Library and city officials got a first glimpse of possible designs for the new Galesburg Public library at a design competition Monday. Perhaps even more important, however, the prospective architect firms got their first chance to interact with area citizens who will play a large role in the new library no matter which plan or architect is chosen.
Three architect firms traveled to Galesburg and met with about 30 members of the public, including city officials and Galesburg Public Library Board members. The architects brought with them 3-D renderings of their designs, as well as elaborate presentations of what those designs would entail and the thought process behind each decision.
And while the three plans presented Monday required hundreds of man hours to compile, not one feature in those designs is set in stone. The competition, more or less, was a means to open the dialogue on exactly how to make the best library for Galesburg.
That is not to say that the designs presented Monday were transplanted from a standard looking library and dropped onto a computer’s rendering of Main and Academy streets, the site of Galesburg’s next library. Each firm spent time in the city, researched its history and its makeup, as well as topography, which way the wind blows, traffic patterns, sunlight and public transportation routes. One design, that was ultimately not chosen for presentation, featured a library split into sections that mirrored how the rail road lines intersect the city.
“It’s an exercise,” FEH architect Kevin Eipperle said of the design process. “We think we had a lot of good feedback, but we’ll need more. There will be a lot more public input.”
First to present was Engberg Anderson, a Milwaukee-based firm that has worked on 99 libraries. They presented three different building renderings, each with varying degrees of modernity.
Dubuque’s FEH Associates presented a more academic building, with a brick exterior and many smaller windows.
The most forward thinking of the designs came from Cedar Rapids-based OPN Architects. The firm’s design featured a building consisting nearly entirely of glass, with a sloped roof that was taller on the east side to reflect its proximity to downtown and a lower-angled roof on the west to reflect the residential side of town. Nearly all of the building’s Main Street exposure would be glass, with raised landscaping along the east side and a drive-thru coffee shop near the parking lot.
It was a design that garnered praise from some in the audience, but, perhaps foreshadowing it being a tough sell to the greater community, architects said it was only a starting point. Library board members have been vocal about the new library fitting into its surrounding area.
“We wanted to show you what our design capabilities were,” said Bradd Brown, principle-in-charge at OPN.
OPN said that design could be built for around $15 million, the board’s pre-design cost estimate. Engberg Anderson said their plan could be built for around $17-$21 million. FEH’s proposal occurred after The Register-Mail’s deadline.
One feature common through each design was the dedication to energy efficiency and sustainable maintenance costs. Each firm said it could help out with fundraising efforts, and that they have unique ways to reach out and solicit feedback on future designs.
Knowing that some in the community might see spending $15 million on a new library in the digital age as a waste, the presenters were also in agreement on what the role of the building will be for future generations. Rather than a place to consume media, libraries are becoming hubs for the community, and provide resources for community projects and individual interests.
“The library has become a place for doing things. If you want to sew a quilt for returning vets, you come to the library and use their big tables,” said Joe Huberty, partner-in-charge at Engberg Anderson. “Its a place for citizens to collaborate.”
With such a project only available once in a lifetime, it should reflect the future community makeup, Brown said.
“Libraries have really become a community destination point,” he said. “This is the one chance you have to build for future generations. It should be exciting.”
Plans for the new library are still in relatively early stages. An architect will likely be chosen in February, with a decision on a construction manager coming shortly after. The timeline is being expedited to meet an April 16 grant deadline, of which the architects said the would help meet.
The two finalists not chosen for the project will receive $5,000 each for their time and travel.
“We’ve looked at submissions, gone on visits with them and we’ve gotten to know them,” library Director Harriett Zipfel said. “These designs may not and probably won’t be the final designs we go with. These are just examples of what they can do.”
jward@register-mail.com
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