Southwest Illinois News - East St. Louis, Illinois

Architectural rendering of East St. Louis Library, designed by Kennedy Associates, Inc.

by Bob Moore, SLFP
© 1999, Saint Louis Front Page

EAST ST. LOUIS (March 23) - Construction begins in April on a new state-of-the-art East St. Louis Public Library, designed by Kennedy Associates. The Library, the City's first new public project in 25 years, is expected to open April 2000.

At a ground breaking ceremony for the new 18,000-square-foot facility, which will be located at 5320 State Street, East St. Louis Mayor Gordon Bush stated, "We believe that our youth are our future and our children are the best in America. Other than making our city safe for our children, we believe there's nothing better we can do for them than to provide a quality education; therefore, our library is just as important as our schools to ensure quality education for our youth."

The project was initiated two years ago when Mayor Bush and the Library Board of Trustees asked Kennedy Associates, a St. Louis-based architectural and engineering firm, to design a new library and help arrange financing for it.

Kaven Swan, a principal and executive vice president of Kennedy Associates and Michael Kennedy, Kennedy Associates' founder and president, took the project to NationsBank. An innovative financial plan was developed with the sale of $4.3 million in bonds, backed by a letter of credit from Nations Bank. Local participants in the letter of credit are Union Bank of Illinois, Union Planters, First Illinois Bank and Gateway National Bank.

Illinois Secretary State Jesse White (center) presents a check to East St. Louis Mayor Gordon D. Bush for the new Library. (from left) William C. Wilson, president NationsBank St. Louis, Rev. Gary J. Wilson, president, Board of Trustees, East St. Louis Public Library, Vandella Brown, executive director, East St. Louis Public Library.

Swan wrote the applications for the state and local block grants. A $240,000 grant was secured by Illinois Senator James Clayborne Jr. through Illinois Secretary State Jesse White and $250,000 in Community Development Block Grants, funded by the City of East St. Louis.

"This is proven testament that regionalism can work when all parties work together toward one common goal," Swan said in a statement. He also noted that the library could be a model for attaining success on other worthy ventures. Facilities Kennedy Associates has designed include the Samuel Shepard Jr. Gateway Educational Park; Savvis Center MetroLink Station; KETC Channel 9 interior; the University of Missouri-St. Louis University Center; and Harris Stowe Library.

Addressing the guests at the ground breaking, Michael Kennedy emphasized that the "significance of this library will not be measured today, rather in years to come when those who have benefited by its jewels of knowledge will celebrate those of you who have worked tirelessly to bring this dream of new library to reality."

NationsBank also announced a $300,000 contribution to the library from the Bank of America Foundation to underwrite special programs over the next five years. "Our support of the new library underscores our commitment to the communities we serve," said William C. Wilson, president of NationsBank St. Louis.

The library will include a children's activity center for story telling and crafts, a quite study room, a lobby/exhibit area, a multi-purpose meeting room, an area for new books and a computer/typing room with space for six computers and printers and two typewriters. Regional and global information resources will be available through the Internet and online services of the Lewis & Clark Library System. The facility provides a community meeting place that is entirely accessible to people with disabilities.

See related story: Harris Stowe Library Opens

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