It’s difficult to see their vision in this darkness, where scant light filters through blocked windows, where the flashlight uncovers decaying furniture, and where no light is necessary to discover the all-encompassing raw sewage stench. Despite its current condition, Silva says this space can be completely renovated in time for the next Bibliogamers, if the city approves the project.

And Silva wouldn’t be Silva if he didn’t have something even bigger in mind. Across the train tracks, almost exactly halfway between the north and south, is Marquês de Abrantes palace. This is where Silva hopes Project ROCK will fund an interactive gaming museum. The grand vision includes digital interactive experiences connecting visitors with Marvila’s history, plus educational spaces and more incubation areas.

It’s uncertain whether people would venture to a gaming museum in the heart of Marvila, halfway between social housing and hipster hotspots. No one knows if this will address the district’s greater needs or be a stepping stone on the path to gentrification. And if it does pan out, there’s still lots of red tape between Silva and success. To someone else it might be a moonshot, but the librarian’s boundless energy and unshakable faith are what brought them here. “I think this is the way our library could help gamers, the gaming industry,” he says, reflecting on their work so far. “I think this is the way.”