(From DCist contributor Zoe Mitchell)

More buildings in D.C. are coming down soon. However, unlike the convention center implosion which briefly affected traffic in the area, the upcoming closure of the Anacostia, Benning, Tenley-Friendship and Watha T. Daniel/Shaw branches of the DC Library will directly impact D.C. residents for months.

According to the Common Denominator, the four community libraries will be closing on Dec. 30 "in preparation for tearing them down to make way for new buildings to replace them." The paper reports demolition will begin in the spring, and the new libraries will take about a year to construct and open in "mid-2006." The image to the rights shows a computer simulation of the new Watha T. Daniels / Shaw Neighborhood Branch. When the libraries are rebuilt by 2006, they will be very different:

The four new branches are being designed as state-of-the-art libraries that will integrate computer technology, engineering efficiencies and effective space planning with lively children’s rooms, robust collections and enhanced programming. New furniture, materials and equipment will complement the buildings when they open in 2006.

Additionally at least three of the libraries (Anacostia, Tenley-Friendship and Watha T. Daniel/Shaw) will also be smaller, but will use more of their floor space. The D.C. Public Library Capital Construction website has more information about public hearings, the libraries' new designs, and the project's timeline.