District Budgets $16.5 Million for New Woodridge Library

Mayor Vincent Gray’s 6-year capital spending plan includes $16.5 million to build a new library in Woodridge to replace the aging facility at the corner of 18th Street and Rhode Island Ave NE.

Until now, Ward 5 has been bypassed by the District’s $150 million program to renovate and rebuild libraries. According to Joilette Meeks, Director of Communications for D.C. Public Library (DCPL), 13 new libraries have been built or renovated during the past 6 years. Every ward received at least one of these multi-million dollar modernization projects except Ward 5.

The 6-year capital spending plan calls for the design of Woodridge’s new library to begin in fiscal year 2013. Construction will take place in 2014 and 2015. According to DCPL spokesman George Williams, design proposals from architecture firms will be due by early January. A selection panel made up of library staff and two community members will evaluate the proposals and select the top design by February.

Mr. Williams said the two community members who sit on the panel will be appointed by Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr.

According to Mr. Williams, DCPL is trying to start design work as early as March 2012. However, that is contingent on D.C. Council approval of the architecture contract and DCPL’s ability to bring forward $1.4 million in project funding from 2013 to 2012.

DCPL determined that Woodridge library is out of date and in need of replacement. A facility assessment conducted in October 2010 gave Woodridge library a dismal rating of 24 out of 100 points.

The assessment concluded that the library was in “overall failing condition” and recommended that the District “demolish the existing structure and pursue the design and construction of a new public library.” The assessment recommended that the new library be increased by 4,000 square feet to 23,500 square feet.

DCPL’s library building program includes guidelines for the design of new neighborhood libraries (see box at right). New library buildings must be “a destination, an anchor, a place for learning and meeting that is welcoming and comfortable for the whole community.” This means new libraries must include community meeting rooms, flex space, ADA accessibility, children’s rooms, study rooms, 80,000 books and other library materials, public access computers, laptops, wi-fi and other amenities.

Currently, Woodridge library has 14 public access computers for adults and 3 for children. New neighborhood libraries must have a minimum of 24 public access computers for adults and 8 for children.

Despite positive indications that a new Woodridge library is on the horizon, Ward 5 residents have had their hopes for a new library dashed before.

In fiscal years 2008 and 2009, DCPL’s budget included funding to rebuild both of Ward 5’s libraries, Woodridge and Lamond-Riggs, by the end of 2013. At the time, Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. was chairman of the Council committee on libraries, parks and recreation with authority over library spending.

However, in fiscal year 2010, Mr. Thomas’ committee stripped Ward 5’s libraries of their funding while preserving funding for Francis Gregory library in Ward 7, Petworth library in Ward 4, Mount Pleasant library in Ward 1 and Washington Highlands library in Ward 8.

Earlier this year, Mayor Vincent Gray added funding for a new Woodridge library to the District’s 6-year spending plan.

Councilmember Muriel Bowser, chairman of the Council committee on libraries, parks and recreation during the 2012 budget process, added $500,000 to the 2017 budget to begin planning the renovation of Lamond-Riggs library.