In the wake of complications with the new downtown central library plans, officials further clarified the city’s options for moving forward Wednesday, adding that the mayor will be meeting with Fiore today to discuss the project.

In a previous interview with The Badger Herald, Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said the initial plan was for developer Fiore Companies to build a library that cost no more than $37 million. He said in negotiations that Fiore said they are not able to guarantee that price.

Fiore Executive Vice President William Kunkler said in a previous interview with the Herald the city originally planned to have Fiore build the box library shell and then buy it from them. The city would then complete the interior construction as a public works project.

Cieslewicz said the city will now either take control of the whole project themselves and pay Fiore for what they have completed up until now or continue to work with Fiore to complete the initial plans.

Cieslewicz added negotiations with Fiore are ongoing, and he is hopeful they will be able to come to an agreement. Regardless of how the talks go, however, Cieslewicz said the library will be completed.

“We will build it on budget and on time; it’s just a question [of] whether we build on West Washington as Fiore proposed or remodel the existing library,” he said.

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, whose district the library is in, said he is very disappointed with the current state of events regarding the library project, characterizing Fiore’s involvement as being “on life support.” He said he has been a strong supporter of a new central library for many years, adding he especially liked the new West Washington Avenue location.

Verveer said Cieslewicz will meet with Fiore today to discuss the future of the project. He said though he does not know what will happen at the meeting, he remains cautiously optimistic the meeting will be productive and keep the current plans for the project alive.

“I’m not saying that we’re going to make it work, but I hope that we can at least wait until the end of the week to pronounce the death of the project at the West Washington location,” Verveer said.

-Alexa Sunby contributed to this report.