CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Public Library board received an update on the multi-million dollar project for the downtown Charleston library Monday.
Stan Howell, the Marketing and Development Manager for Kanawha County Public Library (KCPL) said all signs point to the library opening Monday, April 2, 2022. He did say that is a tentative date and subject to change, but is confident based on what the library has heard from contractors.
Ben Thomas, who is on the board of directors for KCPL and its building committee, told the attendees in the meeting much of the interior is near the finish but work is being feverishly done on the exterior of the site. He admitted sub-contractors had COVID issues in the past year which has impacted schedules.
“We are in the final stretches of the hard construction portion of this project. We are looking to see the construction aspects with the general contractor completed in early December,” Thomas said.
Included in the $32 million renovations of KCPL’s iconic downtown library building is a Sky Bridge connecting the library to the Summer Street Parking Garage. The pouring of concrete there was in May.
In addition to the Sky Bridge, the project will add 28,000 square feet of new space to the original building, along with additional community rooms, new technology, an expanded Children’s floor, a small café, and more, a release said.
The square footage of the facility will go from 53,000 square feet to 81,000 square feet.
Howell said the library is planning a 100 Days Campaign to celebrate the first 100 days of the facility in the months of April, May and June. There is scheduled to be an Opening Gala on April 1 with dignitaries, civic leaders and library officials. On April 2, the library plans to hold an open house for the public. Howell said a staff event is also planned.
Also part of the 100 days celebration is a Children’s Gala on April 29 on the fourth-floor children’s center. There is scheduled to be an authors event on May 21 with West Virginia authors. A used book sale will be held as part of the FestivALL street fair in June.
Howell told the board the calendar will remain filled out with regular library programs during the 100 days celebration
“Our storytime, STEM program and our team activities would be going along with the major events that we have planned,” he said.
Erika Connelly, the Library Director said that discussions are intensifying for a move-out plan for the current Charleston Town Center location. She added that the consultant on the moving plan, Bill Overton, will be in town from Boston next week to do a walk-through with officials.
In June 2020, library officials opened a location in the Charleston Town Center for a branch while the downtown location was closed.