Learn more about the Westonka Library project
The new library will be built on the site of the current library and will better meet community needs for contemporary library service with an early learning area for families, meeting spaces for students and groups of all ages, and enhanced access to technology. The new facility is envisioned to be a net-zero energy building. A net-zero facility is designed to produce 100% (or more) of the energy it consumes through renewable energy sources generated on its site.
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Wall framing and insulation underway at Westonka Library
The Westonka Library construction site is bustling. Carpenters are framing and partially sheetrocking interior partitions. Work on exterior walls—from framing to insulation and preparations to receive siding—is also underway. With geothermal lines in place, construction of the trash enclosure has begun, with footings and walls recently formed. Bridge foundations are also being set.
Progress photos
Work on the trash enclosure began the last week in August, with forming of footings.
A week later, the trash enclosure’s curved concrete wall was in place. 
Air barrier is installed on the northwest canopy overhang and main reading room’s north wall.
Concrete floors wereContinue reading -
Exterior walls going up at Westonka Library
Weekly progress at Westonka Library continues to be robust. Crews have been working simultaneously inside and outside, building out the envelope (exterior), framing walls, and roughing in mechanical, electrical, and plumbing. With drilling of the geothermal wells starting recently, the site will be exceptionally busy and crowded in the coming weeks.
Exterior wall coverings (sheathing) are nearly complete, with vapor barrier installation following behind. This view shows the fully formed porch-canopy wall openings.
The curved shade element along the park porch is framed and nearly fully sheathed. To the right, the main reading room’s north wall is framed. Sub-slab ductworkContinue reading -
Momentum is building at Westonka Library
Westonka Library looks more like a building every week. The roof is sheathed, glulam beams and structural steel are fully in place, and cold-form metal framing of the exterior walls is underway.
From the Bellaire side of the drive, the swoop and curve of the park porch canopy is visible. 
Looking from the service desk area eastward the clerestory above the shear wall on the left and the multipurpose room’s wood paneled triangular soffit and lower ceiling (center back) are taking shape. To the right, framing of the south porch canopy is underway. 
Even at this early stage, the warmth that the wood will bring to the reading room and park porch is palpable. 
Trenches along the foundation walls for the under-slab ducts are prepped. Drain tile is already set and covered with pea gravel. Ductwork placement begins next week. 
View from the south porch, just outside the children’s area. 
Carpenters are working clockwise from the northeast corner, framing the exterior and porch walls. Above, a green lift and workers are on what will be the south porch and covered walkway to the Commerce porch, respectively. Upcoming Work
Work scheduled for the rest of May and into June focuses on:
- Placement of ductwork under concrete slabs and radon mitigation system
- Pouring the concrete floor below the flat roof
- Installing the metal and Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) roof systems (a type of rubber membrane that will be used on the flat roof over the staff area)
- Constructing exterior walls
Project updates
Interested in receiving future updates on the project? Subscribe to the Westonka Library email list or visit the Westonka Library building project page.
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New chapter of Westonka Library coming to life with steady progress
The new Westonka Library continues to take shape, looking more like a building every day, as steel and mass-timber glulam elements are installed. As snow has melted, the site’s clay soil has been extremely muddy, adding another layer of challenge to the project—and workers’ boots. Despite weather and mud, the transformation from week to week was impressive.
Ironworkers set steel at the building’s southwest corner, forming the porch-canopy structure.
View from the future entry bridge, looking through the children’s area into the multipurpose room (to the left) and along the south porch (to the right) toward Commerce Boulevard. 
Glulam columnsContinue reading -
Columns and beams going in at Westonka Library
Even with two weeks of steady sub-zero weather, significant work was completed on the Westonka Library in the first six weeks of the year.
Construction highlights include:
- Shear walls placed and sandblasted where they will remain exposed. Sandblasting exposed aggregate within the concrete, adding texture and shadowing to enhance the walls’ appearance.
- Mass-timber glulam, or glued laminated timber, columns and beams, along with the first structural steel arrived; installation of these elements has begun. Curved steel is expected to arrive in the coming week.
- Crews formed and poured foundation walls for the outermost edge of the porches. They also setContinue reading
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Foundation waterproofing, backfilling underway at Westonka Library site
Over the last few weeks, the new Westonka Library building began to emerge above ground. Before the temperature dropped, foundation walls for about two-thirds of the building were waterproofed and backfilled. And the project contractor has been forming, reinforcing, and pouring the walls on the northern half of the library.
Work this month also included preserving an established honey locust tree. This preservation effort involved modifying the path for geothermal lines and revising foundation and points where lines enter the building.
Mechanical room. Openings in the walls are for air-intake louvers and
mechanical hook ups.
To the right of theContinue reading
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Footings and foundation taking shape at Westonka Library
Crews are making good progress at the Westonka Library new build site. New water and sewer connections for the building were completed in October. Work underway this month includes excavating, forming, and pouring footings and foundation walls outlining the building’s footprint.
Commerce porch footings, looking east from the mechanical room towards Commerce Boulevard.
Staff workroom. The square at the center right is the footing for the stoop at the breakroom exterior door. The vertical forms in the distance are the exterior shear wall adjacent to the carve garden.
Carve garden. To the left will be the adult reading room, toContinue reading
