The Waukegan Carnegie Library is a limestone clad Classical Revival building located at the prominent corner of Sheridan Road and Washington Street in downtown Waukegan, Illinois. Designed by the architecture firm Patton and Miller and completed in 1903, the library was funded through Andrew Carnegie’s program to build public libraries across the country. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 and is one of Waukegan’s most prized local landmarks.

In 2018, Harboe Architects was hired to produce a concept design and Historic Structures Report to look at converting the long-vacant library into a facility that could be used by the Waukegan Historical Society. The work involved a thorough condition assessment, programming the facility for a new use, and constructing a new addition. The library is to be used for research, special programming, and exhibitions as well as provide much needed archival storage space for the WHS collections. Additionally, there will be a special celebration of the work of science fiction author Ray Bradbury, a Waukegan native, who claimed to have been particularly influenced by the many hours he spent inside the library’s walls.

In 2020, Harboe Architects began work on schematic design drawings through full construction documents, which were prepared in 2022. Construction was recently completed and Harboe Architects provided construction administration services. The restoration work included the exterior limestone, wood windows, interior plaster, millwork and wood trim, and paint finishes. New lighting and MEP systems were integrated into the historic building. Harboe Architects also designed new custom built-in shelving and led the selection of historically appropriate furniture.