Hayward's 21st Century Library and Heritage Plaza

Sean Reinhart is the Director of Libraries and Community Services for the City of Hayward. Sean grew up in Hayward and attended local public schools including Mt. Eden High School, Chabot College and Cal State Hayward where he earned his Bachelor's degree in English. He also holds a Master's degree in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University and executive certification from UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy. Sean has 15 years of experience in the library profession, including the past seven years as Hayward's City Librarian.

The 21st Century Library and Heritage Plaza project is the most environmentally sustainable public building ever to begin construction in Hayward. The project officially broke ground on October 3, 2015, a major milestone after nearly twenty years of planning and effort including the approval in 2014 by Hayward voters of a ½ percent local sales tax, Measure C, to fund the project. The project is comprised of two major components: the new library facility, and the plaza restoration.

The 21st Century Library is a three-story, 58,000 square foot, urban public library facility designed to serve the Hayward community for the next 100 years. Constructed of steel, concrete, glass and terracotta, the new library and adjacent parking garage will be fitted with rooftop solar panels that will offset 100% of the energy consumed by the new library as well as the parking garage. When completed in 2017, Hayward’s new library will be among the largest “Zero Net Energy” public buildings in the nation.

The project also includes an innovative rainwater catchment and recycling system that will save and recycle 400,000 gallons of rainwater per year. The water will be filtered and treated then used to flush toilets in the new library and irrigate landscaping in Heritage Plaza. After construction of the new library is complete in late 2017, the deteriorating old library building will be torn down to make way for installation of an underground rainwater reservoir as well as the complete restoration of Heritage Plaza.

Heritage Plaza dates back to Hayward’s founding days in the mid-1800’s. The site was part of the homestead of Hayward’s first landowner and rancher, Don Guillermo Castro. When Castro subdivided and sold his land holdings in 1864, he dedicated one full city block to the people of Hayward for use as a public plaza in perpetuity. Today, this plaza is filled with century-old heritage trees, and will be restored to its historic roots as an open space and community gathering place. Hayward’s Heritage Plaza is the size of San Francisco’s Union Square, and when fully restored it will be used for community festivals, farmer’s markets, music and cultural performances, civic observances and other community events.

Don't miss this insider's look at a major civic project designed to upgrade aging public infrastructure and help revitalize the downtown, from one of Hayward Rotary Club's own.