Thief River Falls | Carnegie Library (Now Chamber of commerce) Renovation/Restoration

The Carnegie Library in Thief River Falls was built nearly 100 years ago for a price of $17,348, with $12,000 donated by Andrew Carnegie as part of his public library construction program. This building is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Much like many of our other Carnegie Library projects, our work on the Thief River Falls buildings consisted largely of restoration alongside modernization. One of the main modifications of the building was the addition of accessibility infrastructure, such as an elevator and a new set of stairs to access the 2nd floor. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems were all updated to be more efficient and accessible. Draintile was added to help reduce moisture and water damage. A new concrete floor was also installed to reduce moisture damage further, replacing the old one.

The interior also received improvement in the form of new offices and the removal of non-load-bearing walls. New restrooms and an elevator/stair addition were built on the east side of the building to fulfill and accommodate all accessibility issues.  Three new offices were constructed at the upper level, and transoms were installed at the upper portion of the walls to expose the existing structure.  The north portion of the upper level, adjacent to the fireplace, is used as a large display and gathering space for public and private events.  The lower level houses a computer lab, kitchenette, meeting room, and office/storage spaces. The historic metal ceilings at the lower level are preserved in public circulation areas and the meeting room.  Other improvements include new mechanical and electrical systems and replacing old and inefficient systems.