urbanMSP

http://www.mndaily.com/news/campus/2013 ... r-relocate

Dinkytown library could renovate or relocate

Plans for a new Southeast Library are in the beginning stages.

By Meritte Dahl April 22, 2013

Hennepin County has taken the first step toward potentially relocating the public library in Dinkytown.

The county is assessing whether to remodel or relocate the Southeast Library, said Hennepin County Capital Projects project manager Kelli Koob. In the fall, the county will discuss the decision with community members after examining the condition of the 50-year-old building.

[...]

This factsheet is a month old, but make it seem like they'd prefer to renovate rather than relocate. I would as well. I think there should be one Rapson building in the campus area that's good at what it's used for.

I don't know...is this library really necessary? It has extremely limited hours and selling the land would fetch a pretty penny for the county to use on other things, namely increasing security and staff at Minneapolis Central Library and expanding hours elsewhere. This location is so close to Central (as well as the University's Walter Library) I just don't think it can be justified. Central is a 10 minute bus ride away. If they're talking about relocating it further north in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood, you're only getting that much closer to Central.

The only way I could support a new library on this same site is if it was part of a mixed use development like St. Paul's Rondo Library at University & Dale. Shame that Hennepin didn't take that approach for the new Walker (Uptown) branch

Hey, everyone on here knows I'm a fan of as much mixed-use as possible. But I'm sure someone would come on here and tell you that the area is saturated and that the city/county (or the U) shouldn't be adding retail/commercial near a booming population base.

I think another good reason this library is superfluous is that the U has a very extensive library system, and most of the people who live in the area (like 98%) are students. It seems like the plan would be to continue having it be a "library" as we traditionally think of one. But if the county wanted to make it more of a co-working space with meeting rooms, free wi-fi, access to the U and other institution libraries, and a few books targeted at the area's demographics - basically an entrepreneur startup location with business resources, I would understand.

While that all sounds great (and I mean that, not being sarcastic), you have to factor in the limited hours that this small branch library can provide said resources. They can't possibly compete with nearby coffee shops or U libraries for early morning, light nights, or weekends. Having a limited-hours public library at this prime location, given the mostly student population, is just a misallocation of county resources and public dollars. Hell, the county could sell it to a developer with the condition that they include a quasi-public meeting room with the amenities you mentioned. The neighborhood association could locate their offices there and manage it, or something along those lines (if there is even demand for it).

Silophant mentioned it above, but this is one of Rapson's few remaining little gems. It should be preserved as a public building.

This building looks abandoned to me already. I have to agree, there are plenty of libraries and study spaces around campus. At the very least the resources here could be put to better use building another library farther north in a more non-student area, but really I'd say just use these resources in areas where the library could get actual use.

Old news, but related: http://www.preservationnation.org/magaz ... XbG6aKG1iM

"That was a breathtaking assumption that made me say, 'Hold on,'" Schiff says. "Any demolition will require a permit by city council, and there is no interest on city council in demolishing a Rapson gem like the Southeast Library."

Tear down the Guthrie and Southeast Library, leave Riverside Plaza. Alas, poor Rapson.

That's good to hear. If Southeast Library is left standing, maybe the Rarig Center can be torn down sometime in the future. If we're lucky.

Wow, I had no idea that "a third of the 18,000-square-foot library [is] above the ground." Until I read that, I would have thought that the space was better off as a restaurant or something that would make better use of its surprisingly luminous interior. I remember when the buffoons on the library board were considering demolition, but unfortunately I don't think it was ever locally designated - at least it's not listed on the city's list.

I would defend the utility of a library in southeast. It's densely populated enough to justify a closer spacing than would be appropriate in some other parts of the city, and serves a pretty different function from the U of M libraries (assuming there are still undergrads who read non-electronic material). I can see relocating it in a mixed-use building on the other side of campus, though. Too bad HC Lib seems to have an aversion to such. Again, the building itself is worth saving though. I still refuse to go to the Walker for their wasting of the Guthrie.

Looks like they're going with renovation!
http://www.startribune.com/brutalist-li ... 389496651/

Thank God

Yessssssss!

Yes x 1 million.