The report calls for a complete overhaul of the aging building near City Hall.
DALLAS — If Dallas Public Library officials get the funding they want from city leaders, Dallas' often-criticized central library will finally undergo its first major overhaul since it opened more than 40 years ago. There is a possibility that the
Library leaders and consultants have proposed major renovations to the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library to address deferred routine maintenance needs. Improve building performance and resilience. Modernize services and operations to align with the library's strategic goals.
Built in 1982, the downtown library is located at 1515 Yonge Street, across from Dallas City Hall, and spans more than 600,000 square feet. It is one of the largest public libraries in the United States, with more floor space than all other Dallas Public Library branches combined. The building faces both architectural and structural challenges outlined in the city's long-term facilities plan released in March.
Heather Rowe, assistant director of the Dallas Public Library, entertained Dallas City Council members at the Arts Festival on April 15th, saying, “It's truly amazing for a city to have such a beautiful, huge, Brutalist building like the Central Library.'' There are examples.” and a meeting of the cultural committee. “I actually think our central library has great bones. We have great natural light, so there's a lot we can do with this building.”
Library officials and consultants were unfavorable about the building in a March report on facility planning, citing what they called a dimly lit and unwelcoming entrance, a fortress-like service desk and a lack of signage to help customers navigate. It pointed out.
“The library's exterior appearance is anonymous and there is little to indicate that it is a library and public resource for all Dallas residents,” library officials and consultants wrote. “The building is impressive to visitors, looming and closed off in its welcome.The space leading to the central library is dark and solemn, paved with little else. ”
It included a quote from a 2018 column by Dallas Morning News architecture critic Mark Lamster, “Austin is reinventing public libraries, and so should Dallas.”
“The city's central library, which opened in 1982, is a dilapidated relic of a generation ago. Like its more famous neighbor City Hall, it is an unyielding concrete fortress, but without any sense of internal drama. The city would do well to remember that its namesake, J. Eric Jonsson, was not just a mayor, but a pioneering engineer and president of Texas Instruments. It's nothing.”
The report said problems with the building's roof and windows have already caused damage to and loss of library materials on the seventh and eighth floors. Additionally, many of the building's major systems, such as electrical, plumbing, and elevators, have exceeded their expected useful life.
“The longer you go without an upgrade or replacement, the more likely it is to become dysfunctional,” said one of the consultants hired to plan the library's strategic plan, Research + Planning, Inc., a group based in Northern California. Jill Ayers, associate principal of 4 Architecture, said: said at a city council committee.
Some ideas from library community members and Central Library staff include:
• Make the city attractive, bright, airy and colorful, reflecting “Dallas’ unique spirit and creativity.”
• Be able to see and identify libraries from several blocks away.
• An outdoor plaza that is an extension of the library experience.
• Improve connectivity between floors and make it easier for guests to move around on their own.
• Plenty of comfortable space for individual and group activities. More interactive and creative features and spaces. A balance between active and calm spaces.
“I'm not saying renovation is an easy job,” Ayers said. “But you're not alone.”
Ayers noted that other ongoing and recent central library projects in major U.S. cities, particularly Boston, Austin, Cincinnati, and Washington, D.C., have shown positive results.
“Just last week, a study was released showing that recent reinvestment in Washington, D.C.'s major libraries is boosting the downtown economy,” Ayers said. “Visitors come from all over the city to visit the library and then stay downtown to shop and eat out. [and] Attend sporting and cultural events. ”
At a City Council committee meeting, District 11 City Councilor Janie Schultz said the library would use the major convention center redevelopment planned to reshape the surrounding area as a way to get funding for repairs and improvements. He said it was possible.
“This part of town is going to be one of the major tourist attractions for everyone visiting Dallas, so I think this is a great opportunity to take advantage of,” Schultz said.
In addition to renovating the central library, library officials are expanding their branch network by replacing or expanding smaller, older branches rather than adding new ones to accommodate projected population growth. It hopes to expand by 165,000 square feet.
The library system is recommending the renovation of eight branches, including the central library, and the expansion or replacement of 11 branches. Nine branches will be retained.
Facility Planning does not set aside funding for recommended projects, as feasibility studies and design services are beyond its scope. The library should perform additional analysis to determine the size, scope, and timing of the recommended project, at which time a capital budget can be developed.
The project will be financed by bonds. Projects proposed for the 2024 municipal bond program include his $43.5 million for library facilities, but not the central library.
Library consultants wrote that the city will need to significantly increase bond funding for libraries in future bond programs to make these projects a reality over the next 20 years. Partnerships between the Dallas Public Library and other city agencies, other public agencies and private businesses, and mixed-use or adaptive reuse projects could help the library system make the most of the bond.
Since strong funding in bond packages in 2003 and 2006, allocations for library capital projects have totaled less than $16 million, according to the report. As a result, several projects in the 2000 Library Master Plan remain uncompleted, including the replacement of the North Oak Cliff and Park Forest branches and the renovation of the Preston Royal branch.
In early 2023, the City of Dallas began developing a comprehensive plan for the Dallas Public Library, including a facilities plan and a three- to five-year strategic plan, with input from thousands of people across the city.
Library officials say this is not a static roadmap, but is intended to help libraries adapt to changing circumstances and new opportunities in the coming years.
In addition to Group 4 Architecture, the strategic planning team also includes Dallas-based nonprofit Building Community Workshop, Colorado-based library technology consultant Carson Block, and Los Angeles-based library consultant Susan Kent.
