LA GRANDE — The La Grande City Council unanimously approved pursuing grant opportunities to list the La Grande Carnegie Library on the National Register of Historic Places.

Community Development Director Mike Boquist made the request on behalf of the Community Development Department and La Grande Landmarks Commission. Boquist said getting the building on the register has been on many people’s wish list — from members of the community to local and even state officials.

“I think it’s about time we do it,” Councilor Mary Ann Miesner said during the council’s Wednesday, Feb. 1, meeting.

The La Grande Carnegie Library was built in 1913 with a $12,500 grant, according to an article written by Art Center East former staff member Sarah West. The building was the home of the public library until 2006 when the service relocated to the newly constructed Cook Memorial Library building, Boquist said. The city still owns the Carnegie Library building and leases it to Art Center East.

“This is one of the buildings I think there is a lot of value in upgrading and preserving. Art Center East does a lot of good things for this community, so I am certainly in favor of it,” Councilor David Glabe said.

The Community Development Department and the Landmarks Commission are currently considering two grant opportunities. Having the building designated on the register will also open up further grant opportunities to preserve and update the building.

“The grant that we are hoping to apply for is for a consultant to go through the historic landmarks designation process to get the Carnegie Library listed on the National Register,” Boquist said. “Carnegie Libraries all across the country are listed and we have one of the few that aren’t.”

Boquist believes the grant request will be in the $10,000 to $16,000 range, depending on which of the grants they end up applying for and the bids they receive. However, the ballpark estimates the department has received have been what the cost would be if the project was starting from scratch. Boquist said it may actually be less given that a lot of groundwork and research has already been completed.

The grants will require a 50% match of funds from the city, according to Boquist, so he is anticipating that will be an upcoming budget item.

Councilor Corrine Dutto asked if having the building on the register would help or hinder making the building more accessible, such as getting an elevator installed. Boquist said it would help with a large number of projects from the elevator and other handicap accessibility projects to brick masonry repairs.

“There are a lot of strings attached to how you design things when you are on the National Register, but they’re very big on the viability of historic buildings,” he said. “So you can get grant money for plumbing and electrical and heating and cooling upgrades and all kinds of things because they want that building to get restored and occupied.”