Columbus Metropolitan Library set to break ground on new, larger Marion-Franklin branch

The Columbus Metropolitan Library has announced plans to break ground on the new Marion-Franklin Branch at 2800 Lockbourne Road.

The ceremony, set for 10:30 a.m. July 29, will feature library leaders, city officials, and community members. The event is open to the public.

"It will be a decade in September since we first opened the doors of our Marion-Franklin Branch," library spokesperson Ben Zenitsky said. "This was a community that did not previously have nearby access to library services, and so this branch gave us an opportunity to gauge community response and usage."

This initiative marks a significant upgrade from the current branch, which operates out of the former Beery Middle School, 2740 Lockbourne Road. Since its inception in 2014, it has provided essential services to a previously underserved community. The existing facility will continue to operate during construction.

"The Marion-Franklin community has made it abundantly clear to us over the last 10 years that they love their library, and so we’re thrilled to reinvest in them with a new, standalone branch to better meet their needs," Zenitsky said.

The new branch is expected to more than double in size, expanding from 4,000 square feet to about 10,000 square feet.

The library anticipates the opening of the new, standalone Marion-Franklin Branch in 2025. The project will be managed by Turner Construction, with Schooley Caldwell and Evoke Studios serving as architects.

This development is part of the library's broader expansion plan, which already opened new branches in Gahanna and Reynoldsburg.

Renovations are also underway at the Linden and Barnett branches, and plans are in place to begin work on a new Canal Winchester Branch later this year.

Jewolf@dispatch.com