Abbott Library

Olsson Associates was a member of a design-build team that nearly doubled the size of the Edith Abbott Memorial Library in Grand Island, Nebraska.

The expansion was needed to accommodate the community's growth and increasing demands at the library. The 25,000-square-foot addition required the acquisition of nearby properties and the abandonment of a city street. Preparation of the site included utility relocations, the elevation of the grade, and new entrances to the surrounding streets.

The addition's main structure was constructed of precast concrete framing that mimicked the existing facility which had been constructed several decades before.

Architectural features include a structure that "frames the space" at the main entrance, and also at the entrance facing the highway -- creating an attractive, welcoming look. Full-height window walls on the entrance provide a unique showering of light to the lobby and into the main space of the library.

The renovation of the existing area included numerous upgrades, including many technological improvements.

As part of the design-build team, Olsson Associates provided professional services including surveying, civil engineering, structural engineering, and materials testing. The project was completed within budget and within the time frame requested by the library.