While Mary Beth and Kinnie Smith Jr. see the value in moving forward, they also see value in preserving the past.

The couple has pledged $1 million toward the preservation of the Grosse Pointe Central Library and the addition of new space and technology.

Their donation is the lead gift in the Grosse Pointe Library Foundation’s $10 million capital campaign.

Located at Kercheval Street and Fisher Road in Grosse Pointe Farms, the library was designed by noted modernist architect Marcel Breuer in 1953.  It is on the World Monuments Fund’s 2008 watch list of the 100 most endangered sites.

Smith has served on the library foundation board of directors for five years and on the library’s board of directors for two years.  She’s also been president and board member of the Friends of the Library since 2002.

Before their most recent gift, the Smiths, both 77, made a $200,000 gift to the library foundation.

Kinnie Smith, who is of counsel at Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone P.L.C., is a past board member of the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Michigan Opera Theatre, organizations the couple continues to support.

About half of Grosse Pointe’s library patronage takes place at the Central Library branch, which places it in the top 20 percent of Michigan libraries for patronage, said Marcia Scavarda, director of the library foundation, in an e-mail.

“Yet it ranks in the bottom 25 percent in terms of square footage per resident,” she added.

In addition to the Smiths’ gift, the foundation has secured a $50,000 grant from the World Monuments Fund and a $250,000 donation from an unnamed donor to fund the project.

It plans to officially launch the capital campaign once it receives approval from the city of Grosse Pointe Farms.

Central Library preservation

To the Editor:
I was ecstatic to read in the article “1 million gift for Central’s preservation,”
June 26 Grosse Pointe News, reporting Mary Beth and S. Kinnie Smith Jr. generously had donated $1 million toward the preservation of the Grosse Pointe Central Library.

Grosse Pointe is the home to a number of our region’s historic architectural gems.

In April, I had the opportunity to participate in a tour of Central Library along with some of my colleagues as a part of the American Institute of Architects’ annual Committee on Design Conference.

All Grosse Pointers should consider themselves fortunate that this classic example of Modernist architecture is housed in their city.

The only building designed by Marcel Breuer in metro Detroit, Central Library is a world renowned landmark in need of reinvestment.

Architects from across the globe have rallied in support of preserving this building for future generations.

I commend the Smiths for their appreciation of Central Library’s historical and architectural value, while recognizing the need to expand the library to offer more programming.

The Grosse Pointe community is rich in art, culture and education. Architectural legacies such as the library contribute to the heritage of the community.

It is critical to the mission of restoring Breuer’s original vision that others join the Smiths in making financial contributions to preserve the historical and architectural characteristics of this magnificent building.

Mark Nickita
President
American Institute of Architects Detroit

By Beth Quinn
Staff Writer

The Grosse Pointe Library Foundation announced a gift of $1 million from Mary Beth and S. Kinnie Smith, Jr. toward the preservation and expansion of the Grosse Pointe Public Library Central branch.

Designed by Modernist architect Marcel Breuer, Central is on the World Monument Fund’s 2008 watch list of the 100 Most Endangered Sites.  This list calls international attention to culturally significant sites in need of capital reinvestment.

“Our community is most fortunate that Mary Beth and Kinnie decided to make such a substantial financial contribution on top of the $200,000 this philanthropic couple has already given to this institution in recent years,” said Grosse Pointe Library Foundation President William C. Rands III.

“The Smiths understand the importance of preserving and expanding our architecturally acclaimed Central branch.  This generous gift sets the stage for a Central Library capital campaign to be launched in coming months.”

S. Kinnie Smith, Jr., who is attorney serving as counsel to Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone P.L.C., views the library as one of Grosse Pointe’s most important institutions.

He said the 55-year-old Central branch needs to be enlarged to provide a learning center for youth and teens, and a community room for group meetings and storytelling programs.

A published author, Mary Beth Smith has served as the president and a board member of the Friends of the Library Board of Directors since 2002.  She founded the group’s Classics Books Lecture Series which is entering its seventh season.

“Kinnie and I felt this was the right time for us to formalize our financial commitment to this restoration and expansion,” she said.  “We hope our gift will encourage others who care deeply about educating future generations to step forward and lend their support.”

