The Lamond-Riggs Interim Library, located at 395 Ingraham Street NE (at the Modern at Art Place), will open for service on June 28, 2021. Images of the interim library are available here.

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From DC Public Library

Starting in late June, the DC Public Library will phase in more services. Over the next four weeks, all locations will open, evening hours will be offered on Thursdays and meeting rooms will be available by reservation. 

The Library’s reopening schedule is:

• On June 28, the Parklands-Turner Library, Rosedale Library and Lamond-Riggs Interim Library will open. 
• On July 12, meeting rooms will be available for public use. Residents can begin reserving rooms on July 6.
• On July 15, the Library’s schedule will shift to offer evening hours on Thursdays.
• On July 19, the Northwest One Library and Takoma Park Library will open.

Starting July 15, the DC Public Library’s schedule will be:

• Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Customers can visit a library location to browse the collection, sit at a table or lounge area and use public computers for 70-minute sessions. In the coming weeks, indoor programming and events will be phased in.

The following measures have been put in place at library locations to mitigate the spread of COVID-19:

• Face masks are required for staff and the public.
• Hand sanitizer is available for staff and the public.

For more information on the Library’s current opening status, click here.

From DC Public Library

Here is a quick update on construction progress from your Library rebuild and what to expect in the weeks ahead specifically for Utility work on Kennedy Street NE.

Here is also the deck presented to ANC Commissioner Damion McDuffie (5A01) at his SMD meeting on May 19, 2021, which includes visuals from Lamond-Riggs Interim Library.

Construction progress update:

• Foundation works is substantially complete
• Offsite Structural Steel fabrication is complete.
• The old underground fuel storage tank has been removed and hauled off.
• Crane is onsite.
• Steel delivery and erection has begun- photo below
• The species for the new replacement tree are being finalized for submission to Urban Forestry & DDOT as part of the Public space permit. 
• DDOT has approved the traffic control plans for utility work required outside the site – more detail and visuals below.  

What to expect in the weeks ahead?

• Construction will continue within the permitted hours of 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Saturday.
  • To make up for the lost weather days, the library has directed Consigli to work Saturdays.
  • Utility work on Kennedy street scheduled to start this week – at the earliest Thursday, June 3.
  • Utility work will be limited to permitted hours of 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM Monday thru Friday. No Saturday work is planned for Utilities.
    • Two lanes of traffic will continue to remain open as per approved traffic control plans.
    • Cones and signs will be set up, and as needed certified flaggers will be stationed.
    • Lanes will be configured day-to-day to allow work to occur in different locations on Kennedy – see visuals below.
    • Pedestrian access at the sidewalk will remain available.
• The steel structure will continue to be erected.
• Underground utility, electrical, and plumbing work will continue.
• Excavators will remain on-site, and concrete trucks & pumps will be scheduled for pour days.
• Trucks will still enter and exit the site via South Dakota Avenue into the construction enclosure from Kennedy St.
• Consigli Construction is taking all necessary measures to run a safe operation, and as with all construction projects, construction-related noise will be part of the process as the team builds your new library.

General questions can be directed to the Library’s Community engagement liaison Martha Saccocio at her email: Martha.Saccocio@dc.gov.

Any time-sensitive Construction Safety Issues can be reported to Consigli Construction Superintendent-Michael Davis at 202.570.3375.

Photo: Steel Structure Erection underway

Approved Traffic Control Plan for Kennedy Street – 4 layouts show specific areas of work where utility work will occur on Kennedy Street within specific date ranges

From Lamond-Riggs Library Friends

Lamond-Riggs Library construction progress update 4/15/2021:

·  All (151) deep foundation piers have been completed.

·  Construction equipment for deep foundations has been demobilized

·  Post deep foundation site re-grade is complete.

·  Offsite Steel fabrication is complete.

·  Temporary utility coordination is underway.

