Credit where credit is due

So, it seems the Central Library has had a bit of a remodel, and at least one element of it is a major improvement.

Some of you may recall a post on this very blog from about two years ago, describing (among other disappointments) my attempt to navigate from the Third Floor/Fifth Avenue entrance of the building to the First Floor/Fourth Avenue entrance. Here's an excerpt:

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Well, today I was once again downtown, killing time between conducting research for the Summer Enterprise™ and having lunch with a pal, and I once again found myself at the uphill entrance to the library. Upon entering, what to my surprise lay before me but a bright yellow escalator heading downwards. I stepped on the moving tread and took the trip: it left me out on the First Floor directly in front of the downhill entrance.

Behold, the power of the blog!

It was amazing. Finally, at long last, the library is in alignment with the prevailing architectural culture of most buildings in hilly downtown Seattle, which values providing a throughway to traverse the slopes. Bravo for that!

The rest of the building is still pretty much a nightmare, but I'm not going to go into it again.

One other note: when the library opened in 2004, I noted how cheap the furniture was and predicted it wouldn't last ten years. I noticed today that all of the "armchair" groupings had been been replaced, the IKEA-quality, seventies-airport-style, square-cushion boxes in orange and gray swapped out for molded plastic Cape Cod chairs in purple and green. I remember when library furniture was crafted from indestructible hardwood; I don't expect that, but these new pieces look like they were purchased from the patio department at Home Depot.

I guess I still don't like the place very much.