She has been a trustee on the Grosse Pointe Library Board of Directors representing the City of Grosse Pointe for two years.

Grosse Pointe residents since 1973, the Smiths share a longstanding commitment to the arts.  They actively support the Detroit Institute of Arts and Michigan Opera Theater, both of which S. Kinnie Smith, Jr. is a former member of the board of directors.

By Beth Quinn

Staff Writer

The organization which listed the Grosse Pointe Public Library Central branch as an endangered building is offering a helping hand to save it from the wrecking ball.

The World Monument Fund has awarded the library a $50,000 grant toward the preservation of the Marcel Breuer designed library, said Marcia Scarvada, director of the Grosse Pointe Library Foundation.

The fund is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving endangered architectural and cultural sites around the world. Since 1965, the organization has helped save more than 450 sites in more than 80 countries.

Every two years, the WMF announces its watch list of 100 Most Endangered Sites to call international attention to culturally significant sites around the world threatened by neglect, vandalism, armed conflict, climate change or natural disaster.

The WMF placed the Central branch as part of “Main Street Modern” on its 2008 list.

The fund described the “primary threats faced by modern architecture are demolition or inappropriate renovations, and the technical challenges of conserving the experimental materials, and innovative building systems used in their construction.”

“The greatest threat, however, is perhaps public apathy – a lack of consensus or confidence that buildings of the recent past can by important enough to be preserved for the future.”

Scavarda and Library Director Vickey Bloom itemized a preservation budget in a grant proposal to the WMF. The two budgeted $10,521 for research; $15,000 for developing a conservation program; $18,179 towards renovations and preserving targeted architectural features; and $5,000 for developing a community outreach and educational program.

It also states that the restoration project would preserve significant architectural features to their original design and condition or to replicate the original design element.

It cited numerous pieces of furniture such as the original boomerang shaped reception / circulation desk as missing. The library’s art work such as the Alexander Calder mobile, the Herbert Matter mural and David Hare’s bronze sculpture of “Icarus” were targeted for restoration.

CENTRAL ARCHITECT CHOSEN
designLAB of Boston bests local firms in getting job

From the start, the odds were against them.  They were the last group to present their proposal to a tired and weary library board that had already interviewed four other candidates.

But they proved that last is not least.

At a special May 7 meeting, the Grosse Pointe Public Library Board of Trustees
voted unanimously to award the Central Library project to the Boston-based
designLAB Architects.

The firm beat out a library specialist Engberg Anderson Design Partnership Inc., the Woods branch architect Fanning Howey and Associates Inc., and two international award-winning firms Luckenbach Ziegelman Architects and Ross Barney Architects.

Since they knew the importance of having a local presence on the project, designLAB architects will partner with the architectural/engineering firm of DiClemente Siegel Design Inc. of Southfield.

As the executive architect of the project, DiClemente will hold the contract with the library and be responsible to the board.

Bob Miklos, the founder and principal partner of designLAB, will lead the architectural design of the project.  He earned a master of architecture degree from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.

Miklos is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, which is one of the highest honors an American architect can receive.  It means he is regarded by his peers as one of the country’s finest architects.

Like Central’s architect, Marcel Breuer, Miklos has taught at Harvard as well as
the Rhode Island School of Design and Northeastern University.  He has served as commissioner of design for the Boston Society of Architects.

Miklos has worked on more than 10 library projects, including the Boston Anteneaum and the Skillman Library at Lafayette College.

In addition to their credentials, expertise and experience, many building committee members and library trustees were impressed with the enthusiasm for the project designLAB and DiClemente showed.

“I have a passion for libraries,” Miklos said.

“They are one place completely open and available to everyone. They enrich and enhance communities.”

Miklos and his partner, Scott Slarksy, both said they were drawn to the Central project because they see the chance to work on a Marcel Breuer building as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“It’s big,” said Slarksy. “It has international significance. The world will be watching how one goes about adding to that building. You have to test and test and test.”

Many members of the board and building committees thought designLAB’s presentation showed effort above and beyond those of the other four finalists. They said they were impressed that designLAB spent “the time, money and effort” to create a model of Central to show how the firm would approach the project.

Miklos and Slarksy broke up the evening’s momentum of slide shows by inviting the audience “to stand up, stretch your legs, and gather around” the model of the Central library.

