68-112 Hyattsville Branch Library 6530 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville, Prince George’S County, Maryland 1964 Public
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CAPSULE SUMMARY PG:68-112 Hyattsville Branch Library 6530 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville, Prince George’s County, Maryland 1964 Public The Hyattsville Branch Library is a two-level, L-shaped building executed in the International Style. Its asymmetrical footprint is integrated with its sloping site. The main entrance, accented with a concrete flying-saucer- shaped entrance canopy, is located on Adelphi Road. A second entrance and the administrative wing of the building are located near the rear of the site, accessed at grade from the parking lot at the north end of the property. The north section of the library to the right of the front entrance is clad in weather-struck, rose-colored brick laid in Flemish bond. The administrative wing is also clad in rose-colored brick laid in Flemish bond. The south section of the building to the left of the front entrance is clad in white rusticated brick laid in a stack bond pattern. Window arrangements vary from ganged lights and concrete panels separated by aluminum spandrels on the rose brick portions of the building, to narrow, five-light slits bracketed by Vitrolite glass in the white brick portion. At the rear (west) of the building, the full eight bays of the administrative wing are exposed. A central two-story projection on the library portion contains three drive-through garage bays for bookmobiles. The Hyattsville Branch Library, historically known as Prince George’s County’s Memorial Library, First Regional Library and Administrative Offices is an excellent example of International Style architecture, which was popular for government and commercial buildings in the United States throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The Hyattsville library was the first purpose-built library in Prince George’s County. It retains its character-defining features: flying saucer-shaped entrance canopy, ganged aluminum windows and spandrel panels, varied brick cladding and steel beam-supported colonnade. The library was designed by Walton and Madden Architects, then practicing in Mount Rainier, Maryland. The design of the Hyattsville Branch Library evokes the time when space exploration and technology were viewed as vital American accomplishments. It reflects the aspirations of the county and nation and acknowledges the contributions of Prince George’s County to the aerospace and defense industries, exemplified by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt and Joint Base Andrews in Camp Springs. Maryland Historical Trust Inventory No. PG:68-112 Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties Form 1. Name of Property (indicate preferred name) historic Prince George’s County Memorial Library’s Regional Library and Administrative Offices other Hyattsville Branch Library (preferred) 2. Location street and number 6530 Adelphi Road not for publication city, town Hyattsville, MD 20782 vicinity county Prince George’s 3. Owner of Property (give names and mailing addresses of all owners) name Prince George’s County street and number 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive telephone 301-699-3500 city, town Upper Marlboro state MD zip code 20772 4. Location of Legal Description courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Prince George’s County liber 02635 folio 132 city, town Upper Marlboro tax map 0042B2 tax parcel 0076 tax ID number 1941541 5. Primary Location of Additional Data Contributing Resource in National Register District Contributing Resource in Local Historic District Determined Eligible for the National Register/Maryland Register Determined Ineligible for the National Register/Maryland Register Recorded by HABS/HAER Historic Structure Report or Research Report at MHT X Other: Historic Preservation Section, Prince George’s County Planning Department, M-NCPPC _ 6. Classification Category Ownership Current Function Resource Count district X public agriculture landscape Contributing Noncontributing X building(s) private commerce/trade X recreation/culture 1 0___buildings structure both defense religion sites site domestic social structures object X education transportation objects funerary work in progress 1 0___Total X government unknown health care vacant/not in use Number of Contributing industry other: Resources previously listed in the Inventory 0 7. Description Inventory No. PG:68-112 Condition X excellent deteriorated good ruins fair altered Prepare both a one paragraph summary and a comprehensive description of the resource and its various elements as it exists today. SUMMARY The Hyattsville Branch Library is a two-level, L-shaped structure executed in the International Style. Its asymmetrical footprint is integrated with its sloping site. The main entrance, accented with a concrete flying saucer- inspired entrance canopy, is located on Adelphi Road. A second entrance and the administrative wing of the building are located near the rear of the site, accessed at grade from the parking lot at the north end of the property. The majority of the site is occupied by the building and its asphalt parking lot, surrounded on all sides