San José’s Santa Teresa Branch Library Breaks Ground for Expansion
Community Celebration Kicks Off 15th Library Branch Bond Construction Project
January 12, 2008 -
Residents joined city and library officials today to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Santa Teresa Branch Library, which serves the southernmost region of San José. The event marks start of construction on a 22,000 sq. ft. facility replacing the original 13,860 sq. ft. library that opened in 1984.
"The new Santa Teresa branch library will be the fifteenth new branch library that is being built thanks to our residents' support," said Mayor Chuck Reed. "Once built, it will be a valuable resource for residents of San Jose's southern-most neighborhoods and citywide."
The unique design by the international firm of STUDIOS Architcture, working out of offices based in San Francsico, CA, takes full advantage of the open nature of the site, using lots of glass to create light-filled spaces while incorporating features that have become standard for all new library construction in San José. Highlights of the new branch will include an Internet Café, Community Living Room with a fireplace, Technology Center, Teen Room, Group and Quiet Study Areas, and a Community Room that will accommodate 100 persons, as well as significantly more space inside for seating, collections and computers.
"The old Santa Teresa Library was a very 'high use' branch serving the Santa Teresa and Blossom Valley communities and, for a time, the most highly used branch in the City of San José. This high demand called for a new library at the Santa Teresa site," said Councilmember Forrest Williams. "The community participated in the outreach process and provided valuable input that defined the design of the NEW Santa Teresa Library. I am very excited about this NEW library and what it brings to the residents of District 2 and the City of San Jose."
The new Santa Teresa Branch Library will be built on the original site (290 International Circle) and is expected to open in 2009.
Public art for the project will be completed by Béatrice Coron, a French artist with numerous international credits living and working in New York City since 1984. Total project cost is budgeted at $13,618,000 million.
Onset of construction, managed by BRCO Constructors, Inc. (Loomis, CA) also marks the beginning of fundraising efforts to furnish and stock the library for opening day, projected to occur in 2009. Those interested in supporting this effort may contact the San José Public Library Foundation at (408) 808-2174.
Santa Teresa Branch Library is the fifteenth branch library bond project to break ground. The Branch Library Bond Measure, approved in November 2000, provides $212 million over ten years dedicated to the construction of six new and fourteen expanded branch libraries in San José. All but two of the planned projects are now at some stage of design, construction or completion.
For more information, contact:
• Lorraine Oback, San José Public Library, at (408) 808-2176
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