More (elevation) images of Newhall Library

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

Last week, the Signal published (and I promptly stole from them) an artist/computer rendering of the new Newhall Library, which will be built around 11th Street & Railroad Avenue deep in the heart of Texas Old Town Newhall.

Well, proving once again that The Signal is not the only game in town, I went in search of more images and got some (exclusive!) elevations of what the building may look like from the north, south, east and west.

Feast your eyes on the anchor of a revitalized Old Town Newhall!

This is the Library from the North end. In other words, I assume, if you were standing on or near Railroad at about 12th Street, you’d see the facade above. t

Note the tasteful “Old Town Newhall Library” signage in Ye Olde Weste (pun!) Font!

Note the tasteful "Old Town Newhall Library" signage in Ye Olde Weste (pun!) Fon

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Comin’ from the west side! So say you’re breaking the law and standing on the railroad tracks. I think you’d see this. Kind of looks like a jail house from that angle (it’s appropriate for the area, I grant you), but let’s reserve judgment.

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The view, I presume, from around Newhall Elementary school (east). I dig the big window feature.

And finally, what the City hopes will be the capstone of its Old Town Newhall efforts, the view from Main Street looking north:

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Ta-da!

Now when I first posted the rendering, reaction was mixed. Some said it was a “Craftsmen” style building and that that didn’t quite fit with Old Town Newhall’s cowboy/Mexican/bandito/oilman/Hollywood/Puritan* history.

But looking at it from this elevation, I think the design has grown on me. First of all, the tower is an undeniable reference to the Newhall Metrolink Station, just down the street on Railroad Ave:

Image Courtesty of Flickr Usr jeff_scvtalk

But that’s not the only tower in Old Town Newhall. I may upset the folks at the Historical Society, but I’ve always** interpreted the structure at William S. Hart’s Mansion to be a tower as well:

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Courtesy Hart Museum.org

I smell a theme!

Back to the elevation diagrams, I think I like what I see. Consider these are technical documents so we’re not seeing the landscaping, trees, or other features that will be built around the library to improve its look.

Once those old buildings on Lyons & Railroad are knocked down, the view from Main Street should be quite impressive. And while we don’e know what the building will look like inside yet, there is a big skylight, which should let some natural light in.

Going back to the rendering, it looks like the perspective is from the south, probably at Main Street & Lyons.

Rendition of new Newhall Library

So what do you think? Do these elevations change your mind about the look of the new library at all?

*cf this guy:

**Okay, so I only just now thought that

Comments (9)

lvogelSeptember 24, 2009 at 5:20 pm

Looks like a train depot or perhaps a lodge. Wonder if there will be dear/buck antlers hanging over the fireplace?

Jim FarleySeptember 24, 2009 at 7:11 pm

Having spent the last three weeks working in Pasadena I think I can say with authority that this style is definitely ‘Craftsman’. Every third house in Old Pasadena has this styling. (Actually all Pasadena is ‘Old Pasadena’). It appears nothing new has been built in the neighborhoods since 1920 something. It’s awesome going into the basements of some of these homes and seeing ‘Knob and Tube’ wiring that is still functional, and 2×6 lumber that is really 2″ x 6″. While the appearance has changed a bit from the original Gamble House designed by the Green Bros and built in 1908, the design keeps the shape of low slope roof lines and has tended to look like a lodge as Lvogel says. All that being said, does this design fit downtown Newhall? I don’t think so. Perhaps something ‘Old West’ would be better.

WalkerSeptember 24, 2009 at 8:56 pm

Still think it sucks. We just spent some time in OTN today and I can say with certainty that this thing does not fit in with the current attempt at a theme. I walked down the street thinking ‘For reals? A craftsman lodge as the anchor of the street’. Odd choice. Very very odd.

Jim FarleySeptember 24, 2009 at 9:15 pm

Right on Walker. The craftsmen houses in Pasadena fit and help give the city a great and unique charachter. A craftsman style library as the anchor of downtown Newhall fits in like someone going to the annual Cowboy Festival dressed like Santa Claus.

