Adaptive reuse of big box store into the largest single-story library in the U.S.

After Walmart abandoned one of its retail stores in McAllen, Texas, the city decided to reuse the structure as a new main library. The primary challenge of reusing the building involved creating a highly functional, flexible library of 124,500 square feet on a single level. To meet this challenge, the designers had the old store interior and new mechanical systems painted white to form a neutral shell for customer and service areas, which are designated with color. Primary program areas—including community meeting rooms, the children’s library, adult services, and the staff area—are located in quadrants of the building. This clear organization allows easy wayfinding and customer access from a central service spine, delineated by a patterned wood ceiling that runs the length of the building.