·  As you may recall, from design presentations, the large (Bradford pear) tree closest to the building informed the design concept and the footprint of the new building. As shown in the design phase diagram below, this tree was intended to remain and was safeguarded during demolition. Following the removal of the building, the previously hidden root structure has been under evaluation by Arborist, Urban Forestry, & DDOT and unfortunately as of this week, they all agreed that the tree is a safety hazard and needs to be removed. 

o In consultation with DDOT, an expedited tree removal permit has been filed.

o A distinct mature tree is planned to be transplanted in the proximity of the old tree to keep the design intent intact.

o The exact location and species for the new replacement tree are under consideration and will become clear following ongoing consultation with Urban Forestry & DDOT. 

What to expect in the weeks ahead?

• Construction will continue within the permitted hours of 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Saturday.
• To make up for the lost weather days, the library has directed Consigli to work Saturdays.
• All work will continue to take place within the enclosed construction fence.
• Typical concrete foundations (above the completed deep foundations) are slated to start in the upcoming week and related site work will continue through the month of May.
• Underground utility, electrical, and plumbing work has commenced
• Excavators will remain onsite and concrete trucks & pumps, will be onsite during pour days.
• Trucks will still enter and exit the site via South Dakota Avenue into the construction enclosure from Kennedy St.
• Coordination of utility work in streets is underway, and an update will follow to share the traffic control plans and dates of the work. 
• All trucks will be completely stationed within the site enclosure to limit the disruption to adjoining South Dakota, Kennedy & Jefferson Streets.
• Underground utility, electrical, and plumbing work is slated to overlap foundation work.
• The sidewalk on South Dakota, Jefferson St & Kennedy St. will continue to remain open for the foreseeable future. 
• Consigli Construction is taking all necessary measures to run a safe operation, and as with all construction projects, construction-related noise will be part of the process as the team builds your new library.

Any general questions you receive from the community can be directed to Library’s Community engagement liaison Martha Saccocio at her email: Martha.Saccocio@dc.gov.

Any time-sensitive Construction Safety Issues can be reported to Consigli Construction Superintendent- Michael Davis at 202.570.3375

Below is communication from DC Public Library’s Jaspreet Pahwa to the ANC commissioners and myself regarding Lamond-Riggs Library construction:

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Library project. Here is a quick update on construction progress from your Library rebuild and what to expect in the weeks ahead. 

Construction progress update:

• The building has been demolished and debris hauled off.
• Building Permit received Feb 19, 2021.
• Soil borings under the footprint of the old building ahead of foundation work complete

What to expect in the weeks ahead?

• Construction will continue within the permitted hours of 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Saturday.
• All work will continue to take place within the enclosed construction fence.
• Deep foundation work will be the major activity over the next month. This work will have construction noise associated with it.
• Vibration monitoring equipment is onsite and all readings to date are well within the threshold; alarms are set to alert if vibration approached near the limit of the safe thresholds. 
• Following the completion of the deep foundation work, typical concrete foundation work will commence.  
• There will be additional excavators as well as concrete trucks & pumps onsite
• Trucks will still enter and exit the site via South Dakota Avenue into the construction enclosure from Kennedy St.
• All trucks will be completely stationed within the site enclosure to limit the disruption to adjoining South Dakota, Kennedy & Jefferson Streets.
• Underground utility, electrical, and plumbing work is slated to overlap foundation work.
• The sidewalk on South Dakota, Jefferson St & Kennedy St. will continue to remain open for the foreseeable future. 
• Consigli Construction is taking all necessary measures to run a safe operation, and as with all construction projects, construction-related noise will be part of the process as the team builds your new library.

As shared previously, as the Library’s Design & Construction lead, I will continue to send updates your way and remain available to answer any technical questions that arise.  

Any general questions you receive from the community can be directed to Library’s Community engagement liaison Martha Saccocio at her email: Martha.Saccocio@dc.gov.

Any time-sensitive Construction Safety Issues can be reported to Consigli Construction Superintendent- Michael Davis at 202.570.3375.

