Building Plans
Building Connections Project
(April 2024)
Andrew Berman Architects held a town hall meeting on April 18, 2024, updating the community on the progress of the building project and introducing renderings of the new library complex. You can watch the town hall meeting below, followed by the renderings as presented.
Any questions or comments? Please email so@southorange.org.
View from parking lot
View from Scotland Rd.
Lobby, as entered from main entrance off parking lot
Lobby, as seen when leaving Children’s room
Children’s room, first floor
Enclosed courtyard, off children’s room
Entering adult room from lobby, second floor ramp
Adult room, second floor, as seen from lobby entrance
Adult room, second floor, heading toward lobby
Teen room, first floor of Connett
Reading room, second floor of Connett
Conference room, second floor of Connett
Conference room, second floor of Connett (reverse view)
(Nov. 2023)
The Building Connections Project of South Orange Public Library (SOPL) has progressed to a new phase. Upon finishing the Design Development phase, Andrew Berman Architect (ABA), the selected architect for the Project, presented new renderings of the design at the South Orange Village Trustee Meeting on Sept. 11, 2023. The east and west exteriors are shown here. Interior renderings were also presented by ABA, and are currently on display in SOPL.
The Project, when complete, will provide a new Library almost double in size, to 31,000 square feet. The plans include all that the current Library offers, plus a teen room, makerspace for all ages, study rooms, welcoming community space, a computer lab, historic reading room, and a larger space dedicated to children and programming. “All plans stemmed from intentional consideration and development around optimal user-experiences for all patrons, all ages, with a variety of user needs,” noted Library Director Jill Faherty.
While details and planning continue for the overall Project, the Connett Building will undergo asbestos abatement starting in November 2023.
To expedite the construction timeline, SOPL will relocate its collection, services, and staff to an intermediate site at 298 Walton Avenue in South Orange. This facility is expected to open in late January 2024. The library building will be closed, with no in-person services starting on December 11, 2023, to move from its current location to the Walton Avenue site. For more details on the move, please click here.
South Orange Public Library Board Selects Architect for Library Modernization
(Sept. 2022)
South Orange Public Library’s quest for a transformative makeover of the current facility is gaining speed. Library trustees voted unanimously on September 20 to engage the award-winning New York City-based firm Andrew Berman Architect.
The Connett Building, part of the SOPL Complex, to be connected via a link to the currently operating Library
The design process will begin immediately and is expected to move swiftly as extensive planning, including considerable public input, has already taken place. The firm will be charged with improving accessibility, functionality, sustainability and adaptability, while inspiring patrons with a dynamic, future-oriented design. Design development should be complete by Spring 2023.
“Andrew Berman stood out for his ability to create inspiring design solutions for complex institutional programs and sites,” said Library Board President Hildy Karp. “The firm easily met all our criteria, including having vast library experience and a record of exceeding client expectations.”
In a stroke of serendipity, Andrew Berman is already familiar with the Village and the Library, having spent his middle and high school years in South Orange. “I still remember looking through every art book on the shelves and borrowing LP records,” said Berman. “Through design, the significance of the library should be able to be felt more emphatically in the local context of the Village… The reimagined library should be accessible, welcoming, and foster a desire to discover and self-navigate.”
For more details, please read the full press release.
Big Changes Ahead for the South Orange Public Library
(from 2021)
The vision of a 21st century library for South Orange is on its way to becoming reality. With a $6.5 million grant from the State, a matching commitment from the Village, and a plan to raise further support from the community, South Orange Public Library will expand and retool to serve the diverse, evolving needs of our community.
The project includes renovation of the current library, rehabilitation of the historic Connett library building, and construction of a link connecting the two buildings. The expansion and re-design will yield significant gains in accessibility, aesthetics, scope of services, technology, overall user experience, sustainability and capacity.
The library will nearly double in size, to 30,700 square feet. It will feature an expanded children’s room, a teen section, multiple small study and meeting rooms, a space for archives and historical collections, and so much more.
Exterior work on the Connett Building was recently completed, with funding from the State of NJ Historic Trust and the Village.
To receive the latest information, please sign up to receive the SOPL newsletter (scan the QR code below), or contact Library Director Jill Faherty at jfaherty@sopl.org.
