The fenced site at the northeast corner of Himmel Park is not a teardown. Under Pima County's plan, the original reading room of Himmel Park Library stays. Most of the rest of the building is being demolished and replaced with a larger addition. The county also decided to keep that room's built-in wood shelves. In its July 2026 project memo, the county acknowledges that the library is not a contributor to either the Sam Hughes or the Himmel Park historic designation. The county says the doors will reopen in late 2027. The new building is going up around a room no rule protects.
Built in 1960, Opened in 1961
Himmel Park Library opened on June 25, 1961, as the first branch library in the City of Tucson. William Carr designed it, architect D. Burr Dubois completed it, and Mann Construction Co. built it in 1960 on a $76,290 contract.
The name goes back further. In 1935 the City of Tucson bought a block of land near the park's current site from Alvina Himmel Edmonson for $3,500. Later purchases from her made the park the size it is today. The sale came with a condition that the land carry the Himmel name in honor of her parents. She died in 1948 at her home at 2625 E. 1st Street, where she had lived for 51 years. Where the library would go was debated before the City Council chose the Himmel Park area.
Being non-contributing gave the county room to start over. It kept the original section anyway. The county says that section "expresses the mid-century modern architecture indicative of its context," and it describes the wood shelving as "one of the original defining features of the interior." Poster Mirto McDonald, the design firm, led reviews with the Tucson-Pima County Historic Commission. The memo states the goal plainly:
"The goal of the project was to expand and modernize the spaces available to both the public and the staff to improve service while maintaining the small neighborhood aspect of the library within the historic Sam Hughes Neighborhood."
What Gets Built Around It
The library's project page puts the finished building at about 2,900 square feet of existing space plus an addition of about 7,100 square feet. Partial demolition explains why that addition is so much larger than the net growth the county describes elsewhere. The old reading room stays, and nearly everything that used to surround it is being rebuilt.
The new addition holds most of what a library does day to day:
- A new entry area and service desk
- A computer commons, plus a laptop bar and more computer stations
- A study room
- A multipurpose room bigger than the old meeting space
- Staff space with a break room, manager's office, conference room, wellness room and restroom
- Larger public restrooms and more shelving
Outside, the plan includes a reading patio, a staff patio, a pollinator garden and new landscaping. The library's earlier renovation overview called the porch an exterior reading porch looking out to the park and promised improved daylight with park views from inside. The published rendering of the porch looks west. Artists Peter Goldlust and Melanie Germond were picked from 104 applicants to create the building's public art. The county says the art panel has started giving them feedback on design direction.
Where Construction Stands This Fall
The county has posted a clear timeline. In order:
- Spring 2024 to January 2025. Public meetings were held at the Ward 6 office on April 26 and August 3, 2024, and at Sam Hughes Elementary on January 21, 2025. The third meeting covered the pollinator garden and the plan to salvage and reinstall the memorial pavers, benches and bike racks.
- June 30, 2025. The branch closed. At the time, the library estimated the work would take about 1.5 to 2 years.
- July 15, 2025. The Pima County Board of Supervisors gave the construction contract to Canyon Building & Design, L.L.C. for $4,566,632.16. The total project budget is $8 million.
- July 2025. Construction began.
- July 17, 2026. The county reported construction about 50 percent complete. Demolition, underground utilities, foundations and the steel structure were finished, and exterior walls and roof decking were underway.
- August 12, 2026. The most recent update on the library's project page lists the roof as dried-in, block veneer nearly finished, exterior insulation started, and mechanical ductwork and interior utilities in progress.
The library's August 6, 2026 facilities report also said the project was progressing as planned. The project page has posted nothing newer than August 12.
Why Late 2027 Is Two Schedules
When the branch closed, a 1.5-to-2-year estimate pointed to a reopening sometime between the end of 2026 and mid-2027. The current target is late 2027. The county still says the project is on schedule. Its memo explains the gap by splitting the work into two phases:
| Phase | What happens | County's stated timing |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | The building itself, run by Canyon Building & Design | Complete in summer 2027 |
| Opening prep | Furniture, computers, the collection and other requirements for public use | Complete by late 2027 |
The project page lists the same order after construction. Finishes and site landscaping come first. Then furniture and shelving, technology installation, library materials and staffing. Then public opening. The building could look finished from Third Street or Treat Avenue for months while the inside is still being set up.
The Park Corner Changes Hands, Too
The building belongs to the City of Tucson. The county memo says it will be transferred to the Library District through the process set out in the existing intergovernmental agreement, the same way the Richard Elias-Mission Library was handled. The northeast corner of Himmel Park is part of that transfer, so the Library District will maintain the landscaping and other outdoor improvements around the building.
That matters for the details people remember. The memorial pavers and benches donated to the park and library were salvaged for reinstallation, in coordination with the Friends of Himmel Park and the Sam Hughes Neighborhood Association. The library says they will be placed among the new native, low-water landscaping. It also says the project will have minimal impact on Himmel Park.
Until Then, the Library Is on Catalina Avenue
Holds that would have gone to Himmel are routed automatically to Martha Cooper Library at 1377 N. Catalina Ave. The book chute on Treat Avenue is closed for the duration. The county reports that Himmel patrons have mostly used Martha Cooper during the closure. The library's closure notice put it 2.2 miles from Himmel, with the Joel D. Valdez Main Library 3.2 miles away and Eckstrom-Columbus 3.9 miles away.
Martha Cooper had just finished its own expansion. It reopened on September 17, 2024, after growing from 6,012 to 13,554 square feet. The new space includes a bigger children's area with an enclosed outdoor space, a dedicated storytime room, an upgraded teen space and more room to study. Local sculptor Jimmy Descant made the courtyard piece, a Cooper's hawk with a crested saguaro. The branch page currently lists these hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday.
One piece of the old Himmel building was set aside for use somewhere else. A June 2026 library report says a service desk salvaged from Himmel was part of the work planned at Eckstrom-Columbus Library during its temporary closure that summer. Eckstrom-Columbus is open again, at 4350 E. 22nd St.
Himmel Park Library has always been part of the Sam Hughes that people actually use day to day, much like the Sixth Street food corner a few blocks south. Library staff can confirm construction milestones. If you'd like to talk about how a project like this fits into owning a home near Himmel Park, Daniel Sotelo follows these Sam Hughes changes closely and is glad to talk. Let's connect.
