, there’s certainly no shortage of garages in the immediate proximity for those who just have to drive to return their copy of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

But hey, when you’re splashing as much money on landscaping (!) and furniture as you are for the entire building, I suppose cash supply isn’t exactly a problem.