I miss the old downtown Seattle library already.

Granted, it was far more blase than the Carnegie-era palace it had replaced in 1959 (of which, of course, I’ve seen only exterior photos). And, granted, it was a severely rotting work of slipshod “modern” construction, a relic of the same budget-conscious administration that gave us the also-slowly-collapsing current city hall.

But it was also a relic of the same jet-age optimism that gave us the ’62 World’s Fair. It abounded with “clean” lines, tall ceilings, and a populistic openness of space.

And as of last Friday, it’s closed and will soon be demolished. The temporary library in the new part of the Convention Center (closer to my home but still just a rental) won’t open for a month. ‘Til then, the self-researching investment gurus, Mormon geneologists, and homeless folks looking for a temporary indoor sitting space are outta luck.

ON OTHER SITES:

“The opposite of smooth is sexual….”

“Why e-business needs feminine energy….”

Art photos, old catfight-fetish paperback covers, and 1957 cocktail-party invvitations are just some of the tasteful attractions at Art and Leisure….