Library board selects 4 architects to review

The list of prospective architects for the proposed new Galesburg Public Library building has been reduced from nine to four, after the librarys Board of Trustees voted on Thursday to keep four not five architects in the running for the $15 million to $20 million library project.

Earlier in October, board members received nine applications from interested architects, a number that fell short of board member Mike Krolls guess that 20 firms would send in their qualifications. Still, the board was pleased with the firms that applied some of which worked on The Art Institute of Chicagos Modern Wing and the Nobel Peace Center in Norway and found it difficult to pare down the list.

So difficult was the task that a motion was made to carry five firms to the next round in the hiring process, which will include site visits to libraries and interviews with the firm. But board members said scheduling five site visits before December would be difficult. That left Cordogan Clark & Associates out of the next round, which the board gave a score of 47, 15 points separated from the fourth place finisher.

The four firms that were selected include: FEH Associates Inc., Lohan Anderson, OPN and Engberg Anderson.

Lohan Anderson has done work on Chicago Public Library branch system, as well as the Des Plaines library that was part of the towns downtown redevelopment. OPN completed a sleek, $25 million library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

There wasnt one that didnt meet or exceed our written expectations, Kroll said. It really did take a lot of thought and judgment to whittle them down.

Some of the firms were not selected because much of their portfolios dealt in ultra modern works, which board members and Galesburg Director of Community Development Roy Parkin said would probably not fit in downtown Galesburg. The site of the new library is on Main and Academy Streets, next to the newly opened Donald L. Moffitt bridge.

The design I would pick would be more traditional, if I were choosing, said Parkin, who sits on the librarys Construction Committee.

Some, however, want a building with more flair, but within reason.

It should be stunning, but there has to be some kind of relation to our area, Mary Phillips said.

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Library board selects 4 architects to review