Madison’s Central Library Project Named Public Works Project of the Year

Award from American Public Works Association

The Madison Central Public Library Renovation and Expansion project has been awarded the prestigious "Public Works Projects of the Year" award for 2014. The American Public Works Association announced the Madison award in the category for structures in the $5 million but less than $25 million range today.

This selection puts the Madison Central Library Renovation and Expansion project in a very elite group of winners. The American Public Works Association as well as the City of Madison and the Madison Public Library are proud to have those on this project epitomize the public works profession and the American Public Works Association.

"This is a great accomplishment and well-deserved recognition for the great work our City Engineering staff did in the design of this building," said Madison Mayor Paul Soglin. "We have an environmentally sound, structurally resilient, incredibly user-friendly structure which was actually recycled from our previous library. Our team did an outstanding job."

Opened in September 2013, the renovation and expansion project features a new 3-story atrium that houses the main entry, circulation stairs and elevators, day lit reading lounges, and a third floor commons area that can be rented for private events after hours. The added partial third floor features an art gallery, public meeting rooms, and private administration offices as well as an outdoor terrace and green roof garden. This modern library offers amenities ranging from dedicated spaces for children and teens, many options for private study and group meetings, a coffee shop, and newer space use concepts including a making space and a high-tech media lab.

The new Central Library meets the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED©) requirements and is targeted for a LEED© Gold rating. In addition to fulfilling important sustainability goals, the new Central Library also has accomplished significant programming goals. The services of the library are now visible from the outside. New larger windows and adjustment of the Central Library program and floor plan have transformed an introverted building to an extroverted building that engages the urban setting it resides in. The majority of the library’s collection was inaccessible to the public in the old library. The collection in the new library is now completely open to the public and much-needed meeting room spaces have been added both for collaboration as well as quiet study. Significant investments in computers and other technology have tripled the amount available to the public. In the new library, the space, furnishings, equipment, and engineering systems are designed to allow flexibility and establish a welcoming environment.

The City of Madison, Findorff General Contractor, and Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd. will each receive a plaque recognizing this achievement. The award ceremony will be held during the American Public Works Association’s annual Awards Recognition Ceremony during the 2014 International Public Works Congress and Exposition to be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on August 18, 2014.