If you've driven by the Laguna Niguel Library recently, you can clearly see that it's still unfinished.

However, according to Robert Genzel, director of facilities construction and maintenance at County of Orange, O.C. Public Libraries, "Everything is going really well. The new contractor has been very cooperative and we've repaired all of the deficiencies from the previous contractor. The roof is being installed and we are hoping to do the wrap for the stucco."

Renovations to the Laguna Niguel Library, a branch of the Orange County Public Library, began on Oct. 29, 2010.

In November, Patch reported that the library had a new construction company in place called Tutor Perini Corp., that took over after there was trouble with the building's foundation.

It was reported that the company that poured the concrete—Ed Rose Construction—requested that the county withhold funds for the job from the general contractor—SMC Construction—until the dispute was resolved.

Genzel said the problems had to do with the leveling and the sloping of the foundation. And in some areas, the foundation is too wide and in others, it's too narrow.

He further said in November that the problems with the foundation may be related to the heavy rains last winter.

“I do think it had something to do with the excessive rain, but the general contractor who was supervising the project [SMC Construction] should have caught those problems and corrected for them before the slab was poured,” Genzel said.

Superintendent Jim Greene of Tutor Perini indicated in November that it's a challenge to build a remodel as opposed to building from scratch. He mentioned unforeseen dry rot behind various sections now in place. Greene is also a Laguna Niguel resident and said he is looking forward to helping build the new library for Laguna Niguel.

"They [Tutor Perini] are anticipating a completion date of late April or early May," Genzel said. "They are also anticipating being able to open the new library to residents in mid-May."

Once completed, the result of the renovation will be a nearly 15,000-square-foot library, on Crown Valley Parkway, that is more environmentally friendly. It will have a mission-style exterior, computer cubicles and a multipurpose community room. Funding came from the city of Laguna Niguel; part of the proceeds from the sale of Civic Center land went toward the expansion.