Miller Hull

The new 40,000-square-foot, two-story, $43 million Redmond Library is now officially open, as part of a “once-in-a-generation” county-wide move to reimagine how such public facilities can serve as dynamic community hubs.

In a bold move, in 2020, voters supported a $195 million bond measure to enable Deschutes Public Library system to expand services, including remodeling many of its libraries, building a new Redmond Library and adding a Central Library in Bend. They have also reimagined their potential as a resource for the communities in Deschutes County.

One of the resulting jewels is the new Redmond Library – complete with features such as multi-purpose meeting rooms, “maker” spaces, children’s discovery spaces, adult and teen collaborative/co-working areas, and access to latest technology, among many elements requested by the public during a six-year planning process. Built on the site of the town’s previous library, on Deschutes Avenue, it is twice the size of the original building and features “mass timber” construction, an increasingly popular building method, using engineered wood to build strong, sustainable structures. Blending with the environment, it provides a strong, sustainable low-carbon alternative to concrete and steel, as well as attractive aesthetics.

In 2021, the Deschutes Public Library District Board selected local firm Steele Associates Architects to partner with Seattle architects The Miller Hull Partnership to design the six bond-funded library construction projects in Deschutes County. General Contractor for the Redmond project was Central Oregon-based Kirby Nagelhout Construction Company (KNCC) which is also working on the new 100,000-square-foot Central Library off Stevens Road in east Bend. Headquartered in Bend, with additional offices in Portland and Pendleton, KNCC has a staff of more than 150 people, and has worked on dozens of large-scale public projects, including schools and civic and community centers, as well as office and commercial spaces, hospitality facilities and more.

Read the full story at Cascade Business News