The Hyattsville’s public library’s “flying saucer” lived up to its name this morning as construction workers lifted it to a new home on site.
The iconic Space Age-era saucer was the subject of an intense public lobbying campaign to spare it from the wrecking ball as the old library is demolished.
The library’s architects chose to move it from its location at the old library’s entrance along Adelphi Road to an interior courtyard where it will be home to a “reading garden.” It will be on a different part of the property until construction is finished.
Although well-loved among the community — it was the library where Jim Henson first checked out books on puppetry — the 1964 building was past its prime, and renovations would have been more expensive than starting over.
The new $32.7 million library will be a lot more energy efficient, with larger windows and a children’s section with a castle, dragon and troll bridge.
And the saucer, once derided, will keep the city’s connection to its past while serving a better purpose than it had.
While the library is under construction, area residents can check out books at the temporary location at 6502 America Boulevard, across from the movie theater at University Town Center.
Support the Wire and Community Journalism
Make a one-time donation or become a regular supporter here.
View this post on Instagram
Point of order: There was never any study or other actual evaluation made to determine the cost of renovation vs. demolition and replacement. PGCMLS made that claim, but never conducted an assessment that would have backed it up.
That’s a fair point, but it’s still generally true that renovating buildings from this era is almost never cheaper than just starting over.
If it was like my former High school (Wilde Lake in Columbia) the cost works out to something like this renovations 18milll vs.new build 20mill plus you now have a new energy efficient building.