Here are a few shots of the building completely gone and soil boring equipment onsite:

As expected, at its public hearing on January 13, 2021, the DC Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) voted 4-0-1 (one seat vacant) to approve special exceptions to lot occupancy and minimum vehicle parking requirements for building of the new Lamond-Riggs Library at 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE. The BZA case number is 20392.

The lot occupancy limit in the R-2 zone in which the library sits is 40 percent. The former library occupied 47 percent of the lot. The new library will occupy 49.5 percent of the lot. The library is required to have 11 parking spaces. The former library technically met that requirement, but one space was a noncompliant handicap parking space and one space had limited access because of where it was located next to the library’s dumpster. The new library will have 9 vehicle parking spaces, which will include a fully compliant handicap parking space.

The library received letters in support of the requested relief from ANC 5A (the ANC in which the library sits) and ANC 4B (the affected ANC just across the street from the library). The DC Office of Planning also submitted a report in support of the library.

Because the relief requested included a reduction in the required number of vehicle parking spaces, the DC Department of Transportation required a transportation demand management plan with three elements: (1) four long-term bike spaces for library employees; (2) six short-term bike parking spaces; (3) and a bike repair station adjacent to the short-term bike parking accessible to the community and library visitors. Library representatives agreed to those conditions.

With this issue out of the way, the library team can now move on to construction. Designs for the new library are available on the project website at https://www.dclibrary.org/newlamondriggs.

As noted several times on the blog, there is a lot of construction activity along the corridor. Razing of the old Lamond-Riggs Library is ongoing. Construction is ongoing on the second phase of Art Place at Fort Totten just across the street from the library on South Dakota Avenue NE. Just to the north of the library across Kennedy Street NE, EYA is constructing new townhomes at the southeast corner of South Dakota Avenue and Riggs Road NE. And fencing has gone up around the closed KFC/Taco Bell and former Dakota Liquors on the corner of 3rd Street and Riggs Road NE where a new Chick-fil-A will be built. I have been told that the Chick-fil-A construction team has advised neighboring businesses that razing of those buildings will be taking place soon, though they did not provide an exact date.

By Robert Oliver, President of Lamond-Riggs Library Friends

January 4, 2021, marked the end of an era for the Lamond-Riggs Community Library at 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE. Razing of the library began at 10:40 am. The old library will be replaced with a new $20 million library developed by the design/build team of HGA, an architectural firm, and Consigli Construction. Construction is estimated to take 18 months, so the new Lamond-Riggs Library could open by late spring 2022.

The original building, a $2 million facility, opened on October 24, 1983. Despite community efforts and the need for a library, over 20 years had passed before Congressional approval and funding were obtained. The design/build team of architects Bryant & Bryant and A. A. Beiro Construction Company brought the original library to life. 

Charles I. Bryant, the eldest of the architectural team, is well regarded in his field. He has been honored as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), which is bestowed to those who have made outstanding contributions to the profession. Locally, Mr. Bryant’s work includes Dunbar Senior High School, the University of the District of Columbia Van Ness Campus, and the Howard University Cancer Center. 

The razing of the old Lamond-Riggs Library is expected to take several weeks and end in late February. DC Public Library (DCPL) officials are aware of the impact of construction in a residential community, so to minimize the impact, the building will be slowly dismantled and the debris hauled away.

DCPL will meet with the DC Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) on January 13, 2021, to request special exceptions to lot occupancy and minimum vehicle parking requirements. To show community support, DCPL obtained letters of support from both ANC 4B and 5A inNovember 2020. Construction of the new Lamond-Riggs Library can begin once BZA grants the exceptions and the razing is complete.

The project website is https://www.dclibrary.org/newlamondriggs. 

By Robert Oliver, President of the Lamond-Riggs Library Friends

The Lamond-Riggs Library has received a Christmas gift from the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). The long sought after raze permit has finally arrived, and now we can look forward to demolition of the old building. However, a ruling from the DC Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) may be required before new construction can begin.   

