Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 2-16-18

Feature
Construction Underway On
C. Blythe Andrews, Jr., Public Library
MR. C. BLYTHE
ANDREWS, JR. 2/25/1930 --- 1/12/2010
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Last year, on April 15th, the C. Blythe Andrews, Jr., Public Library, 2607 E. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd., closed. The building was being de- molished to better suit the needs of the community. Now, nearly a year later, con- struction is underway on the property.
The old building was torn down in May 2017. “Comple- tion of the new building should take place in January 2019. The construction work- ers are going to pour the foun- dation in about 3 weeks,” David Wullschleger, Opera- tions Manager for the Hills- borough County Public Library System said.
It will feature larger meet- ing spaces, a recording studio, a computer lab, a separate area for children featuring computers and learning sta- tions. It will also feature an
These photographs show heavy equipment at work on the property that will house the new C. Blythe Andrews, Jr., Public Library. (Photography by BRUNSON).
Rendition of new C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Library
African American media archive and a Friends of the Library Bookstore.
During the period in which the library will be closed, res- idents can visit the Robert W. Saunders, Sr., Public Library, 1505 Nebraska Ave., and the Seminole Heights Branch Li- brary, 4711 Central Ave.
History of Library
The library initially opened June 16, 1969, to meet the needs of the East Tampa com- munity. It was named the Col- lege Hill Public Library.
The structure was demol-
ished and its replacement was named the C. Blythe Andrews, Jr., Public Library. It was re- named in honor of newspaper publisher and businessman, Cyril Blythe Andrews, Jr., in 2010.
About C. Blythe Andrews, Jr.
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Mr. Andrews moved to Tampa with his family. He attended the public schools of Hillsborough County. At 16, Mr. Andrews graduated from Middleton High School, in 1946.
He continued his educa- tion at Talladega College, in Talladega, Alabama, where he obtained his B. A. Degree in Economics. In 1951, he grad- uated from Boston University, School of Journalism, where he earned his Master’s Degree in Journalism.
After serving a tour of duty in the U. S. Army, Mr. An- drews returned to Tampa and launched a lifelong career in journalism. Under the guid- ance of his father, the late C. Blythe Andrews, Mr. An- drews learned the newspa-
per trade at the Florida Sen- tinel Bulletin newspaper.
He remained an integral part of the newspaper until his death.
In addition to the newspa- per, Mr. Andrews was a re- spected businessman and a member of several boards and committees, including guber- natorial appointments.
Mr. Andrews was a mem- ber of Gamma Zeta Lambda Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fra- ternity, Inc., and life member of the Hillsborough County Branch NAACP.
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2018