• By Steve Morgan
• February 05, 2021

A Look at DC’s Landmark Library During Renovations

The last field trip for Commissioners pre-COVID was a construction tour of the historic Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library while it was still under renovation. The library, located in downtown Washington, DC, has been open since the ribbon cutting ceremony held on September 24, 2020.

NCPC completed its review of site and building plans for the project in October 2016. The Commission thought that the project nicely balanced historic preservation, planning, and design considerations. They also felt that the site improvements would enhance the library’s public space, better connect it to its surroundings, and activate the 9th Street, NW corner.

DC Public Library Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan said the review process was beneficial, "The NCPC review helped us think about creative ways to pay homage to original building elements changing as part of the modernization. For example, when a person visits the upper floors, they will see an excellent open floor plan. We changed the floor color and added lighting to denote the original walls we removed. We also converted the original payphones into charging stations."

Mr. Reyes-Gavilan also said, "The process also challenged the library to find solutions to problems that we thought were too expensive. An example of this is the first-floor reading garden. It is an essential element that connects the building's northeast corner to the streetscape and creates a sense of openness. While it was deemed too costly, the process made our design team think of different ways to deliver the element within the project's budget. We would not have gotten this wonderful reading garden without the review process."

The project is the first time the library has undergone a major renovation since its opening in 1972. It is the only building in the city designed by famed architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

Mr. Reyes-Gavilan guided the Commissioners on the tour and showed all the areas that were under renovation. The condition of the library during the tour was much different than how it looks now. Shelves were empty, construction materials were laid out, many areas were dusty, the sound of hammering and sawing rang out, and hard hats were still required. Commissioners enjoyed seeing the new children’s area, shown above, and checked out (but didn’t try) the slide designed for young patrons to reach this area.

As part of the renovation, two new staircases were installed flanking the main entrance to provide better access to the library’s multiple levels. The stairs were still in progress and covered during the tour to prevent damage (Figure 1), but today the striking materials and unique spiral make the stairs a signature feature (Figure 2).

The building was closed for a modernization work that took three years and cost $211 million. Other new features include a rooftop terrace; a newly designed collections space; a ground level café with patio; creative spaces for fabrication, music production, and art; and a large auditorium and conference center. The entire library has a fresh, modern look and feel, and is sure to be a favorite gathering place to conduct research, attend an event, or collaborate.

"The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library now has a sense of arrival and a clear path to discovery for people who visit. The building makes you want to spend a day in it instead of it being merely a transactional place. There are so many amazing features now that it is hard to pick one. I think that it is safe to say that the building as a whole is more welcoming, easier to navigate, monumental, and a treasure for the District," Mr. Reyes-Gavilan said.