Architects: Hennebery Eddy Architects
Size and location: 73,000 square feet on the site of a former Safeway grocery store (221 NE 122nd Ave, Portland, OR 97230)
Timeline: Construction began summer 2022 ; Opened January 2024
New features
The first real estate purchase for the bond, the Operations Center is the heart of the library, where every item placed on hold is sorted in addition to being the first stop for new books and materials. Plus, items for outreach to schools, shelters and more are centered here.
On July 6, 2022, the library broke ground on the Operations Center, celebrating the start of construction for this important building.
On January 10, 2024, the library celebrated the official opening of the building.
New features include:
- A year-round public retail space called Rose City Reads run by Friends of the Library which carries items that were sold at the big Friends of the Library Spring & Fall book sales along with retired library books (similar to those found at the former Title Wave Used Bookstore).
- Automated Materials Handling technology to help patrons get their materials faster.
- A central location for staff who run programs for early childhood, school-age youth, adult literacy, houseless shelters, new immigrants and more.
- Solar panels to ideally make the building zero energy.
Check out what the new Operations Center looks like with this fly-through.
The building also features new art in partnership with the Portland Street Art Alliance and Regional Arts and Culture Council, including an exterior mural by artist Tenya Rodriguez.
