There are thousands of abandoned buildings sitting empty all over America, including hundreds of former Walmart stores. These massive buildings, big enough to fit 2.5 football fields, sit useless and abandoned once they’re shut down.
When a local Walmart shut down in McAllen, Texas, local officials were faced with the problem of what to do with all the wasted, vacant space. Their solution? You have to check this out.
What was once an abandoned building doomed to be reclaimed by the elements, this Walmart store has been transformed into something arguably more useful – the largest single-floor public library in America!
Web Urbanist
After stripping out the old walls and ceiling, the developers, Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, opted for a very modern feel for the 124,500-square-foot public library.
Web Urbanist
It’s design won the International Interior Design Association’s 2012 Library Interior Design Competition.
Web Urbanist
The library boasts of 16 public meeting spaces, 14 public study rooms, 64 computer labs, 10 children’s computer labs, and 2 genealogy computer labs.
Web Urbanist
Digital Shift
New features include self check-out units, an auditorium, an art gallery, a used bookstore and a cafe.
Slate
Even the grounds of the library also had its own beautiful transformation.
Web Urbanist
Almost 70% of the space is still empty, which only shows how hard it is to fill a 124k square foot facility. But with the 23% increase in new user registration within the first month following the new library’s opening, that remaining vacant space surely won’t empty for long.
Supercenternation
What a brilliant idea and a beautiful transformation!
Web Urbanist
H/t Web Urbanist.