City of St. Louis Public Library Central Library Expansion Cannon Design
Designed by famed architect Cass Gilbert, the Saint Louis Public Library opened in 1912 as a centerpiece of downtown Saint Louis, and displays the exuberant grandeur typical of the era. The historic landmark boasts a monumental entrance above stone steps on Olive Street, a colossal front arcade adorned with bas-reliefs, facades of rusticated Maine granite, and an interior oval central pavilion surrounded by four light courts. After nearly a century of civic use, the building is to be renewed and transformed as a community information center serving the needs of a new generation of users.
The $45 million renovation of the 185,000 sf building updates the library’s research and service capabilities while restoring the splendor of the library’s classic historic rooms including its Great Hall.