McAllen Public Library, McAllen, Texas
Retrofit Team
Architect: Boultinghouse Simpson Gates Architects, McAllen
Design Consultant: Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle Ltd., Minneapolis
General Contractor: Barcom Construction Inc., Corpus Christi, Texas
Fabricator and Installer: Bowman Distributing Co., San Benito, Texas, (956) 361-5203
Materials
A total of 15,000 square feet of 6-millimeter-thick Alucobond aluminum composite material in a steel city silver mica color was installed on the library, mainly as cladding on the 108- by 44-foot main-entry canopy and a secondary entry canopy. Alucobond comprises two sheets of aluminum thermobonded to a polyethylene core. It was specified because of its rigidity, formability, low weight and weather-resistance.
Aluminum Composite Material Manufacturer: 3A Composites USA
The Retrofit
The $25.7 million McAllen Public Library occupies 123,000 square feet on one floor of a former Walmart. Because city officials were keen on environmentally responsible features, adaptively reusing the former retail store kept 130,000 square feet of building debris from the local landfill.
The McAllen Public Library design earned a 2013 Honor Award for Interior Architecture from the American Institute of Architects, Washington, D.C., and 2012 Library Interior Design Competition Award from the Chicago-based International Interior Design Association and American Library Association, Chicago.