Duquesne University hired Gerard Associates, a local architecture firm, to rehabilitate the Geyer Garage into a library. The work included adding two stories to the top of the building. This addition is why there is an extra set of stairs between the 4th and 3rd floors. Additionally, utilities and elevators were added to the outside of the building, resulting in a larger footprint.
The Duquesne University Library opened in 1978, just in time for Duquesne University's 100th anniversary (Image 15). The new facility had seating for 1100 patrons, two group study lounges, three typing rooms, 30 faculty/graduate student study carrels and an impressive 700,000 book capacity. Dr. Paul Pugliese, the Library Director said, "This new facility was designed to be the last university library for some years to come."
Please see Images 12-14 below for views of the Geyer Garage before it was renovated. Images 15-17 show how the new Duquesne University Library appeared when it first opened in 1978.
Image 12: The arrow is pointing to the Geyer Garage before renovation. What campus buildings do you recognize in the background?
Image 13: The interior of the building before renovation.
Image 14: Another image of the interior before renovation. Visitors can still see these large columns today on the first and second floors of our library. This "mushroom system" of concrete construction was patented by architect C.A.P. Turner in the early 1900s. This type of construction allowed for large, open expanses in industrial buildings. Without the need for weight-bearing walls in the middle of buildings, more natural light reached the interiors and there was more room for work.
Image 15: The exterior of the library in 1978. What differences do you see?
Image 16: This is how the 1st floor looked when the library opened in 1978.
Image 17: The card catalog seen here was located on the 4th floor where the glass study rooms are today. Prior to searching on computers, patrons needed to search the card catalog for library books by knowing the subject, title, or author of a book.