While setting up their demonstration, the architects explained how they carted the model through airport security and carried it onto their plane. They joked that the package just barely fit down their airplane’s tight aisle.

By adding and taking away various shaped boxes, Miklos and Slarksy showed different ways to add on to the Breuer building without changing it.

“We will provide you with a community-focused design,”Miklos said. “It will not be a cookie cutter design.”

Their strategy of engaging the audience worked.

“Their infectious zeal for the project was contagious,” said Trustee Kathleen Allen.

Allen also noted she liked the concept of creating outdoor spaces in addition to preserving the Breuer legacy. “We have so little open outdoor space here in Grosse Pointe,” Allen said. “I am excited by the idea of my young daughter being able to sit outside the library and read a book under a tree.”

Both DiClemente and designLAB emphasized their experience working with historical buildings.

DiClemente’s Lou Trama said his firm has done restorations on numerous religious buildings and churches. “This is the work we do,” Trama said. “We work in historical preservation. We look for them because that’s what we do best.”

Miklos added that designLAB has a number of employees who are experts in historical preservation and “they have libraries down to a science.”

“As for myself, I have worked on more than 15 preservation projects of landmark buildings.” Miklos said.

After an hour-long discussion of the five finalists at the May 7 meeting, trustee Ed Frederickson voiced his opinion. “I believe it’s designLAB that will make this project a reality,” he said. “It’s as simple as that.”

February 7, 2007

By Amy Powell

FOUNDATION, TRUSTEES CENTER IN ON CENTRAL’S

NEW POTENTIAL

The future of Grosse Pointe Public Library’s Central branch is taking a front seat in the district, following at least a year of exploration into what the 54-year-old building could better become.

For months, library trustees have listened to findings on soil borings and foundation strength. They’ve seen simple floor plans and concept-only illustrations from go-to architects Fanning Howey and Associates, portraying what the Hill neighbor could look like years down the road, rather than remaining a few steps behind its more up-to-date counterparts in parking space, size and technology updates.

But now, serious steps are being taken as a building committee of 26 staff members, trustees and community members takes shape and a crucial capital campaign gets underway.

The Grosse Pointe Library Foundation has committed to raising $10 million to either upgrade or raze and rebuild the facility that was designed a half-century ago by noted architect Marcel Breuer. The foundation has kicked off its fundraising with a gift of $250,000 from the estate of Adele Huebner, a longtime Grosse Pointe Farms resident who died in December 2005. The 73-year-old was a life-long supporter of the library. Her family told the foundation that she was excited about the news of a possible new Central branch being built and wanted to help make that a reality.

So far, the foundation has received $1.8 million, which includes a gift from the Ted and Carolyn Ewald family, according to William Rands III, foundation president.

“I think that’s an appropriate goal, given what the library board already has available to them and the current estimates of the building,” he said.”This is a completely wide-open campaign that includes everyone in Grosse Pointe. Every gift is welcome, though the large amounts of money are obviously going to be made up of a relatively smaller amount of gifts, privately solicited.”

Rands said he is excited about the prospect of a new Central branch and the foundation’s fundraising involvement.

“For myself, it’s a tremendous honor to be involved in upgrading libraries. It seems to me one of the real foundational aspects of a community is its libraries. That’s becoming even more so because as libraries have evolved, communities have become much more adept to use them not only as a repository for books, tapes and tools like we have in Grosse Pointe, but for activities and computers,” he said. “Grosse Pointe is high in the rankings of library activities, and up to now, we have been low in the ranks for the size of our facilities.”

“With the building of the Park and Woods branches, we’ve come about halfway to being where we think we should be. And a new building for Central will bring us the rest of the way.”

Library Board President Laura Bartell said she doesn’t expect an architect to be chosen for the project until next month, though the board has chosen an owner’s representative who will help the building committee develop an RFP and later work with the architect on the vision.

For Fanning Howey, designers of the Woods and Ewald libraries, a new branch would serve as a gateway to the downtown shopping area. Its potential three stories and 45,000 square feet, with corner glass windows and a café, would keep with the current mid-century architecture and feature underground parking, a larger youth area, adult collection space and third-level program room. The price tag would be between $20 million and $22 million.

