Marion library opening delayed again

MARION -- The new Marion Public Library’s projected opening date has been pushed back again.

This time, the goal is to open in October, two years after the facility’s groundbreaking in October 2020.

The new library was supposed to open this month after being pushed back from its prior July opening goal.

Library Director Bill Carroll said the delay this time is still due to various issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The new library building has experienced several delays to opening as a result of the pandemic, including supply chain issues and labor shortages for contracting partners,” Carroll said.

Currently, library staff have temporary occupancy, and have since May. Carroll, who has been the director for almost a year now -- and most of his 25-member staff -- are now located in the new building.

The Uptown location at 1064 Seventh Ave. continues to be open for browsing, pickup and computer use.

The temporary occupancy will continue until all of the exterior railings are installed and sink shrouds are fabricated and installed in all restrooms in the building, Carroll said.

“The exterior railings should be completed in the next week or two and sink shrouds are expected to be fabricated in the coming weeks,” Carroll added. “Once these life safety installations are close to completion, the Library Board of Trustees is expecting to set a grand opening date.”

The project still is under its initial $18 million cost. The funding comes from a $3.3 million capital campaign, $5 million in local-option sales tax funding, $3 million in property damage insurance and the sale of the current site, $6 million in bonding and $1 million in tax increment financing.

The old library building permanently closed after being damaged in the August 2020 derecho. The library lost about 20 percent of its collection in the storm.

The new library planning and construction has been a lengthy process, which started in 2016 when the original plan was to tear down the old building and simply replace it with a new one. Since then, another plan to include it in the Marion Square Plaza redevelopment was also scratched.

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