The Art Gallery of Sudbury is now proposed to take up the bottom four storeys of 199 Larch St., which is twice the footprint initially estimated.
A shared “hub” space will connect the art gallery with the library, with a tall ceiling punching above the existing single-storey roof in the proposed space.
An indoor ramp exterior to the existing 200 Brady St. structure will overlook Paris Street with large windows, and the building's interior will include various curved lines throughout, with exposed wood a prominent feature.
These and various other updates were presented to city council at Tuesday night’s meeting, during which a trio of architects walked the city’s elected officials through schematic designs for the Cultural Hub at Tom Davies Square.
The design concepts were by Teeple Architects, Two Row Architect and Yallowega Architecture, and the renderings were by redknot Studio/Guido Chiarito.
Although mainly a new main branch library/Art Gallery of Sudbury project, the Cultural Hub at Tom Davies Square also affords space for other community services, such as the Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association. Most municipal services would vacate 200 Brady St. and shift to the upper floors of the adjoining 199 Larch Street address to the north, though the One-Stop Shop and council chambers would remain in place within 200 Brady St.
The project’s Class C (preliminary design stage) cost estimate is $68.2 million, though city senior project manager facilities/large capital Nick Zinger said his team still have their sights set on the city council-approved budget cap of $65 million.
A $4.9-million expenditure on various deferred maintenance items to the exterior of Tom Davies Square facing Paris Street, such as waterproofing and accessibility measures related to ramps, is in addition to the budget and will be considered by city council members during 2025 budget deliberations.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Ward 11 Coun. Bill Leduc attempted to strike the $4.9-million expenditure from consideration at 2025 budget deliberations, but no members of city council would second his motion, so it was not discussed. It was one of three motions Leduc attempted to table during Tuesday’s meeting which failed to get a seconder.
During Tuesday’s presentation, Teeple Architects president Stephen Teeple did much of the talking.
The existing structure facing Paris Street is “a little bit of a foreboding presence,” he said, pointing to a proposed ramp structure with large windows overlooking the thoroughfare as a means of making the structure more welcoming.
Curve lines proposed to take shape throughout the building, which break away from traditional boxy designs with straight lines, follows through on Indigenous engagement which concluded the structure should have “curve lines for flow of energetic spirits,” Teeple shared.
A “hub” space between the library and art gallery is proposed to link the two uses together, he said, describing it as “a community space, a place to go for coffee, a place to be a community. ... We want to create excitement and bring it all together.”
Following the architects’ presentation, Zinger clarified to Sudbury.com that the art gallery space doubling in size (four storeys of 199 Larch St. from its initial two) reflects refined information coming forward in the planning process.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the project’s conceptual drawings received praise from city council members, with Ward 9 Coun. Deb McIntosh calling it “a thing of beauty,” and Ward 1 Coun. Mark Signoretti offering that it echoes the “wow factor” he has seen at other libraries.
There were no significant decision points during Tuesday’s meeting, which served primarily to present the schematic design and artist’s renditions to city council and the public.
A tender for the building’s construction is expected to be awarded by June 2025, construction is projected to take 18 months, municipal relocation will be phased throughout 2026 and the Cultural Hub is expected to mark its grand opening by the end of 2026.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
