The historic Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, built in 1939 upon the ashes of the University’s first library, Rotunda, which was destroyed in the Civil War, is getting a much-needed multi-phased renovation.
For the past two years, officials with University Libraries have worked on a conceptual design for the library. After receiving UA Board of Trustee approval for phase one of the renovations, the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library Core Support Project is moving forward.
“Our goal, if funding is available and we can move through the process, is that we’d like to have a renovated building that provides modern, efficient study space for the students and addresses all infrastructure needs of the building as well,” said Harriet Deason, director of administrative services for University Libraries.
Before the architecture for the project puts out bids to contractors on the building’s bathroom upgrades, Deason said they’d like input from students, faculty and staff on what the bathroom finishes should look like.
From now until Dec. 19, students, faculty and staff are encouraged to vote on what tile, paint, countertops, walls, stalls and flooring should be used in the bathroom renovations.
Near the first-floor elevator at Gorgas Library, there’s a ballot box with five samples displayed of each potential finish for the tiles, paint, countertops, walls, stalls and flooring. Students, faculty and staff are asked to look at each sample and drop their vote for each one into the ballot box.
The first phase of the project is scheduled to begin in May 2019 with an estimated completion time of two to three years.
Phase one will include the following:
- Replacing the existing staff elevator to make it a ADA compliant passenger elevator that will serve all 10 floors of the library
- Replacing the cars and controls in the two passenger elevators
- Updating the restrooms on the first and second floors by adding more stalls, adding a nursing mothers room outside the first restroom on the first floor and making them ADA compliant, which includes enlarging the restrooms to make enough wheelchair turnaround space
“Amelia needs a facelift, and you can participate with her transformation,” Deason said.
The library will remain open throughout each phase of the renovations.