The intersection of Cottage Grove Road and Dempsey Road has been a sore spot for thousands of area residents for months and has served as a reminder that the Pinney Library, in the 200 block of Cottage Grove Road, is in great need of replacement. After all, the Pinney branch is the third busiest of the nine public libraries in the city. The work is finally underway, and I look forward to joining visitors there next summer.

The future Pinney Library location will be in the Ruedebusch Development & Construction (RDC) site, also known as Royster Corners. It is a mixed-use development so visitors to the library can also visit other shops and businesses. The City of Madison is negotiating a purchase and sale agreement with RDC for 20,000 square feet of first floor space. I am delighted that this number will double the size of the current library.

The Madison Common Council authorized a contract with an architectural firm earlier this summer. Programming and predesign work is underway and construction is slated to begin next summer.

There was a community meeting held this summer so that area residents could meet with the architects to share their thoughts and ideas on what the facility should include. The additional space will allow for study rooms, a community room and dedicated space for younger children and teens. There will be an outdoor courtyard to enjoy in warmer months and, of course, additional technology.

The project includes 86 apartments, 16,000 square feet of commercial space, 96 underground and 141 surface parking spaces, so there will be a lot going on. It will be a wonderful addition to the neighborhood.

Fun fact: the Pinney Library is named after Silas U. Pinney, the mayor of Madison in 1875. He established our library system in that year.

Stay well.