The Union County Carnegie Library has served its residents since 1905. With a population that has a disability rate of nearly twice the national average and low education and economic opportunities, the library saw an opportunity to catalyze community social services with its renovation. After hosting town halls with community members and local organizations, the team expanded its vision to include spaces for workforce development and United Way services. Now the county’s only ADA-accessible public building, the library provides safe spaces for diverse needs, such as counseling services for victims of domestic violence. Five different areas are now available for tutoring, training, board meetings, and other community events. The renovation included historic restoration of the structure, including exposing original wood floors, repairing the pressed tin ceiling, and identifying original paint colors to use in new spaces. For this effort, the library won the 2019 South Carolina Preservation Honor Award from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Photo by Kris Decker

VITALS

ARCHITECT McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

CATEGORY Renovation and historic preservation

COST $2,142,404 (restoration) $2,485,629 (total)

SIZE 12,000 square feet

DATE 2018

AWARDS 2019 South Carolina Preservation Honor Award, SC Department of Archives and History