Green Lake library branch reopens following 20-month renovation - Swenson Say Fagét

Green Lake library branch reopens following 20-month renovation

Seattle Public Library (SPL) reopened its Green Lake branch on Oct. 28 following the completion of a 20-month renovation project. The Green Lake branch is one of six historic Carnegie libraries in SPL’s network. It is located at 7364 E. Green Lake Drive N. and was built in 1909. The URM building is approximately 9,600 square feet and two stories. The renovation focused on bringing the branch into the future while preserving and maintaining the building’s historic character.

The work scope included a seismic retrofit to keep patrons safe during an earthquake; installation of an electric HVAC system to reduce carbon emissions and provide air conditioning in the branch for the first time; a new elevator and exterior access ramp to increase accessibility; new and improved restrooms and meeting rooms; and other interior changes to provide more usable space for patrons including a new, more streamlined, central circulation desk. New furniture, finishes, and LED lighting have been added throughout

Seattle architecture firm BuildingWork designed the renovations and says its approach “integrated critical, contemporary improvements while honoring the building’s historic architecture.”

The Green Lake Carnegie is a city of Seattle landmark. As such, the renovations were designed and implemented with guidance from the city’s Landmarks Preservation Board to ensure that the building’s historic features, original architectural components and cultural legacy were preserved.

SPL says some original structural elements of the branch were uncovered during construction and have been retained and highlighted in public areas. BuildingWork also made the decision to leave parts of the steel seismic retrofit structure exposed. This approach has preserved the building’s exterior walls in place and created an opportunity to bring the new steel into visual dialogue with the historic interior features of the building, BuildingWork says.

To make the 115-year-old structure fully accessible, the site was lowered about two feet along the west side of the library, creating a new entry courtyard. Inside the building, the team excavated to extend the lower level, to make a fully accessible lower-level entry lobby with a new elevator inside.

“It’s both a tremendous honor and a great sense of responsibility to help steward this public resource into the future, both in terms of what the library provides and also the physical artifact of the historic building,” Matt Aalfs, principal and founder of BuildingWork, told the DJC before the renovation started.

Work began on the renovation in February 2023. Kassel & Associates was the general contractor. The upgraded library was originally scheduled to reopen in April 2024. SPL says unexpected waits in the manufacturing and delivery of critical equipment, along with challenges in bringing a century-old branch into compliance with modern fire safety codes, delayed the opening.

The renovation was funded by the 2019 Library Levy. That levy will also help fund similar renovation projects at SPL’s University and Columbia branches, which are also Carnegies.

Both the University and Columbia projects include a seismic retrofit and installation of an electric HVAC system to provide air conditioning and improved ventilation. The University branch will close for renovations in early 2025 and is projected to reopen in late 2026. The timeline for renovations to the Columbia branch is still being determined.

A FEMA hazard mitigation grant of $5.5 million, which was awarded to SPL in August, will fund the HVAC installations at the University and Columbia branches. That grant will also fund new HVACs at the remaining Carnegies in SPL’s network. Those are the Fremont, Queen Anne and West Seattle branches. Once those projects are completed, all the SPL Carnegies will have air conditioning and can act as either heating or cooling shelters in the case of extreme weather events.

The project team for the Green Lake branch renovation also includes Swenson Say Faget, structural engineer; LPD Engineering, civil engineer; The Greenbusch Group, mechanical engineer, acoustic and elevator consultant; TFWB Engineers, electrical engineer; RDH Building Science, envelope consultant; Blanca Lighting Design, lighting design; Applied Building Information, specifications; Project Delivery Analysts, cost estimator; PanGEO, geotechnical engineer; Duncanson, surveyor; and MNT2Coast, 3D building scan.

The upgraded building is targeting LEED Gold certification.

 

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BuildingWork

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