The Lincoln City Council unanimously voted Monday to approve the renovation of the former Centrum shopping mall location into a new downtown library.
The city has purchased the property at 11th and ‘O’ Street for $5.2 million from Southeast Community College and authorized $25 million in municipal improvement bonds to fund the renovation. The total budget for the project is $46.2 million.
BVH Architects and MSR Design are tasked with the design work, with construction set to start in late 2026 and an expected open date in spring of 2028.
Councilmembers noted that the renovation will cost significantly less than building a new library (e.g. at the old Pershing Auditorium location) or renovating the existing Bennett Martin Library.
“I really look forward to reimagining what library service looks like in the Lincoln community, with the Central Library now being a beacon of what that looks like,” said Councilman Tom Beckius.
The library will span 80,000-square-feet and include interactive spaces for children and teens, a makerspace, digital zones, a rooftop auditorium, a coffee shop, a teaching kitchen, and expanded areas for study and community gatherings. The adjacent parking lot will offer over 1,000 car stalls.
The Foundation for Lincoln City Libraries says their working on a fundraising goal of $18 million. Executive Director Tiffani Childress says they’ve already secured over $7.1 million in commitments from local donors.