Dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt and industrialist Andrew Carnegie, the Carnegie Library opened in 1903 as the first desegregated public building in DC and became the centerpiece of Mt. Vernon Square for over 100 years. Then came a new neighbor—the Washington Convention Center. In 2011, Events DC, which runs the convention center, assumed management of the property, one that by then was having a hard time finding its footing in a modern world. That all changed when Apple came knocking. “This collaboration is about more than simply bringing another retail space into the downtown corridor,” says Gregory A. O’Dell, president and chief executive officer of Events DC. “Together with Apple, we are excited to reopen the doors of not only Carnegie Library but also the city’s past.” In 2016 Apple began revitalizing the building following the original design standards of New York-based design firm Ackerman & Ross. They also adhered to Carnegie’s original vision of a public and free space. Naturally, there were upgrades. The skylight, re-created from the initial construction, feeds the main courtyard with natural light and illuminates Beaux Arts style detailing. Apple patrons can test products in the original reading rooms. In total, Apple reportedly invested more than $30 million in the renovation. On the second floor one still finds the DC History Center and Kiplinger Research Library, along with three historical galleries and a new museum store. “In 2016 we had 11,000 people [visit us],” says DC Historical Society program and exhibits director Jane Levey. “Right after the store opened, from June 1 to 24, 8,000 people alone came,” she notes. Apple is renting the space from the city for $700,000 a year under a 10-year lease, so it hopes customers also “check out” the latest Apple products. Apple Carnegie Library, 801 K St. NW, DC, apple.com