When Walmart abandoned a store space in McAllen, Texas, for a larger property, the city didn't let the lot sit vacant. In one truly impressive before and after, the mega-chain's old building has been transformed into a beautifully designed and decorated 123,000-square-foot public library.
Just as the Walmart had moved on to a space better suited to the company's needs, this project allowed the city to offer an expanded and modernized version of its previous main library. The new and improved version includes not only practical details, such as more outlets for laptops, but also designer touches like Marimekko wallpaper. This attention to detail and creative reuse won library the overall prize for the 2012 Library Interior Design Awards.
My best friend recently toured the McAllen Public Library and wrote about the building's transformation. Read more about the library and her visit in The New York Times, and see a before and after video on the library's website.
(Images: Lara Swimmer via the International Interior Design Association and Slate)
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When I was a kid, our library temporarily moved to an abandoned Kroger (grocery) store while they tore down the old (tiny) library and built a big new one. They certainly didn't put the time and attention into it that this library has since it was only going to be used for about two years.
oh my goodness, so amazing!
If only ALL Walmarts would be abandoned
Who wouldn't want to spend time in a place that beautiful. What a great way to bring people back into libraries.
Also, the Daily Mail posted a lot of pics in their own story on the new library too - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2169498/McAllen-Public-Library-Revealed-How-Texas-town-turned-abandoned-Walmart-massive-award-winning-public-library-good-read.html (can they make their URLs any longer?). I'm so proud of McAllen for making this happen - The Valley needs all the literacy help it can get, and apparently this is one of the best places to go for just about everyone in the town now.
And if my own hometown library was as big and airy and colorful and also had a cafe selling coffee and other goods, I'd probably spend a boatload more time there as well.
the same thing happened in my home town too - only it was a large safeway grocery store. you cant even tell now
http://www.hparch.com/libraries/philip-s-miller-library/
I second EDMUNDD: 'If only ALL Walmarts would be abandoned'.
Wow, this is the first time I have every wanted to go into a Walmart!
There is an abandoned Walmart where I live. Our new library is not going there, but I think the High School should! The highschool is desparate for safety upgrades; the whole place is falling apart. The parking lot is so big you can fit a football field in it. But my town is anti-progressive and stupid and methinks the asphalt lawn will remain for always.
Almost as nice as the renovation of MY library (which I was project manager for!) ;^) (OK, maybe a little better!!) What a great way to get lots of space, something existing libraries seldom have enough of.
@Amandasg, we made a place where people can bring in their coffee (a Dunkin Donuts is half a block away) but not having full time maintenance staff for cleanup of spills, etc., we can't have a full-service cafe. A lot of libraries are pulling back from that part of the "bookstore model" for reasons of practicality. However, we do offer free wi-fi and you can bring your own beverages into our "cafe" zone, so many people find that enough!
creating an inviting and inspiring library space is ALWAYS money well spent. When Vancouver ditched its old library, now several years ago, they went with a bold new design for a 'Library Square'. Usage immediately went up dramatically and it's still an amazing place to behold and to be in. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Public_Library#Central_Branch_and_Library_Square
Neat!
Major, major kudos to McAllen! I really hope this becomes an example for other cities.
This is so awesome. Love it.
If should all come and see it the colors are eye popping and the place is just wonderful i have been to it several times and i just love the fact that the city did this for us to use, and at night the frosted glass windows change colors...