In library trustees’ eyes, the Kercheval Avenue facility would enhance patrons’ expanding desires. Based on a facilities study in 2000, said Bartell, it was suggested that the Pointes community, with its size and use, have 85,000 square feet of library space. Ewald and the Woods knocked out a majority of that recommendation, leaving 40,000-45,000 square feet for an evolved Central to pick up.

“It’s now only 18,000 square feet, and it was designed with no room for AV (audio visual) materials; it’s not handicap accessible; we have only a tiny room for children; and because it was designed when there were no computers, it’s outmoded. Every time we buy a book, we have to throw one away because there’s no space,” Bartell said. “We are hoping for a facility that will meet our needs. We could even have the existing building with additions to it. We’re open to anything.”

Despite being in the top 20 percent of patron use in the state, the Grosse Pointe library system is in the bottom 25 percent in square feet of facility space per resident. The Ewald and Woods branches have added to the needed space, but without a new Central library, the system will not achieve national standards for space per resident. The current Central library also accounts for more than 50 percent of patron usage in the community.

To those in the community trying to divert the demolition of Central to save Breuer’s design, saying it’s in fine condition; Bartell still stands by the board’s position.

“There are a lot of people who think that just because it was designed by Marcel Breuer, it should stay. We certainly do have respect for it, but our concern is to provide library services to the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods,” she said. “I don’t know whether there is any way of preserving that building and supplying programs that people pay for and deserve. Everyone agrees it’s not fine as it is. We need more, whether it’s with a completely new building or the current one with new additions.”

In addition to the foundation’s fundraising, the library district is hoping for an increased millage in November, said Bartell, which would support a nonvoting bond and operating costs.

January 25, 2007

By Beth Quinn

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

FOUNDATION LAUNCHES FUNDRAISING DRIVE TO BUILD NEW CENTRAL BRANCH CENTRAL: $1.8 million already raised

In another step towards a new Grosse Pointe Public Library Central branch, the Grosse Pointe Library Foundation has announced the start of a $10 million capital campaign to raise funds to construct the building.

The library board of trustees determined in late 2006 that the current Central branch should be demolished and replaced with a new and upgraded facility.

The trustees formed a 27-member building committee comprised of trustees, staff and community members to oversee most aspects of the design and construction. It is currently interviewing three owner’s representatives, one of which will be selected to serve as an advocate for the library and provide oversight and coordination of the project. The trustees are expected to make a decision at a special board meeting Monday, Jan. 29, at the Woods branch.

Based on the conceptual plans created pro bono by the architectural firm Fanning Howey and Associates, a new 40,000 to 45,000 square-foot Central branch would cost an estimated $22 million. In addition to the $10 million the foundation hopes to raise through private donations, the library board has earmarked $5 million in its capital account, leaving the remaining $7 million to be funded by a taxpayer approved bond issue planned for the November ballot.

To date, the foundation has raised $1.8 million of which $250,000 was recently donated as a bequest from the estate of Adele L. Huebner, a longtime Grosse Pointe Farms resident who died in December of 2005 at the age of 73.

Huebner’s family told the foundation that she was a life-long supporter and frequent patron of Central branch. They said she was excited about the possible new library and wanted to contribute to it.

“Ms. Huebner’s gift is a wonderful way for the Grosse Pointe Library Foundation to jump-start its capital campaign for Central library,” said William Rands III, president of the foundation. “We believe her philanthropy will inspire other members of our community to come forward and make a contribution to help build a new, world-class library.”

According to the foundation, the Grosse Pointe Public Library system ranks in the top 20 percent of patron use in the state of Michigan, yet it is in the bottom 25 percent in square feet of space per resident. The library board has concluded that without a new Central branch, the library system will not achieve national standards for space per resident. The current Central library also accounts for more than 50 percent of patron usage in the community.

The library board has some obstacles to overcome before a new Central branch becomes a reality.

The Grosse Pointe Farms Historic District Commission is trying to save the current Central branch designed by Marcel Breuer, who is considered to be one of the world’s premier architects of mid-century design. His other works include the UNESCO Building in Paris, France, and the IBM building and Whitney Museum in New York City.

