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Staff at the Selbyville Public Library decided this week to purchase a house and land on McCabe Street behind the library for $440,000. It aims to demolish the existing brick house there and use the land to build a new library, larger than previously planned. Move further west and add 15 more parking spaces.
Approximately 1,000 square feet will be added to the original layout, and a 14,000 square foot, $13 million building will be constructed behind the existing library on South Main Street. The cost is higher now, but librarian Kelly Klein said there will be no money until rebids and more permits are made.
“Costs are going up a little bit because we’re adding square footage because of property purchases and market volatility. We’re doing value engineering to bring costs down,” she said.
Construction began in June and is expected to take a year, with an opening date set for June 2024.
After a groundbreaking ceremony in October, it was announced that the new library would open in late fall or early winter 2023, but construction never started. In December, Klein said the opening date would be delayed due to significantly higher costs than originally expected.
Meanwhile, the McCabe Street site (about one-and-a-half blocks) has been put up for sale, allowing for an upgraded plan, “making it a better building overall,” Klein said of Coastal Point midweek. told to
“Adding 15 cars to the parking lot gives us 27 parking spaces. Parking is important in Selbyville. The plan is that in 20 to 30 years, the building will be in good condition for an addition if needed in 10 years.It will generally be of better design,” she said. rice field.
Klein said the library had the funds to purchase a property on McCabe Street. She did not give the name of the owner who sold it to the library.
“The opportunity to purchase this property came just before construction began. “Also, the project as a whole is a lot of stuff that doesn’t have to happen. No part of the current building needs to be demolished. It can all be left intact.”
The original plan was to demolish two new sections of the existing library to preserve the historic portion. This was the former home of Delaware Governor John G. Townsend, who held office from 1917 until 1921. Currently, the current building plans are: Not sure yet.
Klein said there won’t be another groundbreaking ceremony, but the public can expect library officials to complete the design and re-bid the project by April.
“Hopefully in June we’ll have the shovel in the ground,” she said.
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