The long-awaited new county library in Brooklyn Park is getting closer to reality, as Hennepin County nears selection of a contractor to build the $23.5 million building near the corner of 85th Avenue N. and W. Broadway Avenue.
A contractor will be picked by the end of January, and construction at the 6-acre site will start shortly afterward and last about a year, said County Commissioner Mike Opat. Seven contractors submitted proposals: Shaw Lundquist, Stahl Construction, Loefler Construction & Consulting, Knutson Construction, Graham Construction Services, Morcon Construction and Terra General Contractors.
At just over 39,000 square feet, the new library will be more than double the size of the current building at 8600 Zane Av. N. Future plans for the current building are unknown.
A goal for the new library is to create a space that acts like a "living room for the community," said Jane Dedering, library planner and interior designer with HGA Architects and Engineers in Milwaukee. The open floor plan will bring more comfort for a variety of gatherings, added Tim Carl — the design principal with the HGA Architects and Engineers in Minneapolis.
Together with Dedering, Carl has been hard at work planning and designing the building.
"The whole concept is designed behind three living rooms," Carl said — one for children, another for teens and one for adults.
The warmth of natural light is also very important to the design.
Windows and cathedral ceilings will open the space and bring light from north and south, with shades at the ready to control any glare.