Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!

If you've been to see us in the past couple of days, you probably noticed that there has been a lot going on behind the building. Here's some images of all the action! Click on each picture to see it full-size.

Areas of the parking lot were marked off with cones while work went on this Monday the 25th.

The city crew removed some trees from the back area of the building on Monday.

Work crews returned on Tuesday the 26th to continue clearing the area - and they came prepared with trucks to haul everything away.

The area behind the building, near 13th Street, continues to be cleared of trees and brush.

A final shot of the work done on Tuesday.

Renovation Update: 1/25/2010

The initial phase of the expansion project is underway! You may not see a whole lot of change in the building when you visit us, but there are a few small things of note. Click on each image to enlarge it.

Ribbons have been tied around trees to mark which will be kept or moved.

Notice anything missing? The gazebo has been moved over by City Hall.

Work has begun on 13th Street. The area will be turned into much-needed parking spaces.

Beyond the visible changes, the following has also been accomplished:

• Library and city staff members have met with the architects to work on the interior design.


• Asbestos consultants have checked for asbestos in the library, the old fire station, and the green building behind the library.


• Geotechnical work has been scheduled for the first week in February.


• Plans are underway to store the materials in the green building elsewhere for the duration of the construction.

Check back here often for more updates!

Initial Design Concepts

We've been hard at work on the design of the expanded library. Below are the initial design concepts provided by the architects from Aguirre-Roden. If you can't see the image, click on the link below the image to access each file in .pdf form. The interior design concept has changed significantly, and as soon as we a have a copy on the computer, we'll show you.

Interior

Exterior (Color)

Exterior (Black and White)

If you are having trouble opening the files, it may be because you don't have Adobe Reader, a free piece of software that allows you to view .pdf files. You can download it here: Adobe Reader

The interior has changed a lot from this beginning design. As soon as we have a final design, you'll see it here!

Renovation and Expansion: The Basics

On November 4, 2009, over 80 percent of the citizens of Huntsville voted to fund the renovation and expansion of Huntsville Public Library. The library building has not been renovated since it was built in 1967.

The $3.5 million bond will more than triple the size of the current library building, increasing the square footage from 7,000 to 22,000. The expanded library will provide a great number of benefits for our community, including:

• A total of 81 parking spaces.


• Double the amount of shelf space (this means more books, movies, and CDs).


• Larger children's and genealogy rooms.


• A large meeting room for special programs and events.


• More places to study and read.

After the vote, the Huntsville Item ran a story with more details which can be read here. The library bond was also one of the biggest stories of 2009 according to the Item.

Excited? We are too. Check back here frequently for more information, or subscribe to the feed and have all of our posts delivered right to your feed reader. We'll be posting photographs, updated design concepts, and more.

Welcome!

We're glad you've stopped by! This blog will be THE place to go for the latest information about Huntsville Public Library's biggest and most exciting project - the renovation. Make sure to check back often!

This blog is also a great way to give us feedback on how we're doing. Simply click on the Comments link at the end of this post (or any other post), type what you want to tell us, and we'll read it.