How the city of Emporia proceeds with the Carnegie Library downtown depends on several factors.
A decision on the former Emporia Public Library and Lyon County Historical Society is not imminent, although it has gained a fair amount of attention over the past month after the results of a BG Consultants study were unveiled a few weeks ago. City Manager Trey Cocking says the building has definite curb appeal on the outside, but there is a lot of work needed — including foundation, masonry, water leak repairs, a potentially new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and accessibility upgrades.
The city is considering several options for the space. Moving to the top of the list — if it isn’t there already — is selling the building to a private developer. Cocking says costs for other options, notably a full-blown renovation, are expensive.
Factoring into the city’s decision, especially if the city moves towards renovation, is exactly what to use the building for — which has not been determined. Another part of the conversation deals with the budget as a whole, with the city working hard to recruit and retain staff.
While the future of the Carnegie Library is in question, the city is prioritizing its future direction for its current fire stations and whether to upgrade the existing facilities or build new ones.
The Carnegie Library was built in 1905 and has been sitting vacant since the Historical Society moved to the Lyon County History Center in 2016. The downtown property is one of two Carnegie Libraries in Emporia, with the other one built on the former College of Emporia campus. The library moved to its current space in 1979 and was filled by the Historical Society shortly afterwards. Cocking says the building has about 3,800 square feet on the main floor along with basement space.
