Jamail & Smith Construction completes City of Austin Twin Oaks Library project

(August 25, 2010 - Houston, Texas) - Jamail & Smith Construction announced the completion of the City of Austin Twin Oaks Branch Library.  The library is located at 1800 South Fifth Street, the site of the former South Austin Post Office.

The original Twin Oaks Branch Library opened in 1956 at 202 East Oltorf, in a neighborhood shopping mall.  The branch has since moved three times within the same shopping center and since 1992, the Branch has occupied only 5,360 square feet of leased space. In the 1998 City of Austin Bond Election, the funds necessary to acquire and construct the 10,000 replacement facility were approved.

The new sustainable Twin Oaks Branch Library, designed by Hatch + Ulland Owens Architeccts, was designed to operate as a "library for the future", patterned after a popular new design model for community libraries which incorporates many features found in upscale bookstores, which is also indicative of South Austin culture. The library was designed and constructed using the City of Austin Green Building Program, which has similar standards and requirements as the United States Green Building LEED Silver rating. The library is equipped with a rainwater harvesting system as well as a day lighting control system that dims electric lamps when the building has sufficient daylight for reading and other activities. It also features a 25.2 kW solar energy system that is expected to generate some 32,760 kWh annually (power sufficient for about three standard sized homes). Additionally, reused bricks salvaged during the demolition of the old South Austin Post Office building, which formerly stood on the site, were used for construction. The building  includes 15 huge timber trusses made of reclaimed Douglas Fir which saved about 30 large trees.  Other features of this facility are an amphitheater, outdoor reading areas and private reading rooms.

The City of Austin held a "Grand Opening" for the new library on August 21st, which was well attended by the community, public officials, City staff and representatives from the design and construction team, including subcontractors. This is the second of two City of Austin branch library relocation projects constructed by Jamail & Smith Construction. They also constructed the 11,000 square foot North Village Branch Library at Steck and Anderson Lane. "We are pleased that we’ve been given the opportunity to serve the City of Austin in constructing such important community projects", says Greg Smith, Executive Vice President of Jamail & Smith Construction.