Library Project Update

Good afternoon District 6,

For those who have not seen the Post-Crescent story online (I suspect that it will run in the hard-copy paper in the next day or so), the architects for the library project presented a conceptual plan for the library renovation/addition at the Library Board meeting yesterday.











Drawing from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

The conceptual plan will be on the planning website in the coming days:

https://apl.org/planning

In the meantime, you can see more of the drawings in the Post-Crescent story here:

https://www.postcrescent.com/story/news/local/2021/08/17/architect-unveils-plans-renovate-and-expand-appleton-public-library/8167793002/

The presentation included a virtual reality walk-through of some of the spaces, which was very interesting. The basic shell of the building will be retained, with the new space being added on the south side. The conceptual plan includes access from the yellow parking ramp, but not a walkway like the one to City Center. Parking on the south side of the building will be retained. The team from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (one of whom grew up in Appleton) discussed the input they had received from the Library Building Project Advisory Committee and how that input was implemented in the conceptual design. One consultant at SOM is a former library director in Chicago who worked with the firm on two different library projects there. I found her viewpoints very interesting, particular about the library becoming the center of the neighborhood.

I’ll be meeting with Library Director Rortvedt tomorrow to give some of my input on the conceptual design. I’m particularly interested in accessibility, safety, and environmental aspects of the project.

The public will have the opportunity to hear the SOM team present the conceptual design and to provide input and ask questions at an information session on August 24 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. The link is here: https://som.zoom.us/j/97798132909

The meeting will also be recorded and put on the library building project page if you can’t make the live Zoom. Please feel free to share your thoughts with me if you watch the recorded meeting and I will share them with Director Rortvedt.


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