

Rendering courtesy DCPL

UPDATE: DCPL notes: “The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library may include the construction of additional space for complementary non-library using a public-private partnership.”

MLK Renovation Library Building Program October 2014

Last we heard back in February Martinez + Johnson and Mecanoo Architecture Selected to Renovate MLK Library – No Decision yet on if it “will be renovated as a stand-alone library or as a mixed-use building with additional floors”. Big update from DCPL:

“The DC Public Library has revised its space estimates for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library renovation. The entire building, plus a fifth floor, will be used to offer District residents a renovated central library.

The increased library size incorporates input to the preliminary Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library renovation designs released in May. Initial estimates called for between 200,000 to 250,000 square feet in the building to be used for library service.

More than 3,000 people shared their ideas on the Library’s online crowdsourcing portal https://dclibrary.ideascale.com/; at community meetings; through focus groups with teens, staff and other groups; and through comment cards. In addition, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Renovation Advisory Panel convened neighborhood meetings to answer questions and get ideas about the renovation.

The architects, working with Library officials, determined that more space would be needed in the building to accommodate many of the public’s ideas. The additional space will be used to provide new services including:

A welcoming and inviting entry to the library to address customer concerns about the entrance being unwelcoming and not giving clear direction to the upper floors.

A café and restaurant to accommodate people’s desire to enjoy meals and beverages in the library.

More rooms to address the desire to offer space for community meetings, author talks, performing arts, innovation, coworking and school field trips.

A larger space for children’s programming and books to address the larger number of children that visit the library regularly and for story times.

A larger teen space that accommodates requests for a variety of reading/studying places; informal meeting areas; lounge clusters with comfortable seating; and a digital media center.

The renovated library will also feature an additional floor with a rooftop terrace. This space will be used for reading and library programs.

While the space for library will increase, the space allocated for staff and support services will be redesigned and streamlined.

The location of services will be finalized as the renovation designs are further developed. To ensure the long-term viability of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, the project may include the construction of additional space for complementary non-library using a public-private partnership.

For information on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library renovation, including the Draft Library Building Program, visit the DC Library website at:http://dclibrary.org/mlkfuture”



9th and G St, NW