BSSW Architects is designing a major renovation to the South County Regional Library in Estero, which opened in 1996 as Lee County’s first regional library. The renovations include design, mechanical and technological upgrades to the one-story, 32,343-square foot facility.
BSSW is providing complete architectural, engineering and interior design services for the project. Interior renovations will help maximize usable space without expanding the building’s footprint, while upgrades to mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems will bring the facility to current operating standards. The project also includes the installation of an automated material handler that uses bar codes to process and sort books, DVDs and other materials after they are returned to the library. Additionally, plans for exterior renovations include improvements to traffic flow and accessibility, as well as exterior upgrades.
“The public library of today is no longer just a repository for books and periodicals,” said BSSW Principal Architect Kevin Williams, AIA. “While there is still a literary focus, today’s libraries serve their communities with a much broader range of services and accommodations. Whether providing social services or as a community gathering place that brings people together to learn and share ideas, the library should reflect the communities they serve, something BSSW Architects excels at doing.”
In addition to this commission of re-imagining the South County Regional Library, which is located on Three Oaks Parkway in Estero, BSSW’s portfolio of libraries in Lee County includes the Bonita Springs Public Library, North Fort Myers Public Library, Fort Myers Regional Library, East County Regional Library, Northwest Regional Library and Lakes Regional Library. In Collier County, BSSW designed the North Regional Library on Orange Blossom Parkway, as well as completed work at other public libraries in Naples, Immokalee and Marco Island.
Construction on the South County Regional Library is expected to begin in mid-2023 with completion in mid-2024.
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