Sep. 27--ARLINGTON -- The city is seeking a consultant to determine what is causing the bricks and walls to crack and sidewalks to buckle at the 6-year-old Southeast Branch Library.

City officials said minor problems began to show up shortly after the $4 million library, at 900 SE Green Oaks Blvd., opened in 2003.

Since then, maintenance crews have worked continually to seal the cracks that appear in the walls after dry spells or heavy rains and to adjust doors that won't open or close properly because of the shifting ground. Crews have even replaced the sidewalk twice, said Alf Bumgardner, construction manager for the city.

Branch manager Debi Wood said that the building is structurally safe and that the shifting has mostly caused cosmetic problems, such as spidery cracks in the meeting room walls or around doors and windows.

"We don't have any intention of closing. We would do everything to keep this library open as long it was safe," Wood said.

This month, a City Council committee recommended that the city hire a consultant to determine the extent of the problems, whether they could have been prevented during construction and the cost for repairs.

The city has not designated funding for repairs. The branch library is the city's busiest, with about 280,000 visitors in the past year.

"We certainly were very bothered to discover, as new as that building is, that it had such significant structural problems," Councilwoman Sheri Capehart said during a report to the council Sept. 1.

Councilman Robert Rivera, who represents southeast Arlington, echoed Capehart's disappointment and said the city will work to minimize disruption to patrons during eventual repairs.

"It's perfectly safe to be there. We would never put our residents in any kind of danger," Rivera said.

The $5.6 million animal shelter, which opened next door to the library this year, was designed and built by different companies, officials said.

This report includes material from the Star-Telegram archives.

SUSAN SCHROCK, 817-390-7639

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