Give your input on the redesign of the Southeast Community Library (403 Seventh St. SE). The next community meeting will be Wednesday, July 21 at 6:30 p.m.
At the last meeting, held May 5, the project team presented initial concept designs to the community. The design process is expected to go on into the new year.
The May 5th concept design, presented by the design/build team of Whiting-Turner Construction/Quinn Evans Architects calls for three floors to be included in the final plan. That includes an additional floor that will be excavated below what is now the underground level. The new floor will feature an expansion outside the building’s footprint into the public space on the South Carolina Avenue side, lit by a skylight cut in the top of the berm.
The current underground level will become the main floor that can be entered directly from a new, universally-accessible entrance on South Carolina Avenue SE.
See our report on the May 5th meeting, including a summary of concept design presentation
At the May 5th meeting, residents expressed concern about the sparsity of the landscaping, security around a new, recessed entrance off South Carolina Avenue SE and the problem of increased night time light. Other questions included the effect of a planned tower addition in what is currently the library lot and the impact of machinary noise on the neighborhood.
Construction on the modernization is not expected to begin until 2022 with the new library opening planned for 2024. While interim services have not been finalized, Reyes-Gavilan said that DCPL had heard the communities desire for some sort of continuation through construction “loud and clear”.
The meeting will be virtual via WebEx. Please use the link below to attend. If you are asked for a password, use “dclibrary”.
https://dcnet.webex.com/dcnet/onstage/g.php?MTID=eb785d47d8c8ee5eab11ebbeb2f78f329
Learn more about the plans by visiting https://www.dclibrary.org/southeastlibraryrenovation. Send comments and questions to Martha Saccocio, Director of DCPL’s Office of Community Engagement at martha.saccocio@dc.gov.