At the December library board meeting, Bill Hartman, an architect and member of the commission, said the 53-year old building is a significant example of modernist architecture, making it worthy of landmark preservation. He urged the board to find ways to incorporate the Breuer building into the new building.

Board president Laura Bartell said the board gave great consideration to remodeling the current library. However, none of the available options meet current and future needs regarding collection and meeting room space, parking, elevators and handicap parking.

“It is widely held that the Grosse Pointe Library is not one of his (Breuer’s) better designs,” Bartell said, “If he were to design it today; it’s not the building he would have designed.”

The next hurdle facing the board is convincing Grosse Pointe taxpayers to approve a bond issue to help finance a new library during a severe downturn in the state’s economy.

January 18, 2007

By Beth Quinn

If the old adage, “There’s power in numbers,” is true, then the newly-formed building committee for the Grosse Pointe Public Library’s Central branch is off to a good start.

The 27-member committee is comprised of Library Director Vickey Bloom, Assistant Director Cynthia ZurSchmiede, library staff members Priscilla Burns, Kathleen Gallagher and Stefanie Lozon; Trustees Laura Bartell, Ed Frederickson, Robert Klacza and Mary Beth Smith; and 18 community members: Laurie Arora, Charles Collinson, Janet Cornillie, Donald Day, Diana Domin, Tony Foust, Brian Garves, William J. Giovan, Margot Kessler, Steve Najjar, Jennifer Nolan, Stuart Pettitt, Bill Salot, Bob Schaltenbrand, Henry Sprague, W. A. Steiner, Mary Wells and Michael West.

Last December, the library asked residents interested in being involved in planning a new Central branch library to apply for a position on the committee. After reviewing the applications, the board invited all applicants to serve on the committee.

The group convened for the first time on Wednesday, Jan. 10, in the large meeting room at the Ewald branch library.

The meeting began with members going around the U-shaped conference table introducing themselves and stating their reasons why they wanted to be on the committee.

While some said they wanted to be involved in determining the building’s architecture and others were more interested in specific interior spaces, all mentioned they wanted the new Central branch to be a great building.

“I live within walking distance of Central,” said Giovan. “I’m hoping it turns out to be as attractive of a building as this one and the Woods branch.”

Trustee Ed Frederickson, who is chairing the committee until an owner’s representative is hired, outlined the duties and goals for the committee.

The committee’s first order of business will be selecting the owner’s rep to oversee and manage every aspect of the project from hiring an architect to working with the construction company. The library issued Request for Proposal (RFP) for an owner’s rep in December 2006.

The building committee would work closely with the owner’s rep to formulate a RFP for architects, review the proposals, interview candidates and recommend an architect to the library board by April.

Once the building’s architect is selected, the committee will work with him/her on a needs assessment, preliminary space planning, conceptual drawings and project cost estimates.

When the architectural plans are finalized, the committee will assist the owner’s rep in the selection of a contractor and construction manager.

Frederickson noted that the committee would be involved in virtually every aspect of the building’s design except for the interior decorating. “The committee is too large to be making decisions about colors and furniture,” he said. “It will be left to the staff members to work with the interior decorator — people who are familiar with the library’s needs.”

Frederickson urged committee members to be proactive by asking numerous questions on even the smallest detail during the various planning stages. “I encourage you to ask lots of “whys” because the “whys” are going to be very important,”said Frederickson.

A new Central branch library similar to the three-level 40,000 to 45,000 square-foot facility the architectural firm Fanning Howey and Associates proposed in its conceptual plans would carry an estimated price tag of $20 to $23 million.

Frederickson broke down ways the new building would be funded. The library has earmarked $5 million in its capital fund for the endeavor. The Grosse Pointe Library Foundation, which has already raised $1.8 million for the project, is responsible for finding donors to foot a portion of the bill. The balance would be funded by a taxpayer-approved millage.

According to Frederickson, the building committee will be involved in the library’s public relations campaign to garner the support of taxpayers and seek potential donors.

“You will be a vital interface with the public to help them understand why it’s important to do and worth the money,” he said.

Later in the meeting, board President Laura Bartell walked the group through a PowerPoint presentation of Fanning Howey’s pro bono feasibility study and conceptual plan for a new Central branch.