IDESON LIBRARY EXPANSION BREAKS GROUND

HOUSTON — Groundbreaking occurred yesterday for the expansion of the historic Julia Ideson Library building, located at 500 McKinney, adjacent to Houston’s City Hall. The Spanish Renaissance-style building was constructed in 1926, but the Great Depression put plans for a south wing and rear garden on hold. New construction will complete these plans, comprising a three-story, 24,500-square-foot archival wing and a new garden that will include an outdoor reading room. In addition, the property’s existing landscaping will be upgraded and the public spaces of the original 61,7000-square-foot building will be restored. Existing space scheduled for renovation includes the second-floor reading room, meeting rooms, library offices and workspaces. The project is being completed in anticipation of LEED-Silver certification. Completion of the addition is scheduled for the end of 2009, and the restoration of the existing building is scheduled to begin in 2010. Houston-based Gensler is serving as project architect; Austin, Texas-based TBG Partners is serving as landscape architect; and the Houston office of SpawMaxwell is providing construction management services. Financing for the project was obtained by the non-profit group Julia Ideson Library Preservation Partners. The group launched a $38 million capital campaign in late 2006 to fund the project, and has now reached more than 50 percent of its fundraising goal.