DC Public Library (DCPL) will appear before the BZA on January 13, 2021, to request relief for a special exception. The Lamond-Riggs Library is zoned as R-2, which mandates a 40% lot occupancy limit. DCPL will request a slight increase in lot occupancy to accommodate the new library, as well as relief from the minimum parking requirements. In support of this effort, DCPL and HGA, the architectural firm, have secured letters of support from ANC 4B and ANC 5A. The BZA meeting should be a straightforward affair.

The opening date of the new Lamond-Riggs Library ranges from late 2021 to early 2022. HGA had previously cited an opening of late 2021 during its presentation to ANC 4B on November 23, 2020. However, the presentation gave a construction start of Spring/Summer 2020. I believe an opening in early 2022 is more likely since construction has yet to start. In either case, the community will have a new Lamond-Riggs Library that it can be proud of!

DC Public Library is soliciting input on how the library system can support residents during the summer and beyond. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey at this link and let your neighbors know.

On May 20, 2020, DC Public Library officials held the final design meeting for the Lamond-Riggs Library, which will be completely rebuilt at 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE. HGA and Consigli are the design/build team. View the presentation here.

The design seeks to highlight some of the things residents said they wanted in a new library, such as lots of natural light, quiet spaces, having a place to highlight local history, and having a “wow” factor inside and outside. As noted in this post, the final design incorporates feedback from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. They have added more trees and a canopy for more shade for the outdoor seating areas, simplified the material and color palette, and extended the building facade further along South Dakota Avenue by reconfiguring the parking lot. To be code compliant, they will remove the curb cut closest to the South Dakota Avenue/Kennedy Street NE intersection resulting in just one vehicular entrance and exit to the site. The one commission recomendation the design team pushed back on was retention of what the design team referred to as the heritage tree. The commission questioned the need for retaining the tree given its health and placement on the site close to the corner of Jefferson Street. The design team felt it was important to retain the tree because it informs much of the design concept. So the tree will remain.

The project remains fully funded. The next steps are for the library to move the furniture and collections out of the existing location, conduct hazardous material abatement, disconnect utilities, and apply for a raze permit. From there, construction should move full steam ahead with completion expected late 2021. As noted many times by many people, this will be one of a few large active construction projects in the immediate vicinity over the next one to two years. DCPL officials and the construction team stated they will follow DDOT construction guidelines and convey road and sidewalk closures in advance to the community.

An interim library has been established at one of the retail locations at the Modern at Art Place at 395 Ingraham Street NE, just off South Dakota Avenue. Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, all DC library facilities remain closed to the public. When facilities are permitted to open, the interim library will open with appropriate public health guidelines in place.

The project website is dclibrary.org/newlamondriggs. Questions and comments may be sent to martha.saccocio@dc.gov.

So long to the old library.

Lamond-Riggs Library Community Meeting
May 20, 2020
6:00 pm

Join your friends and neighbors for a virtual community meeting about the Lamond-Riggs Library project. The design team will:

• Share final designs for the new library
• Provide a project timeline
• Talk about what to expect during construction
• Gather community feedback and answer questions

This meeting will be held online. Please click on this link to join the meeting.

Meeting attendees will be muted and their cameras will be turned off. Attendees will be able to see and hear the presentation, but the presenters will not be able to see or hear the attendees. During the Q&A portion of the meeting, attendees can type questions into the chat window or ask to have their microphone unmuted to ask their question verbally.

Learn more about this project at dclibrary.org/newlamondriggs

By David Kosub (Contributor)

As part of the redevelopment of the Lamond-Riggs Neighborhood Library, the proposed design plans were presented to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts on January 16, 2020, and again on April 16, 2020 (agenda and meeting presentation here with minutes expected in May/June). Below is an excerpt from the Commission’s letter to the DC Public Library (DCPL) on April 23, 2020, following the April meeting indicating they approved the final plans.

