▁and ▁re open ed ▁as ▁a ▁three - story ▁structure ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁With ▁its ▁distinct ive ▁transl uc ent ▁fac ade , ▁glass ▁en closure , ▁and ▁light ▁flo oded ▁interior , ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁ha iled ▁as ▁a ▁model ▁for ▁future ▁libraries . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁The ▁Shaw ▁library ▁opened ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁at ▁the ▁intersection ▁of ▁Rh ode ▁Island ▁Avenue ▁and ▁ 7 th ▁Street ▁N W ▁with ▁a ▁ceremony ▁led ▁by ▁Mayor ▁Walter ▁Washington . ▁It ▁reflected ▁a ▁design ▁for ▁the ▁library , ▁drawn ▁up ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁ri ots ▁that ▁dev ast ated ▁Shaw , ▁which ▁was ▁so ▁prison - like ▁that ▁the ▁National ▁Capital ▁Pl anning ▁Commission ▁directed ▁the ▁District ▁to ▁open ▁it ▁up ▁with ▁larger ▁windows , ▁bigger ▁set back s , ▁and ▁arc ades . ▁The ▁art ic te ct , ▁E ason ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Alexand ria ▁V A - based ▁firm ▁Cross ▁and ▁Ad re on , ▁rejected ▁the ▁advice ▁and ▁pers isted ▁with ▁the ▁original ▁Br ut al ist ▁design ▁that ▁had ▁only ▁sl its ▁for ▁windows . ▁He ▁continued ▁with ▁his ▁plans , ▁despite ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁get ▁a ▁federal ▁inj unction ▁to ▁stop , ▁with ▁the ▁just ification ▁that ▁the ▁small , ▁irregular ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁lot ▁prohib ited ▁any ▁red es ign . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁library , ▁constructed ▁at ▁a ▁cost ▁of ▁$ 1 . 2 ▁million , ▁came ▁from ▁Federal