by David Garber, East of the River News, June 2008
“It’s a beautiful day for a demolition,” remarked Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander to a crowd of 30-odd community members, construction workers, students and press gathered behind the old bunker-like Anacostia Neighborhood Library for the ceremonial first phase of its demolition. Standing next to library officials, a group of students from nearby Ketcham Elementary, and in front of the heavy machine that quickly began tearing down portions of the building’s exterior, the councilwoman recognized all of the young people in the audience and added, “We are building this library for you.”
The old library building, located at the corner of 18th Street SE and Good Hope Road, has long been a reminder of the neglect and disinvestment shown to public institutions in this part of the city. Although an interim library opened on the site last year, the neighborhood library building has been closed since 2004. The day’s gathering, however, was less about what has been and more about what is soon to come.
The new library, which is in its final design phase, will have two floors and approximately 20,000 square feet of space. Clad mostly in glass and with a uniquely sloping roofline and clock tower beacon at its entrance on Good Hope Road, the building will have a distinctly modern feel. Designed by The Freelon Group out of Atlanta, Georgia, a firm known for its fresh take on urban cultural buildings, the new library is intended to paint a new face on this stretch of the Southeast landscape, and will contribute significantly to the regeneration of the Anacostia community on the whole.
Donning a hard hat and a wide grin, DC Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper talked about her excitement surrounding the existing building’s demolition. “You wouldn’t think any librarian would celebrate that!” She continued, “This building will tell people across the District that [the community has] made the commitment to have good libraries.” But this project doesn’t fully embrace the “out with the old, in with the new” mentality of many area projects. Part of what makes this demolition so exciting is that all of the materials from the old building are being recycled. Cooper noted, “It’s not just about getting a new library building, but it’s about this one and what these materials can still give us.”
After everyone had had a chance to speak and the wrecking machine roared to life, eating away at the bricks and mortar, the crowd erupted in cheers. But even louder than the hoots, hollers and applause of those in attendance was the universal sigh of relief felt by all present, and the recognition that yes, a new Anacostia Neighborhood Library is finally on its way.
The Anacostia Neighborhood Library is one of five DC public libraries planned for reconstruction, including Benning Road, Tenley-Friendship and Watha T. Daniel/Shaw. For more information on this and other library projects, please see the DCPL Construction Main Page linked at www.dclibrary.org.
A meeting regarding the design of the Anacostia Neighborhood Library will be held at the Interim Library at 1800 Good Hope Road SE on June 12 at 6 p.m.
* Original Article Here
* DC Library Website, images of the Anacostia designs
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