Mayor Richard M. Daley joined community leaders and residents on a visit to the construction site of the new Engine Company 109, located at 2343 S. Kedzie Avenue and the new Little Village branch library located just south of the fire house at 2311 S. Kedzie Avenue on Wednesday, May 11. At the event, Mayor Daley thanked residents for their help in moving the city forward.

“I’m here today to thank you for participating in the process. I want to thank every resident, every business and every not-for-profit for their advice, support and cooperation. Your ideas, your input and your time have helped move the city forward,” Daley said at one of the final stops on the “Neighborhood Appreciation Tour” he is making before he leaves office. The new facilities will form a shared campus unified in design by coordinated brick and metal and integrated landscaping.

The new one-story, 14,000 square-foot fire house features load bearing masonry with exterior finish brick and includes amenities such as accommodations for up to 16 firefighters, with four separate officer quarters; apparatus bay to house multiple emergency response vehicles; a hose tower and watch tower; a staff training/educational room; and a full-service kitchen and dining room.

Based on the design, the new 16,300-square-foot, one-story full service branch library includes: a book capacity of 45,000 volumes, a reading room seating capacity of 144 patrons; a multi-purpose room with seating capacity for 70 patrons; 32 hard-wired computers; wireless internet access throughout; and on-site parking for 16 vehicles. Both facilities are currently in construction and projected to be complete in summer 2011.