Three new public libraries will soon be constructed on Chicago's South and West Sides, according to city officials.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot's office, along with the Chicago Public Library and other city departments, on Friday announced plans to build new libraries in the Back of the Yards, Humboldt Park and Woodlawn neighborhoods. The Back of the Yards Branch will be relocated from the Back of the Yards High School campus to a mixed-use development building at 4630 S. Ashland Ave.
Along with a 16,000-square-foot library, the building will also feature a health care center, performing arts center, headquarters for the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, as well as spaces for non-profits Chicago Commons and Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation. The project will be funded by a $15 million grant through the state of Illinois.
The Humboldt Park library, meanwhile, will be built as part of a $55.3 million mixed-used development at the corner of North Avenue and Pulaski Road. The development will include 16,000 square feet for the library, as well as 75 affordable housing units and offices for Humboldt Park Health.
Along with the locations planned for Back of the Yards and Humboldt Park, Chicago Public Libraries have obtained $18 million in funding for a new Woodlawn library branch, according to the department.
The city says all three projects are a testament to its "ongoing efforts to promote literacy, education, and community engagement."
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