The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (901 G Street NW) announced in October that they have increased space estimates for their extensive renovation in response to public and staff feedback and include a cafe and restaurant, a potential mixed use addition, a rooftop terrace and more in their latest plan.
[Access the pdf of the new library building program draft here.]
Instead of the initial plan to create a new central library for the city by renovating 200,0000-250,000 SF of the building, the library now proposes to use the entire building’s 424,500 SF and a portion of an additional fifth floor suite for public use.
The latest plan released includes a cafe and restaurant, additional rooms to be used for author talks, coworking, field trips and other purposes, a larger space for children’s programming and books, a larger teen area and an additional floor that includes a rooftop terrace for reading and programming.
The new, activated Great Hall will be increased to 20,000 SF in the latest plan, and it will include a cafe and a performance space. More 3-D printers, collaborative workspaces, meeting spaces and additional innovative investments are included in the proposal. Many design elements related to lighting, room configurations and seating have also been incorporated into the library plans in an effort to enhance the building’s natural light sources and to make it more inviting.
A mixed-use addition to the library also remains a potential redesign option.
The idea is to create a central library for Washington, D.C. that is a state-of-the-art, flexible and a fully reimagined place for the city, community and guests. “In short, the aim is to go beyond a library that is merely transactional— a place where you go simply to checkout a book— to create a library that truly transofrms lives— a world-class library for the 21st Century,” reads the latest draft library building program.
The library will seek at a minimum LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The building, designed by modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, is a designated historic landmark. But today, the library building is in disrepair and the facilities require updating. The architectural team of Mecanoo/Martinez + Johnson was chosen from one of three finalists who had competed in a three-phase selection process run by the library to select which firm will be tasked with renovating and modernizing the building.
Public input has been paramount for the project. The library said that as of October, the advisory panel, which includes DowntownDC BID Deputy Executive Director Richard Reinhard, has received input from more than 3,000 District residents regarding the renovation.
The D.C. Public Library, in partnership with the DowntownDC BID in 2011 first engaged the Urban Land Institute (ULI)—a non-profit research and education organization—to assess the condition and suitability of the historic building and to gather advice on renovations. The BID assisted the DCPL in working with ULI, and together they created a process for architectural firms to present sound and exciting design options for “the library of the future.”
Early estimates for the total cost of the renovation project range from $225 million to $250 million, but an exact amount has yet to be determined. Mayor Vincent C. Gray and the D.C. City Council have committed $200 million to the project.