by a strip of landscaping. Three mature trees are located at the southeast corner of the property and one near the administrative wing. The bulk of the landscape features consist of lawns, small trees, and ornamental shrubs such as Nandina. Neat beaten-dirt paths provide pedestrian access to the front entrance from the southeast corner of the property and University Town Center. LIBRARY Completed in 1964, the Hyattsville Branch Library is located on three acres at the intersection of Adelphi and Toledo Roads one block north of East West Highway. The library was dedicated to the memory of President John F. Kennedy on January 19, 1964, and opened its doors to the public on March 2, 1964.1 The building contains approximately 41,000 square feet of library space and 24,000 square feet of administrative space.2 The library was designed by Walton and Madden of Mount Rainier, Maryland. The firm, which operates today as WMCRP Architects in Landover, Maryland, has made significant contributions to the Prince George’s County architectural landscape, designing many schools, libraries, and churches over the past 60 years. The Hyattsville Branch Library is a two-level, L-shaped structure executed in the International Style. A concrete colonnade supported by exposed steel columns runs along the length of the administrative wing to the public entrance in the lower level of the building. A loading dock and garages for bookmobiles are located on the west elevation. A freestanding concrete flying saucer-shaped entrance canopy with a center Plexiglas dome (originally transparent, now translucent with age) rests on four splayed legs. The front entrance has two sets of double-leafed glass doors surrounded by windows in aluminum frames. The entrance is nestled in the north section where it abuts the south section. The north section of the library to the right of the front entrance is clad in weather-struck rose- colored brick laid in Flemish bond. The roof on this section projects approximately one-and-one-half feet and there are two sets of continuous nearly floor-to-ceiling windows, one set on the façade (east elevation) and one set on the north elevation. The east elevation fenestration consists of eight ganged three-light windows that rest on precast concrete aggregate spandrel panels, while the north elevation consists of eleven three-light windows also resting on concrete aggregate panels. The spandrels on the north elevation continue to the basement to frame eleven single- light windows that provide light to the lower level. All of the windows have solar gray glass and aluminum muntins and mullions. The vertical mullions extend over the concrete aggregate panels. Historically, signage consisting of 1 Promotional brochure for the dedication of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library’s First Regional Library and Administrative Offices. Property of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System. On file at the Hyattsville Branch Library. 2 Centennial Book Advisory Committee. Hyattsville Our Hometown: 100 Years of Life, Growth and Service in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Copyright 1988, City of Hyattsville, 186. Maryland Historical Trust Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. PG:68-112 Historic Properties Form Hyattsville Branch Library Continuation Sheet Number 7 Page 2 raised aluminum sans-serif lettering identifying the building as the “Prince George’s County Memorial Library” with “Regional Library” below that was located on the blank brick wall facing Adelphi Road. The lettering was aligned with the top muntin of the windows. The lettering has been replaced with an internally light plastic and metal box sign identifying the building as the Hyattsville Branch Library, Prince George’s County Memorial Library System. The administrative wing is also clad in rose-colored brick laid in Flemish bond. Seven sets of paired two-light windows with aluminum frames and muntins on the upper level rest on seven sets of similar windows on the lower level. Each set of windows has concrete aggregate spandrel panels above and below extending to the parapet roof and sill, respectively. A brick-clad mechanical penthouse is centrally located on the roof above bays four through six. A concrete colonnade supported by painted steel horizontal members connected to the building runs the length of the administrative wing to the public entrance in the lower level of the building. The horizontal beams terminate in steel columns and the roof of the colonnade is offset from their juncture as well as the face of the building. It connects to the building sheltering a door in the third bay. The north elevation of the administrative wing includes a pair of windows in the same style as those on the side located off-center to the right. At left near-center on the second floor is a four-light window like those in the white brick portion of the structure. This window appears to have been relocated from a center second floor position at the end of the wing when the wing was extended in 1968. The section of the building to the left of the front (east) entrance is clad in white rusticated brick laid in a stack bond pattern.3 Nine narrow, floor-to-ceiling ribbon windows with aluminum frames and muntins are spaced evenly across the façade.