The Hunt Library Ad Hoc Committee evaluates proposals and makes recommendations to the City Council on the revitalization of the long-closed Hunt Branch Library located at 201 S. Basque Ave. in Fullerton.

Approximately 50 community members attended the February 27 Ad Hoc meeting at the Main Library Conference Center to listen to a proposal. presented by Korean Community Services (KCS) Executive Director Ellen Ahn. She also answered audience questions.

According to the new proposed guidelines, the need for an independent revenue source to maintain the Hunt Library building and grounds and provide the programming the community wants is at the proposal’s core. It may be why the Hunt Library has remained vacant and has not had a successful occupant since it was closed in 2013.

Fullerton resident Director Ahn said that building a small medical facility on land adjacent to the library (currently used as a “dog park”) will allow KCS to open the Hunt to the community while also providing much-needed medical assistance to the area.

She clarified that KCS is a longtime nonprofit that focuses primarily on the medical well-being of the community they serve. Clients are low-income people of all backgrounds, not just those of Korean descent. In answer to a community question, she said that KCS is not affiliated with Grace Ministries (the mega-church located next door to the Hunt).

Newport Partners (NP), an affordable housing development company that also revitalizes historic buildings, is creating architectural drawings pro-bono for KCS on this project. In answer to a question, NP President and founder Jong Limb said the reason for the request for a 50-year lease from the City is that lenders require 50 years to get a good building loan. City Manager Eric Levitt talked about the $5.25 million state grant secured by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, with the help of Senator Josh Newman, for the Hunt Library. He said those funds are being used to repair the roof and windows, upgrade the electrical and plumbing, and secure the building from further vandalism. Renovations are nearing completion, and the building is expected to be ready for occupancy by late Fall 2023 or early 2024.

Director Ahn said that following the recommendations set forth by ArtsOC and Heritage Futures (which submitted the last proposal that was accepted by the Ad Hoc and would have gone into the Hunt, except they did not have the funds to take on all the maintenance requirements that the City asked of them) KCS is willing to sub-contract with a cafe, support the utilization of indoor space for lectures, workshops, classes, and rentals, especially for local organizations that need space for conferences. KCS will also coordinate with Fullerton Library and Community Development departments to identify and approve proposed activities with prioritization for community interests.

Some of the proposed activities are:

• Annual lectures, workshops, exhibits, performances
• Author Reading/Signing (monthly)
• Bilingual Storytime English/Korean (weekly)
• Bilingual Storytime English/Spanish (weekly)
• Book Club (monthly)
• Book Shop to Purchase Books
• Development Classes
• Checking Out Library Books
• Chuseok Festival (annual)
• Cinco De Mayo (annual),
• exhibit, performance, lectures
• College Prep and Scholarship Search Programs
• Reading Tutoring and Programs
• Senior Classes (weekly)
• Voting Site
• Wedding Rentals

The next Ad Hoc meeting has not been announced. For more information about KCS, visit www.kcsinc.org