Listen to the full interview below.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Hello and welcome all! I’m Joe, part of the Communications Team at Denver Public Library. Today, we have an exciting interview about the grand reopening of the Central Library in Denver after its extensive renovation. These renovations are the most significant changes to the Central Library since the Michael Graves addition in 1995.
Joe: These renovations are the most significant changes to the Central Library since the Michael Graves addition in 1995. The total cost of the renovation is $59.4 million, with $38 million funded by the 2017 Elevate Denver Bond, $10 million from Denver’s Capital Improvement Fund, $5.75 million from Strong Library, Strong Denver supported by the DPL Fund, and partial funding for the new Teen Library through a Community Project Funding Grant from HUD, secured via the Congressionally Directed Spending process. The remainder of the budget was raised through the Denver Public Library Friends Foundation.
We’re excited to talk about the details of this transformative project. Joining us is Rachel Fewell, the Central Library Director, who will provide us with insights into the renovation process, the challenges faced, and the new features we can all look forward to.
Joe: Central Library has been the cornerstone of our community here in Denver. Can you briefly tell us about the renovation project?
Rachel: We began planning for this renovation in 2016 with a visioning plan and a master plan for the entire building. This was in anticipation of a general obligation bond put forward to voters in 2017, which passed—very exciting! We estimated that a full renovation of the Central Library would cost around $100 million, but we were funded for $38 million. So, part of the process has involved engineering elements out, reprioritizing, and reshuffling to maximize the budget we had. Some elements that were scoped out early were brought back in with additional funding from friends and the city. We also tapped into the DPL fund after voters passed "Strong Library, Strong Denver."
Unlike typical branch renovations, this project has been long and extensive, requiring us to close the building. We wanted to maximize the disruptive projects to avoid further interruptions to our services. We had to navigate significant changes, like service flips and COVID-19 closures, which added to the challenge. We're planning to move back into master planning in 2025 to address elements we couldn't complete initially. Future projects will aim to close parts of the building rather than the entire space.
Joe: You mentioned a few new things happening with the renovation. What would you say are the exciting highlights?
Rachel: Some of the big changes might not seem exciting to everyone, but they are crucial. For example, we redid all of our public restrooms, incorporating more trauma-informed design elements. We also introduced the first bank of public gender-neutral restrooms, with 11 stalls on the first floor associated with our event space. Speaking of which, we now have a beautiful two-story event space called Parkview, overlooking Civic Park, which is a game-changer for hosting events.
We've also revamped the children's space and introduced a dedicated Teen Library, which we never had before. This intentional design mirrors the children's space and supports kids from birth to age 12. We've added new grand staircases to improve accessibility and navigation, and we now have 15 community rooms available for booking.
Joe: The children's space has already been open. How much of a game-changer is having that space, and how has the community responded?
Rachel: The children's space is still on the first floor but has moved closer to Broadway. This change was made with future plans for an outdoor play space in mind. The redesign includes furniture and shelving that are more accessible and attractive to kids, with improved sightlines and visibility. We wanted to create a welcoming urban space for kids living downtown, incorporating natural elements to make it inviting.
The community response has been positive, with many families returning and enjoying the new space. It's been great to see familiar faces and new residents exploring the library. There's some confusion about the Parkview space, as many new residents think it's the entirety of the library. We're working on managing this transition and ensuring everyone feels welcome.
Joe: Phillisophcally, What do you hope Central Library will be for the neighborhood?
Rachel: So, I’m going to tell you a controversial thing, Joe. Our City leadership has been calling Union Station the living room of Denver, I think Central Library is actually the living room of Denver. We allow everyone to come in as long as they want. Spend time here, bring your work, bring their kids, bring your food, whatever you need to do. We are absolutely truly welcoming, wanting everyone from every walk of life to come in to his space. We have half a million square feet of space, we can offer designated areas for different activities and age groups. We aim to be a connection space for all our neighbors. I really want that to become our connection space.
Joe: There’s going to be a grand opening to kick off this excitement. Can you tell us more about that?
Rachel: We're really looking forward to celebrating this renovation with a grand opening. It's a chance for our staff to showcase the changes, highlight the new and existing features, and welcome everyone back. It's an exciting time, and we hope to see everyone there, exploring and connecting with the new Central Library.
Joe: Thank you for your time and for sharing all these exciting updates about the Central Library.
Rachel: Thank you, Joe. It was a pleasure talking about Central with you.
Joe: That wraps up our conversation about the Central Library's incredible renovation and reopening. Join us as we celebrate the reopening of Denver's literary and cultural landmark! After years of anticipation, the Denver Public Library's Central Library is fully reopening its doors to the public in November 2024.
We invite you to Explore Central and celebrate the completion of our major renovation. As we fully reopen Central Library to the community, we are committed to providing a welcoming space where people of all backgrounds can come together to learn, explore, and connect.
For more information about the grand reopening events and new features, visit denlib.org/explorecen. A huge thank you to Rachel for sharing all these fascinating details and what’s to come. Make sure to visit the Central Library and experience it for yourself. Thank you for tuning in, and we’ll see you next time!