The Urban Land Institute (ULI) issued its final report on a proposed plan for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (901 G Street) this week, setting the stage for the 40-year-old historic landmark to begin an in-depth analysis to determine the feasibility and cost of implementing the report’s recommended scenarios. Although an analysis of the city’s central library will begin next month, its fate has been discussed for years, particularly as Downtown has become more vibrant and property values have soared.
ULI presented preliminary details of its finding to help guide city leaders and residents in deciding the 400,000-gross-square-foot (GSF) building and MLK Library’s future in November. Without necessarily recommending one proposal over the other, the three scenarios for consideration now on the table are as follows:
• Keep the existing building as a library and lease excess space to another commercial, non-profit or municipal entity
• Maintain the existing building for the library’s complete use
• Sell the building and identify another downtown location for the central library
The DowntownDC BID assisted the DC Public Library in working with ULI, a non-profit research and education organization. According to Richard H. Bradley, the BID’s executive director, “the recommendations represent another important step in determining the best course of action for the library and the city.”
The Freelon Group, a nationally recognized architectural firm and the library’s architect-of-record, will examine how the library can be reconfigured for co-tenancy, add two additional floors, and identify, prioritize and provide cost estimates for needed major improvements. In addition, the library will work with the DC Office of Planning to explore whether there are viable, alternative locations in downtown that can accommodate a 225,000 SF central library.
The final report is available to the public and reference copies will be available to all DC public libraries in the coming months.