Library kicks off construction of its new Barnett Branch

COLUMBUS—Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) has kicked off construction of its new Barnett Branch (3434 E. Livingston Ave.) with a ceremonial “wallbreaking.”

Wallbreakers include:
Billy Askey, Principal, EVOKE Studio
Eternity Ballour, Barnett Branch Manager, Columbus Metropolitan Library
Quay Barnes, Chair, Mid-East Area Commission
Dave Brown, Project Executive, Turner Construction
Allison Davies, Owner, Young Scholars of Columbus
Steven Davies, Owner, Young Scholars of Columbus
Matthew Dolan, Principal, Whitehall Prep & Fitness Academy
Steven Haardt, Evoke Studio and Architecture
Edwin Harris, Evoke Studio and Architecture
Terri Williams Ifeduba, District Director, Office of Congresswoman Joyce Beatty
Tom Katzenmeyer*, President & CEO, Greater Columbus Arts Council
Christopher Kowalski, Principal, Bishop Hartley High School
Patrick Losinski, Chief Executive Officer, Columbus Metropolitan Library
Laura Miller, Principal, All Saints Academy
Stephanie L Patton, Area Superintendent, Columbus City Schools
Bernita Reese, Director, Columbus Department of Recreation & Parks
Erin Reilly-Sanders, Project Architect, Schooley Caldwell
Felicia Saunders, Commissioner, Mid-East Area Commission
Rupal Shah, Executive Director, Reynoldsburg Community Center YMCA
Dan Sharpe, Vice President, Community Research & Grants Management, Columbus Foundation
Wendell Tolber, Police Officer, Columbus Division of Police
Tyler Young, Project Architect, Schooley Caldwell

* Columbus Metropolitan Library Board of Trustees member

To prepare for construction, the former Barnett Branch closed on May 4. CML opened a temporary location at 3227 E. Livingston Ave. on Monday, May 13. The temporary Barnett Branch is 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 Barnett Branch was built in 1992. It was formerly known as the Livingston Branch until it was renamed in 2019. The new Barnett Branch, to be built on the same site, will nearly double the size of the current branch from roughly 12,300 square feet to approximately 22,000 square feet. Turner is the construction manager at risk and Schooley Caldwell and Evoke Studio are the architects.

Click here to learn more about CML’s Aspirational Building Program.

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