DOWAGIAC — Dowagiac District Library leaders’ planned expansion and restoration of its original Carnegie-style front entrance received a shining — and important — endorsement from the city council this week.

Library Director Matt Weston presented the two concepts the board is considering for a possible overhaul to its facility on Commercial Street to members of the Dowagiac City Council Monday at city hall. Several council members and other Dowagiac leaders shared their opinions about the proposed expansion and redesign — feedback they hope the library board will consider when they vote on which of the two designs to pursue next month.

Joining Weston for his presentation Monday was Dowagiac District Library Board Chair Judy Lawrence. The two showed members the pair of ideas that architects with HBM had created for the possible expansion of the library: the first, a single-story addition that would be built where the library’s current rear parking lot is located, and the second, a two-story addition, also in the back of the building.

Both extensions would add 10,000 square feet to the library’s footprint, which will allow patrons to have more space for meetings, studying or quiet reading compared to the current building, Weston said. The expanded building — 15,000 square feet in total — would also give staff more space for presentations and programs, and would allow them to line the shelves with additional books and other materials.

Another goal of the project is to demolish the 1973 addition to the building in order to bring back the original 1904 Carnegie-style entrance. Instead of entering the library from below ground level, like patrons do now, they would walk up a flight of stairs into the main lobby, which would evoke feelings of “ascending to knowledge” that architects of Carnegie libraries intended more than a century ago, Weston said.

The library has been working with Cleveland-based HBM — a firm that specializes in Carnegie-style libraries — since last year for the project. The library hosted a series of public brainstorming sessions last summer to gather feedback from local residents on what they would like to see from an expanded Dowagiac District Library. One of their chief requests was to bring back the original entrance.

“They would really like to see the original building, since it’s part of the city, and see that front get restored,” Weston said.

Although both the single- and two-story plans would add the same amount of space to the library, the first would take up more space, slightly limiting the amount of parking the library could offer. The two-story plan would also allow the library to add more landscaping surrounding the structure, though this would also require additional money to maintain, Weston said.

Ward 3 Councilman Charles Burling threw his support behind the two-story idea, as it would blend in more seamlessly with the original Carnegie building, he said.

“I think it will add immensely to the reconstruction of [Commercial Street] and the improvements we did there,” Burling said. “The visual from Division Street will be just stunning.”

Mayor Don Lyons also expressed a desire to see the library board pursue the second design, as he agreed with Burling’s assessment that the two-story structure would flow better with the profile of the current structure. The mayor asked that Weston share with the library board the council’s preference for the second proposal, and that the city leaders would like to keep informed on the progress of the project. 

When asked by City Manager Kevin Anderson about a possible timeframe for construction, Weston said that the library board will decide on which plan to implement during its next meeting, on Feb. 13. Following the board’s vote, the library will begin working with local residents to promote a millage for placement on the August midterm election ballot, in order to raise the estimated $3 million or more to fund the project.

Lawrence added that the board is hoping to have construction wrapped up by 2020, if all goes according to plan.

Ward 2 Councilman Bob Schurr said he was happy to see the vision library leaders have for the future of the building, and hopes that the citizens vote to make the expansion happen.

“I think everyone on this council wishes you the best,” Schurr said. “Most of us here are Dowagiac people, old timers, who have some real love for that library.”

“It would be a wonderful addition,” Lyons added. “It would give a statement on what kind of community we are as well.”