91视频

The Astoria Public Library has completed a renovation that doubled the facility鈥檚 usable interior space to approximately 18,000 square feet while preserving the building鈥檚 mid-century Brutalist architectural character.
The project, completed in September 2025, transformed the 1967 structure at 450 10th St. into a modernized community hub. The building had been determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places due to its association with architect Ebba Wicks Brown.
Rather than expand the building鈥檚 footprint, the project team converted a basement level that had historically served as storage and mechanical space into public areas including meeting rooms, a gallery and program spaces. Mechanical equipment was relocated to the roof to free up additional interior space.
Portions of the concrete facade were selectively removed to introduce new glazing and vertical connections between floors, bringing natural light to lower levels 鈥� a significant challenge in a structure originally defined by narrow slot windows and heavy concrete panels. Digital coordination tools were used extensively to manage drawings and trade partner communication throughout construction.
鈥淲e are really excited for the community to see the new gallery space and the children鈥檚 area, the meeting rooms, the teen room, the public art,鈥� said Suzanne Harold, library director for the City of Astoria, in the Top Projects nomination form. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 feel like the same building.鈥�
The project was delivered under a construction manager/general contractor model, with O鈥橞rien & Company serving as contractor, Hennebery Eddy Architects as design lead, and Otak CPM as owner鈥檚 representative. Limited access points within the existing structure required careful sequencing of demolition and material handling, including crane operations to move equipment into the basement through roof openings.
Safety planning included site-specific job hazard analysis, daily briefings, controlled access zones and lift plans for crane operations. Trade partners participated in regular coordination sessions to identify risks associated with working in confined spaces.
Funding included a voter-approved $8 million bond and a $500,000 matching federal grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, which supported creation of a community humanities center featuring the Astoriana meeting room, a community 鈥淔lag鈥� room and space for local historic archives.
Community input from residents, youth groups, artists and representatives of several local Indigenous cultural groups helped shape the building鈥檚 programming and cultural expression.