The DC Public Library is finalizing plans for construction of a new Benning Neighborhood Library on the previous library site. Design phases are complete, according to a May 14 Capital Construction report. A final community design meeting, prior to summer construction, was scheduled for June 5. Fundamental questions remain, however:  Will the new library fit into East River Park's new urban streetscape? Would a change of location benefit the community in the long run? Have community concerns been heard?

City Interests – chosen, after the library design process began, to redevelop East River Park – plans to transform the suburban-style shopping center into four urban blocks. A new retail boulevard will connect Minnesota Avenue and 40th Street. The boulevard – lined with four- and five-story buildings – will culminate in a civic plaza east of 40th Street. Other changes for the immediate area include new pedestrian infrastructure, housing and commercial development and a DOES headquarters.

“Will [the Benning library] be another instantly obsolete public project?” Sam Jordan, of the Ward 7 Development Advisory Committee, asked in his testimony before the DC Council's Committee on Libraries, Parks and Recreation in April.

Renderings of the planned library include a few elements for scale: pedestrians, two dogs, a cyclist, three structures that resemble nothing so much as Monopoly® houses, and an equally nondescript box apparently representing the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization building next door. There is nothing to suggest more general context – existing or planned – for the new library.

Chris LoPiano, of City Interests, has presented to the community – and to the DC Council – drawings to show their vision for the area. LoPiano notes that the currently proposed library will sit on Benning Road, with “its back to” the newly created streetscape; in addition, the library will be several stories lower than other new buildings, making it appear “insignificant.” Therefore, City Interests proposes a “land swap” with DCPL.

The swap would situate the new library in the soon-to-be created civic plaza at 40th Street. This also allows City Interests to pursue “bigger and better” development, which they believe would benefit themselves and the community. Using the entire block at Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue – instead of building around the library and Marshall Heights buildings – retail could line three sides of the street and attract big-box anchors or several junior anchors, such as Best Buy, LoPiano argues. The current situation allows only for junior anchors and retail on one side.

LoPiano suggests that a larger library might result from the swap. City Interests would pay the difference between the assessed value of the 40th Street property – which, in this scenario, would become city land – and the existing library site; that extra million dollars could be used for another story, creating 30,000 square feet of library.

John Hill, president of the board of Library Trustees, testified to the council, however, that DCPL cannot afford to maintain a larger space – even if the extra million materialized after redesign and other costs. Any proposal, he said, must “come forward with funding details and timelines.” He also expressed concern about access to a relocated library during construction of the new retail zone.

Despite the council hearing, called expressly to put all options on the record, no process has yet been arranged for community input on long-term possibilities for East River Park and the library. While individual commissioners were invited to attend community design events, DCPL never visited affected ANCs. The library notified only ANC 7A without contacting the bordering – arguably “affected” – ANC 7D. Tingling-Clemmons, et al. vs. Fenty et al. – a lawsuit demanding due community process – is still under appeal. Local leaders have arranged “Town Hall meetings” to air community perspectives, but it is not clear who is listening.

“Hill is still claiming that no formal proposal has ever been presented to the board of Library Trustees,” says Chris Otten of Library Dynamos. Moreover, the board has not explained how citizens can present proposals. “Both of these unfortunate problems has left Ward 7 with no chance to consider another library option, one which could lead to a bigger better Benning Library” anchoring the new civic and retail area.

DCPL is proceeding with plans for the old library site. To ensure that East River Park and the new library mesh well, “The library expects discussions between the design teams for the Benning Neighborhood Library and the city interest development to take place,” says Archie Williams, intergovernmental specialist for the library.

“We need leadership on this,” says Villareal Johnson, ANC 7A commissioner and candidate for DC Council. “I don’t buy into the conspiracy theories. It just takes time and energy to force the conversations that need to occur.”