The second phase of Salt Lake City’s massive renovation of its Main Library is now underway, and it’ll create some more closures within the popular building.
Crews began work this week on the “Crescent Wall” along the north and east side of the building, which includes a staircase from the library’s outside plaza to its beloved rooftop terrace, offering a unique vantage of downtown Salt Lake City to the northwest. The stairs and northern rooftop area were already closed, but the library has also roped off the interior study area on the fourth floor of the building because of construction.
Those closures are expected to remain in place until the project is completed next year. Some temporary east entrance closures could be implemented at times when needed, library officials explained on Tuesday.
The update comes after Salt Lake City Public Library officials reopened most of the library’s rooftop terrace in May, following the first half of an extensive renovation of the 22-year-old building that began in 2023. It originated from long-standing issues with the building after it opened, including an infamously leaky roof.
Library system officials allocated about $10 million from its savings account to plan and construct a completely new rooftop terrace, while also adding a highly durable hot rubberized asphalt waterproofing to fix the issue. Its reopening was celebrated by residents.
“The last handful of years when the rooftop has been closed, it felt like something was missing,” resident Kristen Lavelett told KSL-TV at the time. “I wanted to bring (my children) to enjoy the opening, look at the mountains and really feel like they can be part of the community in Salt Lake.”
Planning for Crescent Wall rehabilitation began while the first phase of the project was being carried out. Like the terrace, the stairs endured plenty of “wear and tear” over the first two decades of the building’s existence, library officials said.
Crews will replace the section’s existing waterproofing with a more modern and durable system similar to what happened in the first phase. Its lights will be replaced with energy-efficient LED lights, while new safety features are added and other important repairs are made, officials added.
Paulsen Construction and GSBS Architects were selected to oversee the second phase, which is expected to cost about $7 million. The second phase is funded by the same savings account as the first phase, meaning there will be no added costs passed onto city taxpayers.
The project is expected to be completed next summer.