Concept of Library Space & Services. Source DCPL: https://www.slideshare.net/DCPublicLibrary/dc-public-library-a-new-lamondriggs-library
The Lamond-Riggs Library will be rebuilt at its current location on South Dakota Avenue NE. On June 12, DCPL presented initial concepts for the space and services for the new library. Click the link to view the presentation.
The new library is expected to be roughly 23,000 square feet occupying two floors. One overarching issue is that the current library occupies roughly 50 percent of the current lot, which is over the 40 percent occupany allowed in the current zone. DCPL officials want the new library to likewise occupy 50 percent of the lot, so they will have to go to the Board of Zoning Adjustment to get approval. The new building will be built closer to the South Dakota Avenue property line with setbacks on the sides and rear.
The design team contemplated where to put the entrance. Currently, the entrance sits in between Jefferson and Kennedy. The team orginially thought about placing the entrance closer to Jefferson because that street does not see much traffic. However, there is not a controlled traffic signal at Jefferson and though there is a crosswalk at South Dakota and Jefferson, that crosswalk will likely be removed in the future. Therefore, the design team is leaning towards putting the entrance closer to Kennedy Street.
Parking will likely remain where it currently sits, closer to Kennedy Street across the street from the service station. Current plans project room for 12 spaces. The team is contemplating building a parking lane in front of the library that could possibly accommodate another eight spaces. Those spaces would not be restricted to library parking only.
As for the interior, current plans show a marketplace/neighborhood living room concept upon entering the building, along with an information desk. A large meeting room suitable for 100 people that can be subdivided and a space for children’s services will also be on the first floor. The second floor will have the adult services, smaller study rooms, and what the design team is calling a productivity space that will provide enhanced business services. There could be a small teen space on the second floor. Residents generally seemed fine with this division of space, reiterating the need to have separated children’s space that will allow children to be as loud as they want to be and roam freely in their own space.
Several residents expressed the desire for outdoor space, whether that be on the roof or perhaps balconies. It was hard to tell how seriously the design team is taking this idea. Other newly constructed libraries have beautiful, functional outdoor space, such as Woodridge and Cleveland Park libraries. Several residents also requested a cafe but DCPL Exeuctive Direcotr Richard Reyes-Gavilan stated, DCPL is in the library business not the coffee shop business. He stated that his 25 years of experience in the library business has taught him that the cafe within a library model fails more than it succeeds, so it’s pretty certain there will not be a cafe in the new library.
In the fall, the team expects to present renderings. DCPL is still on track to close the existing library in the first quarter of 2020. Construction will take approximately 18 months, so the new library is expected to open in late 2021. They will announce a location for interim library services closer to the date of construction. Updates on the project are available on the project website at https://www.dclibrary.org/newlamondriggs.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 
Thank you for this accurate and detailed accounting of the June 12, 2019 community engagement meeting hosted by DCPL. I would also add that over 40 individuals attended, including many community leaders representing civic associations, ANCs and even the Cafritz Foundation. I deeply appreciate the involvement of our community in the future of the Lamond-Riggs Library.
Robert T. Oliver, Lamond-Riggs Library Friends President
Thanks for the great summary. I’m totally grateful for this new library and the community input process. I wonder if the architects have considered, however, putting the parking lot in the back (perhaps in the NW corner of the site), and having the library span the entire front of the lot. There could be a separate entrance at the back for those that park, which seems like it’d be pretty easy to accommodate with the first floor “marketplace / living room” concept. Keeping that parking lot fronting South Dakota Ave. seems like a real missed opportunity, particularly with all the great infill and frontage coming by way of the Art Place Phase II project, and the Fort Totten South project.
Dear Mr. Awkab:
Your comments are appreciated. I cannot speak for the architects, but I can forward your comments to them. I will post any responses.
Robert T. Oliver, Lamond-Riggs Library Friends President
Dear Mr. Awkab,
The District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) has provided the following in response to your query.
Thank you for forwarding this feedback regarding the proposed location for parking in Lamond-Riggs Library project.
We understand the desire to relocate the library parking away from the corner it occupies currently (i.e. South Dakota Ave. NE and Kennedy St. NE). In building design, the team must balance a number of goals. To that end, the team explored several parking strategies, including ones that provided parking parallel to South Dakota Avenue at the rear of the lot. The team felt that this location, which utilized one existing curb cut along Kennedy Street, would allow for the building to occupy the corner. However, most of the studies that placed parking at the rear would (a) require an additional curb cut along Jefferson Street to allow for exiting vehicles; (b) obscure parking from the street creating potentially unsafe conditions; and (c) require customers to either walk around the building to enter the building (assuming the entrance is along South Dakota Ave.) or provide a second entrance from the rear which would increase the space dedicated to circulation and require staff to monitor a second entrance.
Keeping parking in its current location ensures parking remains visible, safe and accessible for many customers (e.g. customers using wheelchairs, parents with young children/strollers, the elderly), and; existing curb cuts can be reused, reducing the likelihood of concerns from reviewing agencies.
We are confident that the design of the new Lamond-Riggs Library will be iconic, and will be a welcoming addition to the neighborhood. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have additional feedback for the project. We anticipate our next community meeting will be in the fall.
Martha Saccocio
DC Public Library
Office of Communications
(202) 727-1188
(202) 604-8241
Dear Mr. Oliver,
Thank you so much for sharing my thoughts with DC Public Library, and please also share my thanks with Ms. Saccorcio for her helpful explanation.
I’m glad to hear the design team considered relocating the parking, even if they ultimately weren’t able to (the reasons shared all make sense). Hopefully they can find some other ways to “beautify” the parking lot, to the extent that it’s possible, such as through the use of green landscaping, more environmentally responsible surface materials (aligned to the project’s LEED aims), perhaps a landscaped boundary wall, “architectural” car shade covers, etc.
Thanks as well to NSRP for providing this platform for continued (and virtual) community engagement!