Adaptive Reuse Transforms Circa-1891 Hotel into Public Library

Piqua Public Library has been selected for a 2010 Ohio Historic Preservation Office award in recognition of the project’s transformation from an abandoned and deteriorated turn-of-the-century structure into an elegant and functional city library. The award was presented on November 6, 2010 to the Piqua Public Library, the City of Piqua, and the design team of MKC, PSA-Dewberry, and Jeff Wray Associates.

The commendation for historic preservation is the second that the library project has earned for historic preservation and rehabilitation. Piqua Public Library was recognized with a Heritage Ohio Public Improvement Award soon after it opened in 2008. The library’s restoration was also featured in the May 2010 issue of Library Journal in an article entitled “Embracing a Grand History.”

The ambitious adaptive reuse project converted a Richardson Romanesque building constructed in 1891 and set in the heart of Piqua’s downtown. Originally known as the Orr-Statler Building and later as the Fort Piqua Hotel, the building had been vacant and in disrepair for many years. Challenges such as antiquated systems, structural deficiencies, hazardous materials, and animal infestation were all addressed during the rehabilitation, while the design team also worked to create suitable space for a modern library and public gatherings. The Piqua Historical Museum is also housed within the 80,000-square-foot building.