Two University of Colorado at Denver students got some real-world experience when they were assigned the project of what to do with the Carnegie Building.
They presented three possibilities for the old Durango Public Library building on East Second Avenue to City Council at a study session Tuesday. Their project was funded by a grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs.
“We talked to the people from the Historic Preservation Board today,” student Alison Smith said. “They said we need to emphasize what made the Carnegie Building a Carnegie building.”
Smith, along with fellow student Travis Roubideaux and Chris Endreson, technical assistance coordinator at the Colorado Center for Community Management at CU, looked at different ways of reflecting the heritage of the building and its three additions.
They presented three variations for the building, exterior and interior. One thing they focused on, Smith said, was creating open, flexible spaces because that’s where long-term planning takes place.
Council members thanked them for their research and work, but they’re a long way from making any decisions.
“We’re out of sequence by a couple of weeks,” City Manager Ron LeBlanc told councilors. “The facilities study will be coming back before you in a couple of weeks, and that’s when we’ll be looking at priorities. The police building is what needs to change first.”
One use being discussed for the building is as a new home for the departments now at River City Hall, but LeBlanc said it might remain a flexible space that the city can use for various departments as needed. As always in historic downtown Durango, parking will probably be an issue.
abutler@durangoherald.com
Ideas for Carnegie Building (PDF)
