STEELE CREEK NEWS

Library Plans Presented at Association Annual Meeting

(February 22, 2002) Folks attending the 2002 Steele Creek Residents Association meeting saw plans for a new Steele Creek Library that will be exciting and innovative.

The 15,000 square foot library currently is in the design phase. Construction should start this summer. It will take a year to build and another couple of months to upfit so the opening is expected in late summer 2003.

The library will be located on a 2-acre site on Steele Creek Road about a quarter of a mile north of York Road. The new Southwest Middle School currently is under construction behind the library site. The library and school will share entrances onto Steele Creek Road as well as parking. The Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department is a third player in this joint use project and will share use of the school's playing fields.

The design suggests a strong community presence. A large oak tree on the north side of the will be preserved, and large glass windows will offer library users a good view of the tree. An arbor-covered walkway will welcome visitors from the parking lot. The exterior uses red brick in patterns resembling those in the historic Steele Creek Presbyterian Church.

The interior is dominated by a central reading area that extends the length of the library. It has a raised, 24' ceiling with high windows offering plenty of natural light. Along the west side of the building are offices, the circulation desk, a computer room, a young adult area, a silent study area, and a conference room. On the east side, facing Steele Creek Road, are the stacks, but in the center of this side is a large community meeting area that can be used for group meetings.

The new Steele Creek Library will be a significant asset to the community.