Update On New Riviera Beach Library

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Riviera Beach Library held its third and final community meeting regarding the new building on Tuesday.

At the meeting, representatives from Grimm and Parker Architecture Inc., the firm working on the project, presented attendees with new images of the library’s interior and exterior.

“At this point, we are in the construction documents phase, and we will be going out to bid fairly soon,” said Maribel Ibrahim, the facilities and capital projects manager for the Anne Arundel County Public Library system.

The bid is generally awarded to a construction company about six months after it’s been posted, Ibrahim said.

The current building is set to close this fall with construction starting in early 2020. The library’s website lists the following timeline:

Construction Documents: In Progress
Bidding: June to December 2019
Construction: Winter 2020 to Summer 2021

At this time, there isn’t an interactive portion of Grimm and Parker’s website for the Riviera Beach Library, but it is listed under “Experience.”

“What I’m really excited about is that the library is going to be able to accomodate the needs of our diverse users for the 21st century,” Ibrahim said. “The current library is a great space. It’s loved by many Pasadena residents, but there’s always a constant struggle with the different types of uses in the library system.”

The new library features many aspects that directly answer community needs, including individual study rooms and a space designated for children’s programs.

“It’s going to be a state-of-the-art facility,” said Riviera Beach Library branch manager Dan Ramirez. “Certainly the facility we have is a nice one. That being said, it was built in an era which did not foresee the rise of the Internet. The new building will have a lot more technology going for it.”

There will also be a public meeting room. This will allow more options for the public to use the meeting space.

“We’re very excited as a branch staff to see the new building design really come to the fore,” Ramirez said. “We think it’s going to be well-liked by customers.”

Based on public reaction to the images, people were very pleased, Ibrahim said.

“It’s sort of a nice ‘wow’ factor when you look at what the library is going to be inside. The architects did a fantastic job of incorporating the spirit of Riviera Beach into the library,” Ibrahim said. “It’s got a very fun, nautical, beachy kind of feel, yet it’s a very elegant and regal location, as well. It’s perfect, I think, for Riviera Beach."

For more information on the new Riviera Beach Library, email newriv@aacpl.net or visit www.aacpl.net/NewRiviera.

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