The wait is over: St. Petersburg’s Main Library will soon reopen after a 54-month hiatus.
The city announced Wednesday that the “reimagined” library, renamed after President Barack Obama in February 2021, will reopen Saturday, Sept. 27. Mayor Ken Welch and his administration expressed excitement for the community to attend a Welcome Back Ribbon-Cutting event at 9 a.m.
Residents can then peruse the “fully-modernized, 4,400-square-foot hub” for the first time since the institution closed in March 2021 for long-overdue repairs. The facility now boasts new spaces for programming, community use and connecting.
“The reopening of the long-awaited President Barack Obama Main Library marks a proud moment for St. Petersburg,” Welch said in a prepared statement. “I want to thank our city staff for their hard work in getting this project completed.
“This modernized space will serve as a resource for all who live, learn and grow in our city, providing access to knowledge, technology and opportunity for every member of the community.”
The library will open seven days a week at 3745 9th Ave. N., in St. Petersburg’s North Kenwood neighborhood. Its new extended hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
A new emergency generator will ensure system-wide operations and Wi-Fi remain online during power outages. Visitors will see an abundance of changes, starting with a refreshed facade and new landscaping.
The interior will feature large and small conference rooms; an auditorium for performances, presentations, and programming; public art that explores parallels between Obama’s childhood in Hawaii and the water surrounding St. Pete; a cafe with coffee, tea and snacks from by a local small business; a bookstore with a curated collection of donated books; a “Create to Innovate” space with tools and equipment for makers; separate children’s areas for programming, story hours and activities; a quiet room for one-on-one parent care; a teen room with gaming systems, computers and “a lounge vibe;” and a functional mezzanine with a computer lab and six study rooms for “taking calls, working space and tutoring.”
“This space has always belonged to the people of St. Pete, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience how it’s been reimagined for today’s needs and tomorrow’s possibilities,” said Beth Lindsay, Director of Libraries.
Stakeholders endured an arduous journey to reach this point. The renovation project’s costs increased from roughly $7.2 million to $13 million and, finally, to over $17 million, as of early July.
The former mayoral administration signed an architectural and engineering contract with St. Petersburg-based G2 Design in November 2020. The firm’s work concluded nearly five years later.
Legendary St. Pete architect William Harvard designed the library, which opened in 1964. The building underwent asbestos removal in the 1980s; city officials thought an encapsulated section of asbestos remained under its roof.
However, when the renovation project began in April 2021 under former Mayor Rick Kriseman, contractors found exponentially more of the carcinogenic material than expected. It had also seeped into the walls, and while stakeholders initially expected construction to conclude by early 2023, the asbestos abatement process took precedence over any other repairs or remodeling.
Welch decided to take advantage of the delay and additional work by expanding the generational project’s scope in April 2022. The city council approved $13.04 million in supplemental appropriations in July 2023.
At the time, former Councilmember Ed Montanari noted that “we value education here in our city.” He called a state-of-the-art library that entices people to expand their minds “foundational to our city.”
“I know it hasn’t been easy,” added Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders. “But we’re going to ride it out, and we’re going to ride it out with you. Because one of the things that we have to continue to strive for is the love of reading and our books, and making sure they are accessible to the community.”
Welch and several city officials, civic leaders and local partners will “welcome everyone back to a new space that celebrates St. Pete’s storied past and bright future” at the Sept. 27 ribbon-cutting ceremony. The library will also host a larger grand reopening celebration in November with family-friendly activities, interactive programming and “opportunities to connect with the community.”
Wednesday’s announcement notes that the “Looking Out” art installation by Benjamin Butler will include a quote from Obama: “I spent my childhood on those shores, looking out over the endless ocean, and was humbled by it.”
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com.
