Historic Seattle’s Annual Preservation Celebration is coming up on September 25, 2025. We’ll celebrate the projects and people that help amplify our mission. Today, we feature the Seattle Public Library Green Lake Branch the 2025 Preserving Neighborhood Character Award recipient.
Congratulations Seattle Public Library Green Lake Branch!
Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant whose formal education ended at age 12, rose to become a steel magnate and one of history’s most influential philanthropists. Inspired by his own experience borrowing books as a working boy in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Carnegie made libraries his first major philanthropic focus.
Beginning in 1881 with a gift to his hometown of Dunfermline, Scotland, he and his foundation ultimately donated over $56 million to build 2,509 public libraries—1,681 of them in the United States. Often called the “Patron Saint of Libraries,” Carnegie helped ignite the free public library movement, making knowledge accessible to millions.
Seattle is home to eight Carnegie libraries, seven of which still stand. Six continue to serve the public as branches of The Seattle Public Library: Fremont, Queen Anne, Green Lake, University, Columbia, and West Seattle. The Ballard branch now houses a pub.
Built in 1909, the Green Lake Branch (7364 East Green Lake Dr N, Seattle) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a city landmark in 2001. For more than 115 years, it has been a cornerstone of the Green Lake neighborhood. The recent renovation ensures the beloved building continues to serve future generations—safely, sustainably, and inclusively.
The design honors the Carnegie legacy and historic architecture while introducing essential modern upgrades, including:
Seismic Retrofit: Engineered to exceed standard performance, protecting patrons and enabling the library to function as a disaster relief center.
Sustainable Systems: A fossil-fuel-free HVAC system provides air conditioning for the first time and supports climate goals.
Universal Accessibility: A new lower-level entrance, elevator, and restrooms ensure access for all.
Enhanced Patron Experience: New study and meeting rooms, service desk, furniture, finishes, and LED lighting throughout.
The project is LEED Gold certified and represents a thoughtful integration of contemporary infrastructure into a historic framework. Despite its complexity, every intervention was executed with sensitivity to the building’s original character. The result is a revitalized landmark—ready to serve the community for another century as a free, inclusive space where people build knowledge and social bonds.
The project was funded by the 2019 Seattle Library Levy, approved by 76% of voters, with supplemental support through 4Culture and The Seattle Public Library Foundation.
Andrew Carnegie would be pleased and proud.
Congratulations to The Seattle Public Library and the project team on a job well done!
BuildingWork, Swenson Say Faget, TFWB, Kassel & Associates, LPD Engineering, The Greenbusch Group, RDH Building Science, Blanca Lighting Design, Applied Building Information, Project Delivery Analysts, PanGEO, Duncanson, and MNT2Coast.
Photo by Doug Walker