News: Kearns Library Breaks Ground
Construction has begun on the new Salt Lake County Kearns Library. The 35,000 square foot facility will be adjacent to the previous building. The new site allows for a relocation along 5400 South to increase visibility, access and usability. Arch Nexus has produced the new design to help regenerate the Kearns community, serving as a seed to create lasting change and to cultivate the people and place.
Community leaders gathered Monday for the groundbreaking ceremony. Salt Lake County Library Director, Jim Cooper spoke to the audience stating “I couldn’t be prouder to be associated with the Kearns community and the things you have done to bring the new library to Kearns. Finally, we are delivering on that promise!” Cooper also invited participants to try out the virtual reality tour provided by Arch Nexus, to experience what the future library will be like.
Arch nexus President, Kenner Kingston shared that it is an honor for Nexus to have been given the responsibility of creating the new design. Regarding the former site Kenner stated “It struck us that the level of passion and care for this community was not being reflected by the physical environment… our job is to reveal that.”
The new design brings people together in a comfortable fashion, welcomes cultural diversity, provides a sense of choice and opportunity, and mixes the kind of creative yet cozy ambiance that one thinks of when they imagine a library. Working with R & O Construction, the new library will be complete by summer of 2020.
