We continue our work with Champlin Architecture and Turner on façade concepts to refresh the 9th Street exterior and provide a clear design connection between the two buildings.

The final bids along with installation plans for the equipment for the chiller and cooling tower replacement project are being reviewed by Turner Construction. The high level GMP was approved late last year in order to get the long lead time items on order, but a key component of this project is how to get the equipment installed. We intend to have the final plans and GMP executed over the next few months. This work will impact parking lot access to our North parking lot.

Week of April 15, 2025:

We continue our work with Champlin Architecture and Turner Construction on façade concepts to refresh the
9th Street exterior and provide a clear design connection between the two buildings.

Week of July 12, 2024:

The Downtown Main Library's South Building reopened with a weekend-long celebration July 12-14, 2024! Together, over 10,000 people celebrated a historic milestone: the reopening of the Main Library's South Building after a significant renovation that will positively impact our community years to come.

From guided tours, food trucks, storytimes with media and mascots to informative lectures, and live music all weekend, this was truly a celebration for Minds of All Kinds!

View the weekend's recap video and live blog for a recap of the exciting events!

Week of May 13, 2024:

The Downtown Main Library's South Building is reopening with a weekend-long celebration July 12-14, 2024!

Save the date for a weekend of events and activities for all ages.

Week of April 8, 2024: The temporary certificate of occupancy was received on schedule in early March as work is nearing completion on the major construction aspects of the project. Shelving and furniture delivery is scheduled to happen next in mid-April.

In June, the public art is scheduled to be installed on the plaza and a signature design element for the children’s area entry inside the building will be installed.

Week of February 12, 2024: Interior finishes are in progress and the project is on schedule.

Week of December 11, 2023: The entire glass panel installation is complete. Work now focuses on interior finishes and the project is on schedule. New furniture and shelving is being ordered.

Week of December 4, 2023: The glass railing for the South Building Social Stairs is complete. Work continues in the new entrance to the South Building, with the ceiling, light fixtures, and display walls being completed.

Carpet installation is ongoing on the first floor of the South Building, while work on that floor's meeting rooms continue.

Week of November 13, 2023: The South Plaza is open to the public, featuring an entirely at-grade, accessible plaza, multiple new landscaping beds, and the relocated Amelia Valerio Weinberg Memorial Sculpture.

Temporary bollards have been installed in advance of the installation of the light sculptures to be placed across the South Plaza in 2024. The light sculpture will include groupings of illuminated stainless steel pillars with changing light patterns that will be visible from both outside and inside the building.

The entrance to the South Building remains closed until the completion of the project.

Week of October 16, 2023: Installation of the Social Stairs glass panels continues. Exterior soffit cleaning and painting is underway around the South Building. Final concrete placements have been made in the South Plaza, along with soil placements and electric cabling.

Week of October 9, 2023: The initial delivery of glass panels for the Social Stairs has arrived and is being installed. Interior finish work is ongoing. The South Plaza work is expected to be completed by the first week of November. The furniture and finish selections are being finalized.

Week of October 2, 2023: The South Plaza's concrete placements are nearing completion, with soil placed in the landscaping beds and the reinstallation of the Amelia Valerio Weinberg Memorial Sculpture.

Preparations for the Social Stairs' glass handrail installation has begun.

Week of September 18, 2023: The South Plaza's concrete placements continue to be poured, along with roofing, fireproofing, and insulation installation of the vestibule.

Sheathing is complete on the Social Stair. Plumbing fixture installation is ongoing in all the new restrooms.

Week of September 11, 2023: Concrete placements continue to be poured in the South Plaza. Sheathing and framing are underway for the Social Stair. Restroom fixture installation is underway.

Week of August 21, 2023: Final electrical work for landscaping lighting is underway in the South Plaza along with irrigation rough-ins and concrete pours. The South Building atrium stairs and soffit are being painted, with tilework nearing completion on the new family/child restrooms.

Week of August 14, 2023: The final precast planters for the South Plaza are being installed, with waterproofing being done along 8th Street. In the South Building atrium final drywall soffit finishing is underway, and the Social Stair's framing being completed. Wall and floor tile is complete for Level 3's new restroom.

