(Washington, DC) – Mayor Adrian M. Fenty on Monday announced the District of Columbia Public Library will move forward with the first phase of the proposed Tenley-Janney mixed-used development along Wisconsin Avenue in Northwest. The District will also begin modernization work on the nearby Janney Elementary School in June.
“We are right on top of a Metro station and we think there is enormous potential for this site,” Fenty said. “There is a real opportunity to provide a new state-of-the-art library, new housing, improved playgrounds and green space and a funding stream to support and accelerate the modernization of Janney Elementary.
“At the same time, achieving all these objectives will take careful planning in these tough economic times. We are going to keep working with our development partners to determine the best path forward, but we also want to make sure the residents in this community get the amenities they have been calling for as soon as possible.”
The Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization will substantially accelerate efforts to modernize and expand Janney by engaging an architect by June. Modernization work could begin as soon as December. The office’s facilities plans had previously called for work to begin in 2014.
The Library will move forward in completing designs and construction documents. The Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library will be a two-story, 22,000 square-foot building. Like all other new buildings under construction by the Library, a LEED Silver Certification is expected.
The library was designed by the Freelon Group, who also developed the award-winning design for the new Anacostia Neighborhood Library currently under construction. Forrester Construction is building the library. During construction, services will continue to be provided at the interim library located at 4200 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, four blocks south of the construction site.
While the construction schedule and opening date has not been finalized, the new library is expected to open towards the end of 2010.
"We are pleased that construction is proceeding,” said Ginnie Cooper, chief librarian for the District of Columbia Public Library. “We look forward to opening a new full-service library for the Tenleytown and Friendship Heights Neighborhoods."
"The Board of Library Trustees directed that the Tenley Library move forward as quickly as possible. We also stated that we will continue to work with the mayor and the deputy mayor on mixed use of site," said John Hill, president of the Board of Library Trustees. “We look forward to providing expanded services in a state-of-the-art facility.”
The library will be designed to accommodate future development above and around the facility and the District will continue to work with the Library and its development partner to adjust and refine future plans for the site.