William Rawn Associates has been chosen to lead the master planning phase of the Johnson Building study. The contract allows for the option to continue through formal design and construction should the project get approved to go forward either in full or in part. As is noted in previous posts, planning and envisioning meetings are underway and will broaden in the coming weeks and months to gather input from many sources including staff and members of the public. The overall project team also includes:

• Byrne McKinney & Associates for market research on commercial viability of potential space, should the library decide to include such options in the final plan.
• Pinnacle Consulting, who is assisting Byrne McKinney & Associates, and will be focused on the commercial viability of day conference space, an idea that could include refurbishment of Rabb Lecture Hall and nearby rooms.
• Engineering consulting firm TMP, who are helping to assess the health of Johnson building systems and infrastructure along with the level of difficulty involved in any substantial renovations.

It will be the task of William Rawn Associates to incorporate all of the feedback and analysis into an integrated plan while working with BPL and the city’s Public Facilities Department to narrow the options based on project goals and the library’s mission. The next six months will involve a multi-track process to develop a master plan for those sections of the building in direct project scope and those that involve relocated services.

William Rawn Associates was chosen for their extensive architectural and design experience, knowledge with public library projects in Boston, and their processes around envisioning and stakeholder engagement. Some may recognize the firm as the group that designed the BPL’s Mattapan Branch as well as the new East Boston Branch currently under construction.

Send questions about the Johnson Building project to compass@bpl.org. You are also always welcome to comment directly on this blog or send a letter to the BPL via 700 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116.

The Community Advisory Committee for the Johnson Improvement Project will meet on Thursday, January 10, at 8:30 a.m. in the Commonwealth Salon Mezzanine Conference Room (room change made on January 9).  Click the link below for the meeting agenda.

1-10-13 Johnson Improvements Project CAC agenda

1-10-13 Johnson CAC Meeting Discussion Questions

1-10-13 Johnson CAC Meeting Notes

After an extensive RFP review process, the contract for the market feasibility of commercial and conference space in the Johnson building was awarded by the BPL board of trustees to the firm of Byrne McKinney and Associates from Boston. The initial phase of the study will focus on the measuring of demand for various types of uses and possible configurations of the space. They will also develop financial models and forecast revenue, conduct surveys, and work closely with the project and design team. It is anticipated that the majority of research will be completed by the end of February.