Southdale Library move to Southdale Center authorized by county board

On June 18, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners authorized county staff to negotiate a lease agreement to relocate Southdale Library to the nearby Southdale Center.

Under the current proposal, mall developer Simon Property Group will demolish the former Herberger’s building and construct a new building that would include the library. Construction will start in 2020 with completion anticipated in 2022.

In 2015, due to the age of the building and projected cost, the county determined that renovations to the nearly 50-year-old library building would not be prudent. As a result, Hennepin County developed a strategy to relocate services housed at the library. The service center relocated to Southdale Center in 2016. District Court functions also moved out of the building in 2019.

Building the library at the Southdale Center allows for seamless library services, as the library won't have to close during construction. The new location, accessible by public transit, may also attract new library patrons.

Additional community engagement meetings to hear from residents about their needs and ideas for spaces and services in the new library will be held this fall.

More about this building project

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