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This update is dedicated
to the ongoing issues
regarding renovations to
the Mount Pleasant
Library.
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DC Public Library Chief
Librarian Disregards
Neighborhood Input
As many of you may know,
The District of Columbia
Public Library (DCPL) is
planning to renovate and
expand the Mount
Pleasant library. Our
library building is the
civic nucleus of our
neighborhood, is one of
our neighborhood's
architectural gems, and
is one of the last
remaining Carnegie
library buildings in the
DCPL system. All agree
that the library needs
to be updated---the
issue is whether the
community served by this
library is permitted to
have input into the
process.
Historic Mount Pleasant
(HMP) first became aware of
the extent of the
renovations being proposed
last October. On October
22,
DCPL held a public
meeting to present the
design for public comment.
At that meeting, the
architects presented a
series of "schematic
designs" for both the
interior and exterior of the
building, showing a large
glass cube attached to the
library's west wing on
Lamont Street. After
the meeting, HMP
representatives introduced
themselves to DCPL personnel
and asked to meet with them
and their architects as soon
as possible. HMP reiterated
this request at the
DCPL Trustees'
meeting in November, at
which time HMP also publicly
expressed opposition
to the design. Other
members of the community and
ANC1-D expressed
similar concerns.
In January, HMP learned from
the
Commission of Fine Arts
that it expected DCPL to
file its plans in early
February and contacted DCPL
again asking to meet with
the architects before those
plans were filed. The
meeting took place on
January 29, at which time we
learned that, at the time of
the October public meeting,
the
architects had
completed the design phase
of their contract. In other
words, the designs were
developed from start to
finish with no meaningful
opportunity for
public participation
and input.
After the meeting, we
contacted other neighborhood
groups - specifically
Mount Pleasant Main Street,
the
Mount Pleasant Neighborhood
Alliance, and
Hear Mount Pleasant -
to make sure they knew what
was going on and to ask for
their support in reopening
the process. Our joint
letter to
Chief Librarian Ginnie
Cooper is attached >>Joint
Letter. ANC1-D has been
adopting resolutions on the
lack of consultation for
almost a year. Other
neighboring
ANCs are also
adopting resolutions. A
variety of players have
contacted
Councilmember Graham
and others about this as
well.
While the initial response
to our letter delivered
Friday, February 6, seemed
positive in the sense that a
community meeting would be
arranged, we have had no
further confirmation of that
so far this week. DCPL met
the February filing deadline
for the
Commission of Fine Arts
hearing Thursday, February
19. We still hope that a
meeting will be arranged and
that DCPL will also agree to
withdraw its application for
a hearing this month.
However, judging from the
way library renovation
projects have gone in other
neighborhoods, we will not
get a positive hearing
unless we make our views
known loud and clear. The
CFA hearing is open
to the public. The
Commission meets at 10 AM in
Room 312 of the
National Building Museum.
The agenda for February 19
will be posted on its
website (www.cfa.gov) this
Friday.
Toward that end, we urge
everyone who is concerned
about the lack of public
participation in, and
particular features of, the
design of major renovations
to our library to make their
views known to DCPL Head
Librarian
Ginnie Cooper, with
copies to Ward One
Councilmember
Jim Graham and
Mayor's Office on
Community Relations &
Services Director
Sarah Latterner.
Their e:mail addresses are
as follows:
ginnie.cooper@dc.gov
jim@grahamwone.com
sarah.latterner@dc.gov
Please feel free to contact
Fay Armstrong with any
questions or comments at
farmstrong@verizon.net.
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