For Rent: New Apartment, Books Included

Portland, Oregon's new energy-efficient, mixed-use library complex is highlighted in the October issue of Metropolis. The Hollywood Library shares digs with Bookmark Apartments and Caffe Uno, creating what the magazine calls "possibly the country's first joint venture between a public library and a private developer. The project is also the latest in the region's well-known and often pioneering efforts to prevent sprawl and increase urban density." Nineteen of the 47 apartment units are designated for those who earn less than the area's median income. The building features low-toxic paints, energy-efficient appliances, and a reflective roof. A bioswale catches water runoff and filters out pollutants. "It was a huge challenge to build a public ground floor with domestic upper floors," the magazine quotes the principal architects. "But it all came together nicely as one building."

Thanks to Dateline APA