Park Grove Library on Hemingway Avenue is closing—for construction!
Starting at 5 p.m. this Saturday, the now 42- year-old community hub off 80th Street South will close for renovation and remodel, scheduled to last until February 2027. The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved 13 construction related contracts at its Feb. 17 county board meeting, with total bid cost for all library work tallying at $9,400,463.
Library services will be temporarily offered the Cottage Grove Service Center at 13000 Ravine Parkway South during construction and remodel at Park Grove Library. Library services at the temporary Service Center location will include basic library services, including holds pickup, access to public computers and printing, as well as a small browsing collection.
"Libraries are an important part of daily life for families, students, and older adults in our community," Washington County District 4 Commissioner and Board Chair Karla Bigham said. "Even during construction, we are committed to keeping services, programs, and connections close to home."
With this in view, library service hours at the Cottage Grove Service Center will be as follows:
Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Library renovation plans at Park Grove follow a public input period which saw the county seek community feedback on library service needs, with remodel plans including a flexible interior layout with several small meeting rooms, a large meeting room, teen gaming area, study cubicles, learning lab, quiet study area, as well as children's, teen's, and adult collection areas. The remodel will also include large windows facing east, an outdoor children's berm, and more efficient staff support areas. Library mechanical equipment meanwhile will take up an area over the main floor.
With Park Grove Library renovations now underway, Washington County will begin planning soon for renovations at the R. H. Stafford Library in Woodbury, to be made once renovations at Park Grove are complete. Readers can find out more about the R.H. Stafford Library project at WashingtonCountyMN.gov/RHStaffordLibraryProject.