North Carolina Architectural Firm Seeks To Breathe New Life Into Superior Carnegie Library

A North Carolina architectural firm has reached a deal to buy the Carnegie Library in Superior.

The city is one of 60 communities in Wisconsin that received grants from Andrew Carnegie to build public libraries in the early 20th century. Carnegie was a Scottish-American business magnate and philanthropist who led the expansion of the American steel industry. He is also considered one of the nation’s most wealthy Americans who ever lived.

Superior’s Carnegie Library was the first to be built in Wisconsin in 1901, said Bob Swanson, executive director of the Friends of the Superior Carnegie Library. Swanson said a group of more than 80 citizens raised funds to save the library from being razed after the Superior City Council voted to condemn the building in 2006.

“It’s our heritage. It’s an iconic building. There’s no other building in the City of Superior left like this building,” said Swanson. “In our society, we just throw stuff away. If you go to Europe, you’re not going to see this happening where we just knock stuff down.”

Raleigh-based Osterlund Architects has agreed to buy the building for $125,000. Company president Andrew Osterlund said they plan to spend just more than $2 million to renovate the building into a co-working hub.

“It’s office space and some light maker space. It will have 3D printers and a photography studio, and we’re looking at a kitchen in there,” he said. “So, generally office, but it’s a community office space.”

Osterlund, who has family in the Twin Ports, said it was thrilling to walk through the building and feel the history behind it. He said he always heard stories when he was younger that Superior was going downhill and that businesses were leaving the city.

“Now, especially with the entrepreneurship movement, young professionals who want to live in cities — we’re just seeing that same movement in Superior that creates new vibrant places again,” he said. “I just wanted to be a part of that.”

Osterlund is seeking tenants and conducting a six-month feasibility study on potential uses for the building. He hopes to close on the sale in June next year and open the building in spring of 2019.