Historic preservationist group sues to stop demolition, replacement of Hamline-Midway Library

Kristi Miller, Pioneer Press
Updated ·3 min read

A group of historic preservationists filed a civil lawsuit this week against the city of St. Paul and the St. Paul Public Library asking for an injunction to stop the demolition and rebuilding of the Hamline-Midway Library.

The library, also known as the Henry Hale Memorial Library, Hamline Branch, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in January, over the mayor’s objections, through the concerted efforts of neighborhood advocates and historic preservationists dubbing themselves “Renovate 1558.”

Because the library — at 1558 W. Minnehaha Ave. — is listed on the National Register, the city must seek an environmental review before determining whether the structure can be demolished, the Renovate 1558 group claimed in court documents. The group instead wants to see the 93-year-old building undergo a renovation to modernize it yet retain its historic character. The city says it’s obsolete, can’t be economically renovated and needs to be replaced with a new structure.

Statement from the city

In response, the city released a statement saying it was aware of the civil suit and was reviewing it with the city attorney’s office.

Mayor Melvin Carter released the following statement about the lawsuit:

“Our community has been vocal in its support for a new Hamline Midway library,” Carter said. “We remain committed to transforming this space into a dynamic and inclusive facility that will serve our residents for generations to come.”

The group noted in its lawsuit that when the city and library announced earlier this year that they were closing the library branch effective May 28, they also said they would be “decommissioning” the library in preparation for demolition.

All books and materials will be moved into storage over the course of several months in advance of demolition and construction of a new building, which could begin this fall and take up to 18 months.

New design

The library system has $8.1 million, obtained through the city’s capital investment budget, to put toward a new structure, which was designed with greater accessibility for the disabled, safety features, community spaces and modern technology in mind, as well an outdoor reading garden and interactive children’s area.

“We are thrilled to be moving on next steps to deliver a brand new, state-of-the-art library for our community,” Carter said in the May announcement.

At the time, Beth Burns, president of the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library, issued a statement to members indicating that demolition as imminent, “By moving forward now, and barring further delays, construction on the new library can begin before the snow flies again and before costs escalate.”

With the closure announcement, officials said they were participating in an environmental review process with the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board, as well as a separate consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office regarding the structure’s historic status that was happening as demolition plans were being made.

The lawsuit claims that the results of that environmental review process should be considered before any plans are made for demolition. The Renovate 1558 group asked the courts for an injunction until the environmental impacts are known and alternatives to demolition are considered.

Renovate 1558 said any plans for demolition need to stop until the reviews are complete.

The library — featuring “red brick and limestone facades, as well as diamond-paned windows, carved stone rosettes, wrought iron lanterns, and stone medallion, all examples of a modified Collegiate Gothic style of architecture” — opened in 1930 and outside of closures during the pandemic, has operated continuously as a library since then, according to court documents.

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