A dozen Fulton County libraries are closed and under construction, but by the end of 2020, an ambitious $275 million program to build nine libraries and renovate 23 more will be essentially complete.
The program, which was approved by voters in 2008 at the beginning of a long and deep recession, is by far the most expensive library construction program in state history. At the end of it, the county's library system will have nearly 25 percent more floor space, close to twice as many computers, more meeting rooms and better technology.
But in the meantime, more libraries than intended will be closed concurrently. That’s because the county has to work quickly to spend and allocate the bond money voters approved before January 2022. While construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2020, it can take several months to make sure there were no problems or loose ends that need to be fixed or finished.
The county originally planned to stagger the closings more, but delayed plans and construction slowdowns have led to the rush to the finish. In Roswell, architects went back to the drawing board after county commissioners requested the library be made more accessible from the street. In Hapeville, a planned renovation became a new construction project when the exact state of disrepair of the existing building became clear. And the Ponce de Leon library in Atlanta didn’t close for renovations when it was supposed to because residents protested the planned removal of several trees and a proposal to add an additional entrance on Ponce was rejected, necessitating the reworking of some plans.
Anna Roach, Fulton's chief operating officer, said despite the setbacks, the county is "on terrific track" to obligate all the money in time. Renovation projects on all county-owned libraries are either finished or underway. Additionally, the county is looking at renovating two branches it does not own, the Peachtree Library and the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, using other funds.
The work will make it easier to both vote in libraries and hold storytime, to access computers and ensure the wifi doesn’t crash, said Gabriel Morley, the outgoing library director.
“We tried to change and accommodate each community,” he said. “We set it up for the long term.”
Now, Morley said, older buildings are constrained by a lack of meeting spaces that limit the ability to do several activities at the same time. Technology is outdated. But the improvements will do more than fix up decrepit buildings.
“The whole thing comes back to libraries re-imagined,” said Gayle Holloman, the library system Division Manager.
That wasn’t the vision in 2008, when voters were simply choosing better buildings. But then, smart phones weren’t ubiquitous and the technological needs were fewer. Additionally, the vision of the library has changed. It’s no longer a staid place with a librarian sitting behind a giant reference desk, but somewhere one can go to use 3D printers or see a drag queen reading picture books.
“We have to think beyond what we have today to what we might need tomorrow,” said Al Collins, the bond program administrator.
‘More pizzazz’
Nowhere is that more clear than at downtown’s Central Library. The 1980 building was the last built by Marcel Breuer, a notable architect. But his Brutalist sensibilities didn’t make for a welcoming reading space, county leaders have said. They originally planned to sell the building and build something new, but weren’t able to raise the additional money needed for new construction. County commissioners instead elected to renovate it. The plan drew protests from architectural purists, but the construction is underway.
The building has had more windows carved into its sides to let in additional light, and the largely concrete front will be replaced with glass to make it more welcoming. A central bank of elevators has been removed and the hole it left allowed for a several-story skylight that opens up the building and adds a brightness that wasn’t there before. It will become a focal point of the library, with public art in the center of the cavernous opening and seating overlooking activity on other floors.
The changes, Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts said, give the library “more pizzazz.”
"It's the next best thing to a brand new facility," he said.
Those aren’t the only efforts to make the main library more interesting to patrons. Artists in residence will be given space to work on the first floor, with the hope that seeing them from the street will draw people in. And the county plans to add leasable space on two floors, since the library itself doesn’t need all the room that’s available. An initial request for proposals didn’t turn up any interest, but Ellis Kirby, Fulton’s deputy chief operating officer, said he was not deterred — or surprised. He’s now working with local business groups to identify tenants that would be a good fit with the library.
About 200,000 people visit Central Library each year, but Morley thinks the renovations — which include a demonstration kitchen and conference space — could draw an additional 100,000 people a year. After all, in other cities the main libraries are tourist destinations.
Collins said the goal was just to “humanize” the building. The ability to see from one floor to the next will add excitement and vibrancy, he said.
The process does have some detractors. Stephanie Moody, the former chair of the library board, said she was in favor of the original plan, but thought the county didn’t fulfill its promise when it bonded $50 million it shouldn’t have because matching dollars from the public to build a new Central Library were never raised.
“The public voted, and (county commissioners) are not doing what they said,” Moody said. “I think it’s taking too long, and as it takes too long, it costs more money.”
Still, Moody said, people are generally happy with the new and renovated libraries. She’s concerned that repairs may already be needed due to wear and tear at some of the new branches, but acknowledged that residents are making good use of the spaces as they’re reopening.
One patron, Dietre Blige, said she uses the new Wolf Creek branch in the city of South Fulton every week. Her nine-year-old son meets his tutor there on Saturday mornings, and she’ll go in to use the printer or check out books as well.
“I’m excited about what they’ve done there,” she said. “I do think it’s very valuable for our community.”
LIBRARY OPENINGS
A number of branch libraries are still under construction. Here are their estimated opening dates:
Roswell Library, January
Cleveland Avenue Library, February
Adamsville/Collier Heights Library, February
Buckhead Library, March
Northside Library, March
Dr. Robert E. Fulton/Ocee Library, March
Northeast/Spruill Oaks Library, March
Mechanicsville Library, March
East Atlanta Library, April
Ponce de Leon Library, May
Hapeville Library, October
Central Library, October
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