COLUMBUS—In preparation for construction of Columbus Metropolitan Library’s (CML) new Reynoldsburg Branch, the current Reynoldsburg Branch located at 1402 Brice Rd. will close to the public at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 18.
CML will open a temporary Reynoldsburg Branch at 1308 Brice Rd. in the Brice & Main Centre. The temporary Reynoldsburg Branch, scheduled to open at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 29, will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and closed Sunday. The collection size will be reduced with a focus on high-interest titles. When the new Reynoldsburg Branch opens in 2024, the collection will return to its normal size.
The Reynoldsburg Branch, built in 1980 and renovated in 1990, is one of the most heavily used branches in CML’s 23-location system. The new two-level Reynoldsburg Branch, to be built on the same site, will nearly double the size of the current branch from roughly 19,800 square feet to approximately 37,500 square feet. Turner is the construction manager at risk and Jonathan Barnes and GUND Partnership are the architects.
CML plans to kick off construction with a ceremonial “wallbreaking” later this summer.
In 2019, CML completed Phase I of its aspirational building program, which renovated or rebuilt 10 of its 23 locations:
- The new Driving Park Branch opened July 12, 2014
- The new Whitehall Branch opened April 11, 2015
- The new Parsons Branch opened June 4, 2016
- The transformed Main Library opened June 25, 2016
- The new Northern Lights Branch opened Sept. 24, 2016
- The new Shepard Branch opened Oct. 13, 2016
- The new Northside Branch opened June 22, 2017
- The new Hilliard Branch opened June 21, 2018
- The new Martin Luther King Branch opened Oct. 18, 2018
- The new Dublin Branch opened June 6, 2019
The Reynoldsburg Branch project is part of Phase II, which is renovating or rebuilding an additional eight locations:
- The new Karl Road Branch opened Sept. 9, 2021
- The transformed Hilltop Branch opened Sept. 30, 2021
- The new Gahanna Branch is expected to open in 2023
- The new Reynoldsburg Branch is expected to open in 2024
- A transformed Barnett Branch is being planned
- A transformed Linden Branch is being planned
- A new Canal Winchester Branch is being planned
- A new Marion-Franklin Branch is being planned
Great libraries create stronger communities, and each CML location is an essential hub that reflects the unique needs of the neighborhood it serves. Some of the library’s 23 locations are decades old and inadequate to meet the demands of a growing 21st century community. CML will continue to invest in and refresh those library locations not included in its building program to meet its customers’ needs.
The aspirational building program is a multi-phased comprehensive blueprint that reinvents and revitalizes the entire 600,000 square feet maintained by the library. In addition to being a vital community asset, Columbus Metropolitan Library strives to minimize its environmental footprint. With each new building or renovation project, CML plans to use sustainable building materials, incorporate glass for natural light to reduce energy costs and introduce other design and building elements friendly to the natural environment.
