CHARLOTTE — The Main Library in uptown Charlotte closed on Friday -- and it will stay that way for at least four years while crews transform the area.
For 100 years, the Main Library on North Tryon Street has been a staple in uptown, but work will soon begin on a new 115,000-square-foot space.
The massive redevelopment includes a new 5-story building complete with a café, theater, and outdoor patios. It also includes a redesigned Spirit Square.
A broken pipe two years ago flooded the ground floor with three inches of water, and the building was last renovated in 1988. The chief library services officer told Channel 9 that the $154 million project is crucial.
Workers have been busy organizing and moving everything that’s not nailed down. The library is expected to reopen in 2025 with a new, sleek look -- but offer the same services, like book clubs, computer access and children’s programming, with improved technology.
The demolition of the library is expected to start early next year, with construction following a year later.
In the meantime, officials are urging people to visit one of the county’s other 18 library branches during the closure.
Two interim hubs will also open in Founder’s Hall and inside First United Presbyterian Church.
(WATCH BELOW: Charlotte’s Main Library to hold tours to learn about library’s history before torn down)
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