CCSeptember 25, 2009 at 9:12 am

I fail to understand why every building has to be rubber stamped. The fact that this building is somewhat unique to the area will bring more character and charm instead of a continued bland display of stucco.

cashSeptember 25, 2009 at 9:13 am

Jim, I think the cowboy theme has about run its course. There are not many cowboys left in the SCV ( unless you count Ms. Weste) and the new generation can care less about cowboys. Me, I am a Hopalong Cassidy fan. I think the Craftsman style cool, but I am not sure it matters much. The entire downtown is a hodgepodge of difference architect. The more recent facade changes kind of point this out. The bigger question I have is why are we wasting money on a library unless the real plan is to make it a computer learning center!

navigatorSeptember 25, 2009 at 12:57 pm

As I stated previously, the Craftsman style was definitely not my first choice of design for the library but it is consistant with what was actually constructed in Newhall in the early 20th century. If all goes as planned there will be a computer center there as well.

cashSeptember 25, 2009 at 1:30 pm

Nav, Why have all, I believe all, of the facade improvements not followed the Craftsman theme? I do not see many, if any true craftsman homes in Newhall. If there were, I would have looked into buying one long ago.

navigatorSeptember 25, 2009 at 4:20 pm

Newhall was given 4 different models to choose from: Craftrman, western, Spanish and Victorian. The building owners picked what they wanted for facade’ improvements. There are still a few Craftsman style homes in Newhall. Take a look at the Historic Preservation Ordinance that the City is working with for some examples.

lvogelSeptember 24, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Looks like a train depot or perhaps a lodge. Wonder if there will be dear/buck antlers hanging over the fireplace?
Jim FarleySeptember 24, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Having spent the last three weeks working in Pasadena I think I can say with authority that this style is definitely ‘Craftsman’. Every third house in Old Pasadena has this styling. (Actually all Pasadena is ‘Old Pasadena’). It appears nothing new has been built in the neighborhoods since 1920 something. It’s awesome going into the basements of some of these homes and seeing ‘Knob and Tube’ wiring that is still functional, and 2×6 lumber that is really 2″ x 6″. While the appearance has changed a bit from the original Gamble House designed by the Green Bros and built in 1908, the design keeps the shape of low slope roof lines and has tended to look like a lodge as Lvogel says. All that being said, does this design fit downtown Newhall? I don’t think so. Perhaps something ‘Old West’ would be better.
WalkerSeptember 24, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Still think it sucks. We just spent some time in OTN today and I can say with certainty that this thing does not fit in with the current attempt at a theme. I walked down the street thinking ‘For reals? A craftsman lodge as the anchor of the street’. Odd choice. Very very odd.
Jim FarleySeptember 24, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Right on Walker. The craftsmen houses in Pasadena fit and help give the city a great and unique charachter. A craftsman style library as the anchor of downtown Newhall fits in like someone going to the annual Cowboy Festival dressed like Santa Claus.
CCSeptember 25, 2009 at 9:12 am
I fail to understand why every building has to be rubber stamped. The fact that this building is somewhat unique to the area will bring more character and charm instead of a continued bland display of stucco.
cashSeptember 25, 2009 at 9:13 am
Jim, I think the cowboy theme has about run its course. There are not many cowboys left in the SCV ( unless you count Ms. Weste) and the new generation can care less about cowboys. Me, I am a Hopalong Cassidy fan. I think the Craftsman style cool, but I am not sure it matters much. The entire downtown is a hodgepodge of difference architect. The more recent facade changes kind of point this out. The bigger question I have is why are we wasting money on a library unless the real plan is to make it a computer learning center!
navigatorSeptember 25, 2009 at 12:57 pm
As I stated previously, the Craftsman style was definitely not my first choice of design for the library but it is consistant with what was actually constructed in Newhall in the early 20th century. If all goes as planned there will be a computer center there as well.
cashSeptember 25, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Nav, Why have all, I believe all, of the facade improvements not followed the Craftsman theme? I do not see many, if any true craftsman homes in Newhall. If there were, I would have looked into buying one long ago.
navigatorSeptember 25, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Newhall was given 4 different models to choose from: Craftrman, western, Spanish and Victorian. The building owners picked what they wanted for facade’ improvements. There are still a few Craftsman style homes in Newhall. Take a look at the Historic Preservation Ordinance that the City is working with for some examples.