St. Louis Public Library (Central Library)

Constructed from 1909 to 1912 at the site of the former St. Louis Exposition and Music Hall, this grand library has served as the central location for the St. Louis Public Library system for over a century. It was originally designed by one of the foremost architects of the day, Cass Gilbert, who designed many other prominent buildings throughout the country, such as the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington D.C. and the Woolworth Building in New York City. In 2010, the St. Louis Public Library system temporarily closed its Central Library for a major renovation project, which was completed in 2012. State-of-the-art technology, a new research room for local history and genealogy, rare books collections, an expanded children's section, and an accessible entrance facing Lucas Park were among the renovations. Docent-led architectural tours are offered on site at Central Library, one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city.

In 1901, the City of St. Louis wanted a library that would rival those on the east coast. A letter was sent to the industrial tycoon and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in New York City requesting one million dollars to fund the construction of a new library in downtown St. Louis. Carnegie sent a reply agreeing to fund the project; however, he stipulated that only half of the money could be used for a Central Library, while the rest should be used to construct branch libraries, as he believed that these were more effective in reaching the public. Partly crediting his own success in life to a private library that he visited as a boy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Carnegie sought to expand public literacy by making books more readily available to the masses, and he funded over 1,600 libraries throughout the U.S. The money that he gave to the City of St. Louis for its public library system was one of his largest donations.

In his reply letter sent on March 12, 1901, Carnegie noted that "the buildings should be dignified, but not ornate. The building is only the frame. The treasures of a Library lie within." The City accepted the money and also decided to spend an additional million dollars of its own funds, rising the total construction cost for the Central Library to $1.5 million. The result was a very grand building indeed, though it was considered relatively restrained in ornamentation compared to others of its time. The architect, Cass Gilbert, considered the library to be one of his most important commissions. His plans for a Neo-Classical, Beaux Arts building in the Italian Renaissance Revival style featured an interior oval-shaped Great Hall surrounded by four wings in a rectangle. The original blueprints, mounted on linen fabric and works-of-art in themselves, included drawings up to six feet wide, revealing the monumental scale of the building. Interestingly, Gilbert responded to a query asking when he would finish the design, and he replied by saying, "You can't draw plans for a million-dollar building in a few days. I am taking my time."

In choosing a location, the City decided to build at site of the St. Louis Exposition and Music Hall (built 1884), which was demolished in 1906 to make way for the new library. Its massive foundation had to support not only the building itself, with its granite facade and interior walls lined with marble; it also needed to support the weight of the books inside. When construction began, the workmen used cranes and other machines for heavy lifting, yet they also depended on teams of mules, often transporting materials on the animals' backs. In 1909, the building's steel frame was erected and surfaced with slabs of granite from Mt. Waldo in Maine. By 1910, craftsmen had begun creating huge plaster tiles for the interior ceiling of the Great Hall and Periodicals Room, modeled after Michelangelo's Renaissance-era design of the Laurentian Library in Florence, Italy. When the new Central Library was completed in 1912, it occupied an entire city block and was considered one of the best examples of Neo-Classical architecture in the U.S..

After receiving a City Landmark designation and serving the public for a century, the Library temporarily closed from 2010 to 2012 for a major renovation, which was completed in time for its 100th Anniversary. Cannon Design restored and modernized the library, preserving the original footprint and distinctive classical architectural features, while incorporating modernist elements. A new auditorium, meeting spaces, and research rooms were added, along with a new entrance facing Lucas Park to better connect the library with surrounding communities. New steel beams were installed, as well as updated electrical, mechanical, and environmental systems for improved energy conservation. Installing high-speed data technologies throughout the historic building meant that workers had to carefully remove and replace ceiling tiles or large slabs of stone flooring and walls. Speaking to these challenges, Cannon Design noted that: "while its grandeur is one of its great assets, historic buildings of this scale are anything but flexible." The result was an improved Central Library equipped to meet the needs of the public in the twenty-first century.

Archival Collections, St. Louis Public Library. Accessed February 10th, 2023. https://www.slpl.org/archives-collections/.

Central Library Architectural Tours, St. Louis Public Library. Accessed February 10th, 2023. https://www.slpl.org/central-library-tours/.

Central Public Library - City Landmark #19, St. Louis MO Gov. Accessed February 10th, 2023. https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/cultural-resources/city-landmarks/central-public-library.cfm.

"Central Library named among U.S. most beautiful libraries," June 13th, 2022. Accessed February 10th, 2023. https://www.slpl.org/news/central-library-named-among-u-s-most-beautiful-libraries/.

"Central Library to Close for Restoration," Wayback Machine. Accessed February 10th, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20110722105044/http://www.slpl.org/slpl/library/article233432419.asp.

Central Library Virtual History Tour, St. Louis Public Library. Accessed May 8, 2017. http://central.slpl.org/index.html.

St. Louis Central Library: Enhancing a library’s role as a cultural treasure, Cannon Design. Accessed February 10th, 2023. https://www.cannondesign.com/work/st-louis-public-library-transformation.

St. Louis Public Library, Central Library Renovation, Architizer. Accessed February 10th, 2023. https://architizer.com/projects/st-louis-public-library-central-library-renovation/.

Volner, Ian. "St. Louis Central Library, Designed by Cannon Design", Architect Magazine. April 1st, 2013. Accessed February 10th, 2023. https://www.architectmagazine.com/design/buildings/st-louis-central-library-designed-by-cannon-design_o.