An Ocean Beach family is donating $3 million needed for a long-awaited expansion of the Ocean Beach library, one of the smallest and oldest branches in the city.
The donation from Duane and Phyllis Shinnick gives the city the $12.8 million needed to nearly double the library’s size and add community meeting space, reading rooms and dedicated areas for children and teens.
The expansion will retain the historic façade of the library, which was built in 1928 and expanded in 1962. Now 5,085 square feet, the library will grow by about 4,300 square feet.
The donation will allow the city to put the project out for bid and potentially break ground in summer 2026. On that timeline, the expanded library would open in summer 2028.
Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, whose district includes OB, praised the Shinnicks this week when the council accepted the donation and expressed enthusiasm about the project.
“Everything is in place for it to come together,” she said. “It’s going to turn out to be absolutely modern and beautiful.”
Duane Shinnick said his sons, Sam and Steve, attended Ocean Beach Elementary right across the street from the library, which is located at Sunset Cliffs Boulevard and Santa Monica Avenue.
Shinnick thanked library staff and said he sympathizes with the challenge they will face trying to keep the library open during the renovations.
Council President Joe LaCava said donations like this are crucial in a city like San Diego, where there are relatively few large corporations.
“Sometimes we think of the city of San Diego not having the benefit of a lot of Fortune 500 corporations,” he said. “But we are blessed with very generous San Diegans who understand the needs of our communities.”
The expanded library’s community room will be called the Shinnick Family Community Room, and the children’s reading room will be called the Shinnick Family Children’s Reading Room.
The project recently received state environmental approval, and city officials say they expect to get federal environmental approval in May.