The Commission of Fine Arts approved, based on its prior review of the submission materials, the proposed final design for the replacement of the Lamond-Riggs Neighborhood Library, located at 5401 South Dakota Avenue, NE. The Commission members expressed appreciation for the project team’s responsiveness to their previous guidance, including clarification of the architectural details and materials and the refinement of the site plan in order to create a sequence of south-facing public spaces that extend the library’s uses through shady, semi-enclosed outdoor rooms.

A recap of the January 2020 Commission of Fine Arts meeting is available here where they reviewed the proposed concept and made some suggestions to DCPL. The “previous guidance” referenced above relates to the following:  

• Prioritize retaining the proposed perforated aluminum facade screen as it is essential to the overall design concept
• Requested additional documentation of the perforated screen and its connection to the curtainwall system, as well as the typical details for the various components of the facades
• Plant additional trees on the site to extend the concept of the abstract trees depicted on the facade screen (intended to be reminiscent of the landscape across the street that will soon be lost to a new mixed-use development) into the actual landscape of the library
• Reconceive the proposed parking lot to be a part of the landscape, rather than keeping it as standard pavement, be pervious, and reconfigured to allow for the possible extension of the building’s facade further along the South Dakota Avenue frontage, as well as for the inclusion of additional plantings, such as shade trees, near this corner
• Include a canopy and planting more trees to provide shade for the proposed outdoor seating
• Refine and simplify the proposed material palette to bring additional continuity to the ground plane and furnishings.

ETA: The project website is https://www.dclibrary.org/newlamondriggs

By Robert Oliver (Contributor)

On Tuesday, November 19, over 40 community members met at the Lamond-Riggs Library to attend the latest community engagement meeting on the new Lamond-Riggs Library design. DC Public Library Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan hosted the meeting and introduced the HGA architect team led by Peter Cook, Design Principal.

Mr. Reyes-Gavilan gave a brief summary of the project timeline. He stated that the Lamond-Riggs Library project began in fall 2017, has a projected closing of summer 2020, and will reopen by late 2021. He also thanked his team and the Lamond-Riggs Library Friends for the work done so far. Next, Mr. Cook spoke.

Mr. Cook cited that the community emphasized three elements which, in turn, drove the design process: Natural Light, Quiet Spaces, and Local History. Then, he touched upon the site and building considerations faced by his team. Although the current site looks spacious, it contains three setbacks (two at 15’ and one at 20’) that frame the building’s size to 11,800 square feet per floor. Based on these restrictions and a heritage tree on Jefferson Street NE, the current parking lot size and location was deemed optimal. The library entrance will be moved closer to Kennedy Street, shortening the walk to the parking lot. Also, the building contour was modified from a rectangle to a parallelogram, with children’s and adult/teen programming on the first and second floors, respectively. Lastly, the building will feature a ground-level front porch, second floor balcony facing Jefferson Street NE, and a stormwater garden at the rear. 

The interior features a 100-seat, dividable meeting room and a smaller room supporting 12 to 20 occupants. Several study rooms are planned that support between four and six occupants. To address community history, Mr. Cook suggested the concept of a Heritage Wall that the community will develop. Before taking questions, Mr. Cook welcomed community input on the project.

The following are responses to audience questions:

• The number of parking spaces remains the same, which is estimated at 11.
• A bus stop at South Dakota Avenue and Kennedy Street NE was requested. WMATA makes the ultimate decision.
• A bump-out at the intersection of South Dakota Avenue and Jefferson Street NE was requested.  It will be looked into.
• Food will be allowed in the library per current policy.
• A room for the Lamond-Riggs Library Friends is allocated.
• A request for more books in Chinese, Spanish and other languages was made.
• The new library will meet the LEED Silver standard, but no green roof will be installed.
• Additional artwork, including sculpture, is under consideration.
• The interim library will be located at the Modern at Art Place, pending execution of a lease agreement.

