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; scheduled to open fall 2023
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 will be centered here.
On July 6, 2022, the library broke ground on the Operations Center, celebrating the start of construction for this important building.
New features will include:
- A year-round public retail space run by Friends of the Library which will sell donated books and retired library materials.
- 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.
Get a sneak peek at what the new Operations Center will look like with this fly-through.
Keep up to date with this livestream inside the construction site.
Look forward to new art in partnership with the Regional Arts and Culture Council. Community artists will design a mural for the exterior of the building.
