In 1911 the City of Madison received a grant from Andrew Carnegie to build a branch library at 1249 Williamson Street. The new branch would be placed in Madison's rapidly growing & largely blue collar near east side, & represent the neighborhood's first cultural center.
The Library Commission sponsored a design competition & chose Claude & Starck, a local architectural firm, to design the new library. The doors opened on March 25, 1913. In the 1950s the City sold the building to the Grieg Chorus Club Corp. & in July of 2001, the former library was purchased by Yahara Builders, Inc. In April 2002, we moved our office into what once was the library meeting room & most recently the Grieg Chorus Social Club.
The remodeling of the library was completed with architectural guidance & in a historically sensitive manner. The new Marvin windows are of the same profile as the originals. Many of the original doors were refinished & reused. Exposed brick can be seen throughout the library & the 3" x 13" floor joists are visible in the office area.
The remodeling included new mechanicals, plumbing & electrical. The flat roof has a new membrane & the gabled roof will be re-shingled.
The library is located in the heart of the historic Williamson Street Corridor. It is a neighbor to the Willy Street Coop, a pharmacy, a holistic/herbal health store, hardware store & a variety of restaurants & coffee shops.
The residence is approximately 2400 SF, with one bedroom/master bath in the loft, & a 3/4 bath on the first floor. The office is approximately 1600 SF finished, plus approximately 400 SF of storage.
Please see visual tour:
http://www.visualtour.com/shownp.asp?sk=13&t=2038979
Please contact John Sveum for more information at 608-235-8838 or
Email Me Here.
