Following 16 months of litigation, a Ramsey County district judge has given the city of St. Paul the go-ahead to tear down the Hamline-Midway Library and replace it with a modern library facility better accessible to the disabled and purpose-built for online learning and other community needs.

The proposed demolition of the 1930s-era Henry Hale Memorial Library at 1558 Minnehaha Ave. had been hotly contested by historic preservationists, who banded together under the title Renovate 1558 to save and renovate the facility, its distinctive red brick façade and tall arched entryway. The group successfully nominated the library to the National Register of Historic Places over the city’s objections and attempted to block demolition through the courts, calling the library a natural resource and its loss a violation of the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act.

On Thursday, Ramsey County District Judge Stephen Smith issued a 26-page opinion and court order allowing demolition to move forward “in consultation with the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office.”He noted the building lacks modern ventilation and insulation, and is well below modern building code, and the city had made reasonable efforts to explore alternatives, such as selling the library and relocating its services elsewhere. At trial, the city provided experts that showed renovation costs could reach $3 million or more, while the library’s estimated market value is closer to $600,000. The new building will incorporate elements of the old one in its facade and exhibit space.

Smith wrote: “There is no question the extraordinary deterioration of the Library, unabated, poses a significant risk to public health, safety, and welfare. Those risks include mold exposure, poor air quality, falling structures, illicit and nefarious activities, and collapsing ceilings, along with the consequences of any attendant mechanical damage.”

He went on to write that the court finds the city’s plan “consistent with public safety and the state’s paramount concern for its natural resources. Features of the Library will be replicated in the new one, including an interpretive exhibit, prominently displayed, extolling the significance of its ‘social history’ and ‘education,’ the very reason it was placed on the historic registry.”

Earlier ruling

Last June, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the city on a separate matter — an effort by Renovate 1558 to prevent demolition on the basis that the project might require a deeper environmental review known as an Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS. The appellate court found further review unnecessary, concluding the city took “a hard look” at the potential adverse impacts of a demolition and “appropriately considered and reasonably” relied on mitigation measures recommended by the State Historic Preservation Office.

Mayor Melvin Carter’s office issued a statement Thursday evening indicating the city will work with construction partners to set a demolition date. The city had already set aside $8.1 million toward construction of a new facility, originally scheduled to begin in the fall of 2023, but costs have likely gone up. The library has been shuttered since May 2023, leading to some frustration among nearby residents that multiple years will go by without access to their neighborhood library.

“I applaud this decision and look forward to finally fulfilling our promise of an accessible, safe, and modern public library that all of our Hamline-Midway families can enjoy,” Carter said in a written statement.

“The Midway deserves major city investment in vibrant public spaces for the future of our diverse community,” Council President Mitra Jalali said in the same statement. “I am thrilled that the Hamline-Midway Library will be rebuilt to better serve our neighborhood. This is a victory for all our residents.”

Efforts to reach a spokesperson for Renovate 1558 for comment were not immediately successful.

Existing structure

The existing Hamline-Midway building effectively stacks a one-level library over basement bathrooms and meeting space in a vertical configuration. It limits disability access to a basement side door that connects to a narrow hallway.

A design by LSE Architects of Minneapolis calls for a horizontal layout, which is expected to improve sight lines and increase square footage by 30% and readily-accessible building space by 50%, with new staff areas, flexible-use classrooms and meeting space, as well as greater access to modern technology.