In the century since Cass Gilbert designed the flagship Central Library for the St. Louis Public Library, information science and building technology have been radically transformed. A $70 million project led by Cannon Design returned large sections of the building to their original Beaux Arts beauty, while modernizing other zones to make the library more inviting and useful for today’s patrons.
Important historic spaces, such as the central Grand Hall, have been revived, including millwork, ornamental plaster, polychrome decoration, bronze work, and marble and cork flooring. Ceiling paintings were restored, and period light fixtures were refurbished or replicated.
The Building Team replaced the outdated MEP and fire protection systems, exploiting original chases concealed within thick masonry walls. Floors in multiple areas were adapted for modern electrical and data infrastructure. The monumental front steps—565 pieces of granite in the form of slabs, balusters, railings, and wall facings—were labeled, removed, catalogued, stored, reassembled, and restored.
ST. LOUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY, CENTRAL LIBRARY
St. Louis, Mo.Building TeamSubmitting firm: Cannon Design (architect)Owner: St. Louis Public LibraryOwner’s representative: CLR ConsultantsSE/CE, exterior restoration: David mason & AssociatesMEP/FP engineer: William Tao & AssociatesHistoric preservation: Frens & Frens EnvironmentalGraphics/signage: Kuhlmann LeavittConstruction manager: BSI ConstructorsGeneral InformationSize: 185,000 sfConstruction cost: $70 millionConstruction time: January 2010 to November 2012Delivery method: Design-build
The North Wing, once a repository for closed stacks, witnessed a dramatic change.
The original steel skeleton was replaced by a four-story atrium and a series of “floating” platforms. Visible through interior glazing, these levels hold compact-density shelving. A new entry canopy invites patrons to this side of the building, turning a welcoming (and less formal) face to the urban neighborhood.
Several administrative areas on the main floor were repurposed to serve children and teens, with colorful, contemporary de?cor and generous IT infrastructure. A 250-seat auditorium, built in a sub-basement once used for coal storage, creates space for performances and lectures.
The re-imagined Central Library reflects the civic ideals that inspired its founders—a place of uplift, but not a shrine. At last December’s grand opening, Director Waller McGuire emphasized the future. “Central Library isn’t finished yet,” he said. “It’ll never be finished. There will always be new possibilities and new ideas.”
The original Olive Street lobby, a counterpoint to the modern entry on the north side, has been meticulously restored, including the elaborate polychrome ceiling painting. The central Great Hall is accessible through the doors at the rear. Photos: Timothy Hursley
Reading rooms throughout the building were updated with new lighting and furniture, but historic millwork was preserved. The Building Team used both contemporary and period interior design, depending on each space’s function.
Related Stories
Senior Living Design | Sep 8, 2022
What’s new with AQ: The top trends in active adult living
Today's 55-or-better buyers are ready to design their lives and their homes as they see fit. With so much growth on tap, builders and developers must stay apprised of trends related to home, environment, and culture of 55+ communities.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Sep 8, 2022
Chicago Bears unveil preliminary master plan for suburban stadium district
As the 2022 NFL season kicks off, the league’s original franchise is fortifying plans to leave its landmark lakefront stadium for a multi-billion-dollar mixed-use stadium district in northwest suburban Arlington Heights.
| Sep 8, 2022
The Twin Cities’ LGBTQ health clinic moves into a new and improved facility
For more than 50 years, Family Tree Clinic has provided reproductive and sexual health services to underserved populations—from part of an old schoolhouse, until recently.
| Sep 8, 2022
U.S. construction costs expected to rise 14% year over year by close of 2022
Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis (CBRE) is forecasting a 14.1% year-on-year increase in U.S. construction costs by the close of 2022.
Giants 400 | Sep 7, 2022
Top 110 Industrial Sector Contractors + CM Firms for 2022
Clayco, Arco Construction, Ryan Companies, and STO Building Group top the ranking of the nation's largest industrial facility sector contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
| Sep 7, 2022
K-8 school will help students learn by conducting expeditions in their own communities
In August, SHP, an architecture, design, and engineering firm, broke ground on the new Peck Expeditionary Learning School in Greensboro, N.C. Guilford County Schools, one of the country’s 50 largest school districts, tapped SHP based on its track record of educational design.
| Sep 6, 2022
Herbert V. Kohler, Jr. (1939-2022) An incomparable spirit
Dynamic leader and Kohler Co. Executive Chairman Herbert Vollrath Kohler, Jr. passed away on September 3, 2022, in Kohler, Wisconsin.
| Sep 6, 2022
Demand for flexible workspace reaches all-time high
Demand for flexible workspace including coworking options has never been higher, according to a survey from Yardi Kube, a space management software provider that is part of Yardi Systems.
| Sep 2, 2022
Converting office buildings to apartments is cheaper, greener than building new
Converting office buildings to apartments is cheaper and greener than tearing down old office properties and building new residential buildings.
| Sep 2, 2022
New UMass Medical School building enables expanded medical class sizes, research labs
A new nine-story, 350,000 sf biomedical research and education facility under construction at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester, Mass., will accommodate larger class sizes and extensive lab space.