View the full presentation at https://www.slideshare.net/DCPublicLibrary/dc-public-library-new-lamondriggs-library.

The project website is https://www.dclibrary.org/newlamondriggs.

Lamond-Riggs Library Community Meeting: Design of the New Library
November 19, 2019
7:00 PM
Lamond-Riggs Library
5401 South Dakota Avenue NE

Join your friends and neighbors for the next meeting about the new Lamond-Riggs Library. The design team will share the latest designs and gather your feedback. Learn more about the project at dclibrary.org/newlamondriggs.

SAVE THE DATE

Lamond-Riggs Library Community Meeting: Design of the New Library
November 19, 2019
7:00 PM
Lamond-Riggs Library
5401 South Dakota Avenue NE

Join your friends and neighbors for the next meeting about the new Lamond-Riggs Library. The design team will share the latest designs and gather your feedback. Learn more about the project at dclibrary.org/newlamondriggs.

By David Kosub (Contributor)

Robert Oliver has been a fixture in our community for decades. He is the type of person with a deep knowledge of the community, will rally folks to address a community concern, ask many questions during community meetings, and will  be seen out and about at community events. But, how well do you really know him?

Join us today for this Next Stop Neighbors episode where we have a porch conversation with Mr. Oliver, We’ll hear about some crazy July 4th parties, his activism to get a paved trail connecting North Michigan Park with Fort Totten metro, learn why he always has enough change to take a bus, some info on the status of the Lamond-Riggs Library redevelopment…and best of all, some magic too!

Click here to listen to the conversation (running time: 12 minutes)

Background on Next Stop Neighbors:

Welcome to Next Stop Neighbors where we get an opportunity to hear the voices behind the faces and places in Lamond-Riggs and the surrounding communities. Through this podcast series, you will meet some friendly neighbors and hear their perspectives on the community through civil, casual conversations. From the small business owner who just opened up, to the non-profit organization trying to make a difference, to the community leader describing their vision for the neighborhood, and the resident around the corner who has lived here for 50 years, we all have a story to tell. We welcome recommendations and, better yet, your own 10-minute interviews too!

Can’t get enough Next Stop Neighbors? Check out these past conversations for more:

Soon-to-Be Moms and Soon-to-Be Dads (September 2019)
Explore! Children’s Museum (August 2019)
Troka Insurance (July 2019)
Ms. V and Culture Coffee Too (July 2019)
Bertie Backus Urban Food Hub (June 2019)
LRCA Forward Team (April 2019)
Ramdass Pharmacy (March 2019)

Congresswoman Norton Office Hours
October 4, 2019
2:00 pm-4:00 pm
Lamond-Riggs Library
5401 South Dakota Avenue NE

Congresswoman Eleanore Holmes Norton’s staff will be on hand on Friday, October 4, 2019 for office hours from 2 pm to 4 pm just outside Meeting Room 1 (Children’s Area). This is for any member of the community that is experiencing a problem with a federal agency, such as Social Security for example, and wants to open a case to address the problem.

Join dogs from People Animals Love (P.A.L.) for a special story hour on the first and fourth Tuesday of each month featuring an opportunity for children to meet and read with dogs. P.A.L. story hours provide a great way for your budding reader to get some reading practice in with an attentive and patient audience. 

Lamond-Riggs Library is located at 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE. Find a calendar of events with activities for all ages at https://www.dclibrary.org/lamond

Norton in Your Neighborhood
September 24, 2019
7:00 pm
Lamond-Riggs Library
5401 South Dakota Avenue NE

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton will hold a community event, Norton in Your Neighborhood, at 7:00 pm at the Lamond-Riggs Library.  Congresswoman Norton will discuss recent issues she has been engaged in on behalf of District residents and take questions from the audience. All are invited to join neighbors at the library for an evening of civic engagement.