Week of August 7, 2023: The glass panels for the stair rail are in production and interior finish work is underway. The exterior work on the plaza continues in anticipation of a late 2023 opening of the space. The furniture and finish selections are being finalized.

Week of July 31, 2023: Precast planter borders are being placed in the South Plaza, with irrigation piping installation complete for the plaza landscaping. Drywall finishing is still underway for the Social Stairs, with framing underway for the lower level.

Week of July 24, 2023: New curb and sidewalks placements in the South Plaza have started. Soffit framing and drywall finishing has begun in the atrium.

Week of July 17, 2023: Bases for the South Plaza's art installation have been poured, along with foundations for the planters. Drywall hanging for the Social Stairs has been completed, with painting ongoing for the atrium.

Week of July 10, 2023: Painting of the atrium space is ongoing as soffit framing and hanging continues. Preparation work has begun in the South Plaza for precast planter foundations.

Week of June 18, 2023: The underside of the skywalk has been repainted and its light fixtures have been replaced. The fireproofing of the Social Stairs is complete. Painting around the atrium is ongoing. Level 3's restrooms have been painted with the installation of its meeting rooms' ceiling grid and light fixtures in progress.

Week of June 12, 2023: Work is wrapping up for tile preparation on the Book Fountain. The external beams in the South Plaza have been wrapped and painted. Painting and fireproofing continues in the atrium and Social Stairs. Level 3's restrooms are being primed and painted.

Week of June 5, 2023: Waterproofing of the Book Fountain has been completed with scratch coat and reinforcing mesh started ahead of tile installation. Fireproofing of the Social Stair is underway as painting of the atrium continues. Final layouts and partitions of Level 1's restrooms have been completed.

Week of May 22, 2023: Exterior soffit plaster patching and painting in the South Plaza is complete. Demolition and clearance of the South Plaza has begun. The Social Stairs blocking and handrail welding has been completed. Painting of the brick face and walls has begun to match the recently completed skylight. Drywall is complete on Level 3's meeting rooms with priming and painting starting soon.

Week of April 10, 2023: Exterior soffit plaster patching is underway in the South Plaza. Book Fountain walls are complete and forms have been removed ahead of waterproofing. Social Stair blocking and soffit framing is underway. Sprinkler, plumbing, and fire infrastructure installation throughout the North Building continues.

Week of April 17, 2023: Metal framing for the Social Stairs continues with its glass rail mock-up being reviewed by the Architect. Plumbing has been installed in the first floor restroom. The slab has been placed for the Book Fountain in the South Plaza. The North Plaza Vestibule passed inspection and is undergoing final touchups.

Week of April 10, 2023: The structural steel is complete and concrete is poured. A scan of the stairs has been completed, and final stages of the glass railing design and fabrication have begun. The work on the south plaza has started up again with underground utilities being installed. Demo on the remaining sidewalks will start in the next month. The Library has been working closely with the design team on interior finishes and furniture selections

Week of April 3, 2023: Steel framing has begun for the Social Stairs along with scaffolding for framing access to the upper levels of the Social Stair. Guardrail steel support connections and angle installed and inspected. HVAC, electric, drywall, and plumbing is progressing on the first floor.

Week of March 13, 2023: Concrete pours have been completed for the Social Stairs. Plumbing, electric, insulation, and blocking installation on Level 1 is in progress.

Week of March 6, 2023: Install of underground yard drains in the South Plaza is complete. Final steel inspections for the Social Stairs are done. Framing is complete for Level 3 restrooms.

Week of February 27, 2023: Underground storm drains and water detention structures in the South Plaza have been completed. Metal decking for the Social Stairs landings are installed with prep underway for the stair concrete pours. Final framing is underway for the Level 3 restrooms and meeting rooms.

Week of February 20, 2023: Excavation for storm drains is underway in the South Plaza. Plumbing and electric for meeting rooms, restrooms, and throughout Floor 1 is ongoing. The Social Stairs steel treads and risers from Level 1 to Level 2 have been installed. Structural walls for the atrium are being built. Final design work for interior finishes and furniture selections is underway.

Week of February 13, 2023: Underground storm work is beginning in the South Plaza. Social Stairs treads and risers installation is continuing within the atrium. On Floors 1 and 3, HVAC duct installation and in-wall rough-in for electric and plumbing continues to progress.