"all the flourishes and amenities"

The project was ambitious from the start: a $185-million central public library downtown.

Turner Construction, the New York-based firm selected for the project, built the new Yankee Stadium, the John F. Kennedy Library and the world's tallest building in Dubai.

The architects made sure the nine-story design had all the flourishes and amenities to rival new libraries in style-conscious San Francisco and Seattle: airy reading rooms, a sculpture garden, a domed terrace, a special-collections wing and more.

But when it came to financing, the city decided to stick with what some critics say is a typical San Diego penny-pinching approach that relied too heavily on private donations. Now the structure is halfway complete and there's a problem: a $26-million shortfall, money needed to finish the project.