In the 27 years that the Alachua County Library District has existed, citizens on the east side of Gainesville have asked for a library close enough for them to visit.
Before the end of this year, those residents will have a new place to go and curl up with a good book.
After years of discussing ideas about building a library on the city’s east side, the library district officially announced the building of the new Cone Park library branch.
Last week, residents gathered at the site of the future branch, which will be located at 2841 E. University Ave., for a groundbreaking ceremony.
The 1,300 square-foot portable building the library district has used will remain until construction on the project officially starts.
Eventually, the portable building will be replaced by a new 10,000 square-foot facility, which should cost $1 million.
Phillis Filer, a public service administrator for the Alachua County Library District, said construction on the Cone Park library is scheduled to be finished in October.
She added that construction may begin as early as next week.
The new branch will include the same amenities found in other county libraries such as a meeting room, a computer area with up to 20 desktops and a children’s section with a play area, Filer said.
Shaney Livingston, the library district director, said the library district has signed a 99-year lease to locate the library in Cone Park.
Filer said many people in the city wanted a library branch that was on the city’s east side.
In years past, the headquarters branch, at 401 E. University Ave., was considered the east side branch, but residents wondered if they’d ever see a full-fledged east side library.
“People are so ecstatic at the fact we’re doing this,” she said.
