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Library is out of circulation

By LORRI HELFAND
Published January 20, 2007

LARGO - A demolition team began to turn Largo's old library to rubble Friday.

But even at the end, the building still had a bit of life in it.

As heavy equipment crunched into the exterior Friday morning, a geyser of water shot out the roof. The demolition paused while workers made sure that everything was shut off before continuing.

For one bystander, it was a bittersweet sight.

"We used to go there with my family; it was a good little place," said Jeremy Naylor, a 31-year-old graphic designer from St. Petersburg.

But Naylor's 20-month-old son Gavin couldn't have been happier.

"He was just in awe over the big machines," Naylor said. "Every time part of it would come down, he would say 'Oh, no!' and 'Wow!' "

City officials voted in November to tear down the 30-year-old structure after spending almost two years thinking about how to turn it into an arts and community center.

They decided they would rather build a new state-of the-art facility than fork out $5-million dollars to squeeze programs into an archaic, odd-shaped building.

The 36,100-square-foot library, at 351 East Bay Drive, at Largo Central Park, has been empty since the new $21-million library on Central Park Drive opened in July 2005.

The old library was built after local businessman John Jenkins donated nearly 5 acres to the city in 1974. The city broke ground on the $1-million facility in 1976. It opened its doors the following year and an additional wing was completed in 1989.

"It was sad to see it go, but that's the way life is," Naylor said. "You always need bigger and better."

Times staff photographer Jim Damaske and staff writer Richard Danielson contributed to this report. Lorri Helfand can be reached at lorri@sptimes.com or 727 445-4155.

[Last modified January 19, 2007, 23:25:20]