St. Paul Wins Legal Fight to Demolish and Replace Historic Hamline-Midway Library – Twin Cities

After 16 months of litigation, a Ramsey County district judge has given the city of St. Paul the go-ahead to demolish the Hamline Midway Library and replace it with a modern library that is more accessible to the disabled and specifically built for online streaming. training and other community needs.

The proposed demolition of the 1930s Henry Hale Memorial Library at 1558 Minnehaha Avenue was hotly contested by historic preservationistswho came together under the name Renovate 1558 to preserve and renovate the building, its distinctive red brick façade and high arched entrance. The group successfully nominated the library for the National Register of Historic Places. despite the city’s objections and tried to block the demolition in court, calling the library a natural resource and its loss a violation of the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act.

On Thursday, Ramsey County District Judge Stephen Smith issued a 26-page opinion and court order allowing demolition to proceed “after consultation with the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office.”

An image of a woman and a girl sitting near a reconstructed library. The woman points to a building with many windows. The sign reads: — An undated image of the proposed Hamline-Midway Library project taken around October 2022. At the time of the October 2022 rendering, the St. Paul Public Library system had completed 75 percent of the remodeled Hayden Heights Library and remodeled and expanded Riverview Library projects, as well as the planned renovation of the Hamline-Midway Library. (Courtesy of St. Paul Public Library)

He noted that the building lacks modern ventilation and insulation and is well below current building codes, and the city has made reasonable efforts to explore alternatives, such as selling the library and moving its services to another location. The new building will incorporate elements of the old façade and exhibition space.

Smith wrote: “There is no doubt that the extraordinary deterioration of the Library, unabated, poses a significant risk to public health, safety and welfare. These risks include exposure to mold, poor air quality, falling structures, illegal and nefarious activities, and collapsing ceilings, as well as the effects of any associated mechanical damage.”

He went on to write that the court believes the city’s plan is “consistent with principles of public safety and the State’s overriding concern for its natural resources.” The library’s features will be replicated in the new one, including a prominently displayed interpretive exhibition extolling the significance of its ‘social history’ and ‘education’, which is the reason it was listed on the historical register.”

Mayor Melvin Carter’s office released a statement Thursday evening saying the city will work with construction partners to determine a demolition date. The city has already committed $8.1 million to build the new facility, initially scheduled to begin in fall 2023.

“I applaud this decision and look forward to finally delivering on our promise to create an accessible, safe and modern public library that all of our Hamline-Midway families can enjoy,” Carter said in a written statement.

“Midway deserves major city investment in vibrant public spaces for the future of our diverse community,” council President Mitra Jalali said in the same statement. “I am thrilled that the Hamline-Midway Library will be redeveloped to better serve our community. This is a victory for all our residents.”

Originally published: October 31, 2024 9:18 PM CDT