Skanska Achieves ‘Topping-Out’ Milestone for Renovation and Expansion of Durham County Main Library

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Skanska USA, a member of multiple AGC chapters, has achieved the ‘topping out’ of the Durham County Main Library at 300 N. Roxboro St. in downtown Durham. The topping-out, which signals the placement of the last major piece of structural steel on the project, was commemorated with a ceremony celebrating the workers’ achievement and featuring officials from Durham County, the Durham County Library and the construction partners.

In a joint venture with Holt Brothers Construction, Skanska is renovating and expanding the library to provide additional space, updated facilities and enhanced technology. Vines Architecture is the design firm.

“This milestone illustrates our progress toward completing the renovation and expansion of this important community asset,” said Greg Peele, general manager and executive vice president responsible for Skanska’s North Carolina and Virginia building operations. “The new library will be significantly larger and more user-friendly, and will allow county residents to receive the full value of a modern facility.”

Once completed, the library will be approximately 90,000 square feet, roughly 20,000 square feet larger than the previous configuration. It will feature a new interior layout and building entries for ease of use, along with increased visibility and natural light throughout.

The renovated library will include a comprehensive literacy and technology center, a MakerLab (a hybrid, creative space that will connect the community with new and emerging technologies, while encouraging creative and artistic discovery), S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) facilities, and a new interior auditorium for special events. There will be rooms for music and video resources, business training, teaching, networking and cultural education. Additionally, there will be areas for public computers, extensive programing and collaboration for library and community use.

The renovated library will have a prominent outdoor public plaza and amphitheater for programming and events. The Main Library closed to the public in January 2017 and is scheduled to reopen in early 2020.

Skanska USA is one of the largest, most financially sound construction and development companies in the U.S., serving a broad range of clients including those in transportation, power, industrial, water/wastewater, healthcare, education, sports, data centers, government, aviation, life sciences and commercial. Headquartered in New York with offices in 31 metro areas, we have nearly 11,000 employees committed to being leaders in safety, project execution, sustainability, ethics and people development. In 2017, our work in building construction, civil and power/industrial construction, commercial development and infrastructure development (public-private partnerships) generated $7.3 billion in revenue. Global revenue of parent company Skanska AB, headquartered in Stockholm and listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, totaled $18.8 billion in 2017. Skanska shares are publicly traded in the U.S. on the OTC market under the symbol SKBSY through a Level I American Depository Receipt program.

Photo is courtesy Durham County Public Library.