Community Corner

Downers Grove Library Taps Architect for $1.8M Renovation

Renovations to the library will begin this fall and wrap up in spring 2014, according to library officials.

Downers Grove Public Library officials have chosen an architect to spearhead a planned $1.8 million interior renovation.

Late last month, the library's board of trustees selected Chicago-based Product Architecture and Design to lead the project, which is slated to begin this fall.

The firm has designed several library renovations, including buildings in Arlington Heights, Niles, Hinsdale and Evanston. It was chosen for the Downers Grove project after a thorough interview process and evaluation of qualification, officials said.

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"The Downers Grove Public Library is excited to benefit from this expertise," officials said in a release.

The library has been located at 1050 Curtiss St. since 1891, occupying four separate facilities over the past 100 years. Its current building—a 67,700-square-foot, two-story structure—was built in 1999.

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“A lot has changed in the way that libraries work in that time, and we need to respond.” Library Director Rick Ashton told Suburban Life in February. 

Officials said the renovation is part of the library's strategic plan, passed in June 2012, which focuses on making the library an attractive destination. The improvements will be primarily cosmetic, although specific plans have yet to be finalized.

The project will likely include upgrades to the building's entrances, flooring, paint, service desks, bathrooms and lighting. Officials also hope to install self-checkout stations and make improvements to the teen and children's areas.

About $1.8 million has been budgeted for the project, officials said.

The library board is expected to approve the contract with Product Architecture and Design during its March 27 business meeting. Architects will begin working on the design next month, and construction is slated to begin this fall.

The library will remain open during the renovation, which is scheduled to be completed by the following summer.

A project kickoff meeting is scheduled for April 1, according to the library website.

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