Renton Public Library
The Renton Public Library is the King County Library System (KCLS) branch library in Renton, Washington, in the United States. It was a city library between its construction in 1966 and 2010, when it was one of the last three non-KCLS members in the county outside of Seattle and it was incorporated into KCLS after what may have been "the most contentious annexation fight in the system's 71 years".[4]
Renton Public Library | |
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![]() Renton Library spanning the Cedar River as it appeared in July 2019 | |
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Alternative names | Cedar River Library, Renton Main Library |
General information | |
Address | 100 Mill Avenue South |
Town or city | Renton, Washington |
Country | United States |
Coordinates | 47.482°N 122.202°W |
Opened | April 17, 1966 |
Renovated | 2014–2015 |
Cost | $327,560 |
Client | City of Renton |
Owner | King County Library System |
Technical details | |
Floor area | 19,500 sq ft (1,810 m2) |
Design and construction | |
Architecture firm | Felix M. Campanella and David Arthur Johnston Johnston-Campanella & Company |
Main contractor | Alton V. Phillips and Company |
Renovating team | |
Architect | Miller Hull Partnership |
Engineer | Talasea Consultants, Inc. (enviro.) |
Structural engineer | Coughlin Porter Lundeen |
Services engineer | PAE Consulting Engineers (mech./plumbing) |
Other designers | Christa Jansen (B&H Architects) (int.) |
Main contractor | Construction Enterprises & Contractors |
Awards and prizes | |
1966 data via HistoryLink;[1] 2015 renovation data via Chicago Athenaeum[2] and from Daily Journal of Commerce[3] |
Design and construction
The library sits astride a river – the Cedar River – one of the only libraries in the United States to do so.[1]
The building is about 80 feet (24 m) long, spanning the river on a bridge-like precast concrete girder and tie system riding on pilings.[5]
Renovation
The library was closed June 22, 2014 for a $10.2 million renovation,[3] to include new pilings into the banks of the Cedar River for seismic retrofitting, and replacement of wall-mounted windows with floor-to-ceiling glass for better river views and natural light.[6] After renovation the library reopened in August, 2015.[3]
For the renovation, Miller Hull Partnership architects were awarded AIA/ALA Library Building Award in 2016,[3][7] then in 2017 won the American Institute of Architects Seattle chapter's Civic Design Honor Award for its rehabilitation.[8][9]
Salmon viewing
The library's location over the Cedar River is considered a prime location to view spawning Northwest salmon species including Sockeye, Coho and Chinook.[10][11][12][13]
References
- Linda Holden Givens (May 11, 2017), Renton Library, King County Library System, HistoryLink
- Renton Public Library, Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, 2016, retrieved 2017-11-14
- "Renton's unique 1960s library gets a new exterior, interior and top award", Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, Oregon, April 18, 2016
- Nancy Bartley (August 19, 2013), Down by the river, a fight over the fate of the Renton Library, The Seattle Times
- "City of Renton, Public Library, Main Library, Renton, WA", Pacific Coast Architecture Database, University of Washington, retrieved 2017-11-14
- Renton Library over the Cedar River – Closure FAQs (PDF) (flyer), City of Renton, Washington
- "Renton Public Library – The Miller Hull Partnership", Architect, April 12, 2016
- 2017 Honor Award Winners, AIA Seattle, November 14, 2017
- Bartley, Nancy. "Down by the river, a fight over the fate of the Renton Library". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
- Follow the Cedar River Salmon Journey, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Water and Land Resources Division, retrieved 2017-11-14
- Lake Washington Sockeye Salmon Viewing Opportunities, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, retrieved 2017-11-14
- Jeffrey P. Mayor (October 23, 2014), "Here's where to see spawning salmon in Western Washington", The Tacoma News Tribune – via The Seattle Times
- Ryan, John C. (1999), Seven Wonders: Everyday Things for a Healthier Planet, Sierra Club Books, ISBN 1578050383
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Renton Library. |