Artist rending of exterior of upcoming Riverview library replacement

Riverview Library Replacement

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Reading Room

Lobby

Features of New Building

  • 35,000 square feet
  • Impressive Old Florida Grandeur style including shiplap wainscoting, bead board, and ceiling fans
  • 8 meeting rooms
    • Seating capacities from 4 to 150
  • Makerspace for learning, creating, and doing
  • Recording studio with 2 editing suites
  • Early Learning HIVE
  • Covered and screened-in reading porch
  • Plenty of comfortable seating with access to power and Wi-Fi
  • 5,000 square foot separate children’s area
  • Friends of the Library bookstore
  • Vending café
  • Sustainable design/features
    • Designed to silver LEED standards
    • Solar panel power system on roof
    • Electric car charging station
    • Focus on native/drought-resistant landscaping

Design Plans

Final layouts may differ slightly from plans.

Work in Progress

Property being leveled by machinery
Sitework starts, June 2019
Aerial view of cleared property
June 2019
Concrete block structure in progress
The new library begins, November 2019
Crane moving metal framework into place
November 2019
Open concrete foundation
November 2019
Construction materials on grounds
November 2019
Wide view of partially construction building
Work continues, December 2019
Another wide view of construction
December 2019
Interior of concrete structure and roof framework
December 2019
Wide view with pickup truck in front
December 2019
Interior framework with building materials
January 2020
Unfinished concrete block exterior
January 2020
Aerial view of building under construction
January 2020
Aerial view of building under construction
March 2020
Aerial view of building under construction
March 2020
Completed exterior, yellow brick and wood panelling
May 2020
Unfinished large interior room with wood flooring
May 2020
Open interior space with construction crew
May 2020

Inspiration

Inspiration came from old Florida postcards and a 1940s coastal vibe. The interior’s light and airy color pallet of whites, mints, and other shades of soft green are balanced by the richer wood finishes of the beamed ceiling and the furniture. School House style lighting has been specified and this style could provide further inspiration for the furniture whose lively textiles will provide “pops” of vibrant color.

Postcard - On a Florida River
Postcard - A River Scene in the Sunshine State
Postcards courtesy Florida Memory.

Timeline

  • Summer 2020 – Expected completion.
  • April 2019 – Construction start.
  • October 2018 – Construction documents complete and submitted for permitting. Construction bidding to start.
  • July 17, 2018 – Finishes selected at Friends of the Library meeting.
  • December 14, 2017 – Public meeting to present selected site and conceptual overview.
  • November 2017 – Design phase begins.
  • October 2017 – Board of County Commissioners approves request to increase size of replacement building to 35,000 square feet.
  • March 3, 2016 – Public meeting soliciting input on the four possible sites selected for relocation.
  • February 3, 2015 – Public meeting soliciting input regarding boundaries for property search and desired services and amenities of new library.

History

The 8,000 square foot Riverview Library was built in 1979 to serve the populations of Riverview, Gibsonton, and Apollo Beach. In FY18, the Census estimated the population of these areas at 113,000 people and many of them visited the library. In all, 103,810 visitors checked out 203,186 items from this one-room library which is also busy with computer users, program attendees, children and parents, tutors, people needing a place for quiet contemplation, and people looking for an active environment for brainstorming and collaboration. Very few seats have access to power for device charging. Competition for use of the library’s one 55-seat meeting room is fierce. For approximately two months of the year, this room is unavailable for meetings and library programs because it serves as an early voting site for the Supervisor of Elections. The Riverview Library is functionally obsolete and the need for library service in the area has simply outgrown the library’s building and its land.

FAQ

Costs and how building is being paid for
The cost for the new building is estimated at $12.6 million and will be paid for from the Library Capital Projects Fund.
For more information