University of Saint Joseph Library and Welcome Center — West Hartford

The University of Saint Joseph is reworking the heart of its West Hartford campus, turning an aging library into a modern learning commons with a new front door for visitors. It’s a smaller job than a hospital or a data center, but it’s the kind of civic-scale project that keeps a college competitive.

Project Scope
The roughly $10 million renovation modernizes the Pope Pius XII Library, carves out a campus Welcome Center and converts older stacks and study areas into a flexible Learning Commons. O&G Industries is construction manager and Amenta Emma Architects designed the project. Preconstruction planning shaped the phasing so the library could keep serving students through much of the work.

Why It Matters
Libraries have shifted from book warehouses to gathering and study space, and older buildings need real surgery to catch up. Folding a Welcome Center into the same renovation lets the university put its best face forward for prospective students without a separate capital project. For a mid-sized private college, that dual use stretches every dollar.

Project Team & Details