The Renton Public Library is the King County Library System (KCLS) branch library in

Renton, Washington Renton is a city in King County, Washington, and an inner-ring suburb of Seattle. Situated southeast of downtown Seattle, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington, at the mouth of the Cedar River. As of the 2020 census, the ...

, in the United States. It was a city library between its construction in 1966 and 2010, when it was one of the last three non-KCLS members in the county outside of Seattle and it was incorporated into KCLS after what may have been "the most contentious annexation fight in the system's 71 years".

Design and construction

The library sits astride a river – the Cedar River – one of the only libraries in the United States to do so. The building is about long, spanning the river on a bridge-like precast concrete girder and tie system riding on pilings.

Renovation

The library was closed June 22, 2014 for a $10.2 million renovation, to include new pilings into the banks of the Cedar River for seismic retrofitting, and replacement of wall-mounted windows with floor-to-ceiling glass for better river views and natural light. After renovation the library reopened in August, 2015. For the renovation,

Miller Hull Partnership The Miller Hull Partnership is an architectural firm based in Seattle, Washington, founded by David Miller and Robert Hull. The firm's major works in the domains of municipal, commercial, and residential architecture reflect a modernist aesthet ...

architects were awarded AIA/ALA Library Building Award in 2016, then in 2017 won the American Institute of Architects Seattle chapter's Civic Design Honor Award for its rehabilitation.

Salmon viewing

The library's location over the Cedar River is considered a prime location to view spawning Northwest salmon species including Sockeye, Coho and Chinook.

References

External links

Official website via King County Library System2017 AIA Seattle Honor Awards Gallery: Renton Library
(AIA Seattle) {{Authority control 1966 establishments in Washington (state) Buildings and structures in Renton, Washington Crossings of the Cedar River (Washington) Library buildings completed in 1966 Public libraries in Washington (state)