Historic Style: San Francisco Public Library, Richmond Branch

Many people want nothing more than the comfort and quiet dignity of a traditional style when they go to the library. These projects, many of them historic restorations, offer just that.

The Richmond/Senator Milton Marks Branch of San Francisco Public Library is a Carnegie building built in 1914. The 2009 renovation and expansion features ceiling lights replicated from the building’s original fixtures, an old-world ceiling relief pattern of flowers and octagonal panels, historic oak doors, and restored terracotta tiles around the arched entryway. The project recently won an American Public Works Association award for Historic Restoration/Preservation.

Architect: San Francisco Department of Public Works, Bureau of Architecture

Photos: Michael Kromat