News
Dec 4, 2025 _ news
The Carnegie One Braddock Wins “Most Impactful Reuse” at 2025 Cee Jay Awards
The renovation of the Carnegie One Braddock (formerly known as Braddock Carnegie Library) was honored with the Most Impactful Reuse award at Construction Junction’s 2025 Cee Jay Awards, an awards program that celebrates exceptional reuse projects in greater Pittsburgh. Carnegie One Braddock’s award recognizes the project’s thoughtful balance between preservation, sustainability, and reinvention.
Personally dedicated by Andrew Carnegie in 1889, has always been more than a place for books. It originally housed a swimming pool, ceramics studio, music hall, and other community amenities. By the 1970s, the building was collapsing and slated for demolition—until residents rallied to save it. The renovation, begun in 2021 and completed in summer 2025, restores this historic landmark while transforming it into a dynamic community hub. The design reorganizes and expands service areas for adults, teens, and children; restores the music hall for schools and regional theater; and reinterprets the swimming pool as the “Book Dive”—a flexible event space and café. A new elevator, air conditioning, and selective wall removals make the building more navigable, comfortable, and universally accessible.
Reuse was a guiding principle throughout the project, with preservation, salvage, and creative adaptation shaping the renovation.
- Historic double-sided bookshelves were converted into single-sided units and adapted to conceal mechanical equipment, allowing the library to serve today’s collection needs while maintaining their historic character.
- Planks from the library’s original bowling alley were repurposed as countertops.
- Salvaged wood flooring was reused for a built-in bench and to repair missing wainscotting.
- Historic glazed bricks were cleaned and reinstalled as part of the Book Dive transformation.
- Original lighting globes were also cleaned and integrated into new features and across the project.
- Seventy-eight doors were refurbished or reclaimed and now meet current requirements for accessibility and security while maintaining the historic nature of the openings.
“More than a building, this library has long been a civic lifeline—lending chairs and tents for neighborhood gatherings, providing a safe place for children, and creating a rare public space open to all,” says GBBN’s Amanda Markovic. Today, the renewed library preserves Braddock’s history while supporting its future, anchoring a cultural renaissance in the heart of the Rust Belt.
Thank you to the jury for recognizing our work this year!
Read our case study on this project here.
See more of our library work here.
