The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum designed by HOK Inc. is now under construction. Ground was broken on February 12 on the Springfield, Ill., facility which replaces the existing library currently housed in the basement of the Old State Capitol building. Creating a comprehensive public experience featuring the life of Abraham Lincoln, the 99,600-sf library will serve as the archival facility to preserve and protect the collection of books and documents on the legends of Lincoln. The four-story library, consisting of three stories and a basement, will consist of the first two floors as public areas with the Lincoln collection and other departmental reading rooms, with a large multipurpose room and prefunction area. The first floor will also house an exhibit area for artifacts from Illinois history. The third floor and the stacks are primarily for staff.
Completion of the library is scheduled for October 2002. HOK is responsible for site selection and master planning, facility programming, design and implementation. Other members of the library team include Springfield-based Crawford Murphy and Tilly, Inc., associate architect responsible for construction administration; CCI of St. Louis, code consulting and fire protection; Cosentini Associates of New York, mechanical/electrical engineering; Shen Milsom & Wilke, Inc. of Chicago, acoustics; Kroll Schiff & Associates of Chicago, building security.
Construction of the museum is scheduled to begin later this year with completion in November 2003. The 100,000-sf facility includes a special effects theater, a gift shop and a restaurant with a garden courtyard.
