The City of San Diego is pushing ahead with its ambitious plan to build a new San Ysidro library, which will be at least three times bigger than the existing one.
City officials have selected a seasoned design-build team, Turner Construction Company and SVA Architects, to begin the process. A single-story, 15,000-square-foot library will replace the existing 4,089 square-foot branch.
It will be located on a 1.62-acre lot, just west of Interstate 805 near Beyer Boulevard on 123 East Seaward Avenue. This transit-friendly development will be only two blocks away from the Beyer Blvd. Trolley Station.
Community input has helped inspire the team to design a cultural beacon for the neighborhood, said city officials. Residents in San Ysidro have been promised a new library for many years.
"A library serves as a point of connection for a city and for members of a community," said John Greenip, Vice President and General Manager of Turner Construction Company, in a statement.
The new branch will help meet the needs of the community with family-friendly areas, an event space and a 1,000-square-foot outdoor patio/terrace. Local artwork will flourish in displays throughout the facility, including the artists and brothers Einar and Jamex De La Torre.
"Turner Construction Company is honored to bring another library to the City of San Diego, particularly in this South Bay community that celebrates the community's distinct character through art," added Greenip.
While working to make the new public space a source of community pride, the design team will also seek sustainable features. The facility will include solar panels, water efficient fixtures and efficient HVAC systems.
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It will also have modern library amenities, access for people with disabilities, an indoor kitchen, an outdoor reading patio and landscaping that complements the building's design, said city officials.
Construction will begin in early 2018. City officials expect the facility to be completed in the spring of 2019.