Round Rock Approves $4.2M Land Purchase For New Library

ROUND ROCK, TEXAS — Round Rock City Council members on Thursday approved the $4.2 million purchase of land for a new library a stone's throw away from the current one.

Council approved the transaction at its regular meeting. The tract of land to be bought is one the block directly north of the current library's location. The goal is to build a new library enabling service expansion amid a growing population.

Voters in November 2013 approved funding to build a new main library through general obligation bonds. Feedback received from the community since then showed strong support to locate the main library as close to downtown as possible, city officials noted. According to the Round Rock City Council agenda, the land is to be purchased from Joe Douglas Johnson, Camilla Nicole Johnson and Corey Johnson.

“We are excited to keep this important public space in the heart of our downtown," said Library Director Michelle Cervantes. "This is going to be a legacy project that our community can enjoy for decades to come,”

The city previously considered building the new library at 500 N. Mays Street, east of C.D. Fulkes Middle School. In fall 2018, officials began to consider the new location, which is bordered by Austin and Liberty Avenues to the north and south, and Sheppard and Lampasas streets to the east and west.

Officials said they expect the new location to have fewer design limitations than the previously considered property, which had the potential to experience more traffic flow issues due to its proximity to Mays Street, Brushy Creek and the middle school.

The scope of the project is expected to remain largely unchanged despite the change in location, officials said. The new building is expected to be approximately 60,000 square feet and three stories, with an adjacent 300-stall parking garage. Currently, the library has an average of more than 30,000 visitors on a monthly basis.

City officials said they expect to maintain ownership of the current library building at this time. The expected completion for construction of the new library is January 2023.