Celebrating the Groundbreaking of the San Diego County Casa de Oro Branch Library

Wednesday, February 19, we celebrated the groundbreaking of the San Diego County Casa de Oro Branch Library! COAR Design Group is working in partnership with EC Constructors and the County of San Diego to deliver this new, 12,000 square foot, design-build library for the Casa de Oro community.

“We’ve been working on this building for several years, scouring the community trying to find the right place to build,” said Department of General Services Deputy Director Scott Christman. “We’re very fortunate to find a partner in the school district who leased us the land that we’re going to build this building on. And when it’s done next summer, this community is going to have a 12,000 square foot, brand new library to call its own.”

The library’s design strikes a balance between the rich history of the region and a modern, state-of-the art space for information sharing and communal gathering. The structural frame will be made of wood, a renewable resource that is low in embodied carbon. Curved interior walls are inspired by early native structures of the region. These features and more are designed to pay homage to the ranches and groves of Mount Helix and Spring Valley.

The library will feature a nearly 2,000-square foot Community Room that will be divisible with an acoustically rated operable partition. This will allow the space to host both large- and small-scale events and activities. The main southern wing will house the Adult, Teen, and Children’s areas and supporting spaces. In the style of a hacienda, the library wraps around a secure, shaded, and landscaped Poet’s Patio.

“Imagine a community room where neighbors can come together, not just to read, but to learn, create, and share ideas,” said Library Director Migell Acosta at the Groundbreaking Ceremony. “A space where local artists showcase their work, musicians bring their talent to life, and civic groups gather to plan for a bright future. A place for workshops, author talks, and community meetings, where voices are heard, and ideas take shape.” 

During the project procurement and design process, the County wanted to ensure the goals and priorities of the Casa de Oro community were well represented. 

“An important part of building a library is bringing in community voices to ensure it truly reflects the needs and aspirations of the people,” Acosta said. “We achieve this through community meetings, visits to local schools to talk to students and parents, youth input meetings of both library and at San Diego Youth Services, and an online survey as well.”

Another main priority for the County of San Diego and Casa de Oro community was energy efficiency.

“This is going to be the County’s 71st LEED Certified building,” said Department of General Services Deputy Director Scott Christman. “It’s also going to be the County’s 14th Zero Net Energy facility. What that means is there’s going to be enough solar panels on the roof to offset the amount of energy the building is going to use each year.”

Since the library is designed to generate its own power, it will be able to serve as a true community hub in times of crisis.

“Whether it’s a space to cool down during hot summer months, charge devices during electrical outage, or simply find comfort and connection, this library will be here for all of you and the entire community,” Acosta said.

The entire COAR team is excited to see this design come to life, and soon be in use by the Casa de Oro community, and beyond.

“Libraries have always been more than just books,” said Acosta. “They are about people, about opportunity, and about building a stronger, more connected community and this new Casa De Oro library will reflect that mission.”