The start date for construction of the new Brown County Public Library could soon be set.
Muddy River News reports that the bidding process for the new building ended on August 30th, with the Brown County Public Library Board set to review the bids in the next few days.
The current library at 143 West Main Street has just 3,100 square feet of space and has been outgrown since it first opened in 1967.
Dewberry Architects of Peoria says that the construction should take 12-14 months to complete at a new site 106 Southwest Cross Street, site of the former 666 Hotel. Size of the new site is expected to be 10,600 square feet.
Funds for the project have been raised through $1 million in small, local donations; $2 million from an anonymous donor; and over $2.2 million from through the Illinois State Library’s Public Library Construction Act grant program.
Construction and completion of the project will be the conclusion of a decades-long effort by staff and board members of the library. Library officials say that there will be no additional needs for staff or operational costs once the new building is completed.