The Gainesville branch of the Hall County library will temporarily move to another building as officials prepare for a major renovation project.
County library board members got a look Tuesday at preliminary renderings of the work that is set to begin on the Main Street building in the spring. The work is expected to last until summer of 2020.
The branch is preparing to relocate across the street to a building previously occupied by Turner, Wood and Smith Insurance until the renovation is finished. Hall County Library Executive Director Lisa MacKinney says the library is planning to start the move on March 11.
"We have possession of the building, we've paid our rent to the city of Gainesville and they are proving to be a great landlord so far," MacKinney said. "(Hall) County has been wonderful, they're helping us make some improvements so that we'll be ready to move in."
While one member of the library board initially expressed concerns about the appearance of an early rendering of the remodel, the board ultimately voted to move forward with the plans. The redesign would add roughly 10,000 square feet to the structure, with some of the library's main goals being to add children's space and a larger meeting room.
MacKinney said she was pleased with the proposed design.
"Everything's beautiful. We're so excited that our architect has been so responsive to what we need; they've paid so much attention to the community's priorities," MacKinney said.
The design will need approval from the Hall County Commission before work can begin. MacKinney said the plan is to begin construction in April.
