Brand New Library Could Be in City's Future

Mayor Bucky Johnson and the City Council are looking into a plan that would move the Norcross library branch to a site across from Lillian Webb Park.

The current branch, located on Buford Highway, would move into new facilities to be built on a 1.5-acre site located behind the Norcross Community Center.

"We've just been in preliminary discussions. I think it's a better location for a community library," said city manager Rudolph Smith who pointed to the busy Buford Highway corridor where the current library is located as not being particularly friendly to pedestrian traffic.

The current library is slated for a $2.75 million renovation funded by SPLOST funds. Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson proposed taking those funds and applying them to the cost of constructing a new library.

"It's a great idea, instead of renovating the building, citizens would have a brand new facility," said Johnson, who also pointed out that the current library could remain open while the new one is constructed.

City leaders are also considering purchasing the existing Norcross library and converting it into the police headquarters which Johnson said would give the police department some needed additional space. 

Johnson admitted there's a lot of moving parts to the plan that involve the county and the county's library system all coming up with a plan that all could agree on. 

"Nobody has said no yet," said Johnson who said the plans for the new site could also include additional public parking for the area surrounding the park.

The city already owns the land for the proposed library. Johnson said the library would face out toward Lillian Webb Park and provide a pleasant view for library patrons.

But it's still a long way off admitted the mayor who said it would probably be a year before agreements with the county and library could be finalized then another year or two after that before the actual library would be open.