On an unseasonably warm day in February 2005, the first visitors entered the doors of a long-awaited community gem. Necks craned to get a look inside the blue corrugated metal silo, which had been turning heads on Allen Drive for months. Teens in braces and layered tank tops wandered toward a sign spelling “TeenScape” in glowing neon letters. Tiny feet raced across ocean-themed carpet before stopping, in awe, in front of a massive fish tank.
Those wide-eyed preschoolers—now old enough to have families of their own—were among the first patrons of Allen Public Library’s landmark location at 300 N. Allen Drive. Allen’s population was just shy of 70,000 people when the library moved to its new location. Given the city’s projected growth, architects designed the building to be expanded someday as the need developed.
That day has now arrived. As of August 1, 2024, Allen Public Library will temporarily close to the public as construction begins on a long-awaited expansion and renovation project. More than 19,000 square feet will be added to the facility, offering new opportunities for library patrons. The Children’s Library will be overhauled with a dedicated learning and play area, and a new Children’s Program Room will accommodate more families for the library’s ever-popular youth programs. Teens will benefit from a revamped space on the second floor to support social interaction and collaboration. All ages will enjoy more space for materials, seating, and program space.
From the beginning, the project’s funding and design were driven by the library’s most important stakeholders: Allen residents. Voters approved funding for the expansion during a bond election in May 2016 after the project was identified by residents as one of the community’s top priorities. A citizen steering committee worked closely with architects and city staff to gather resident feedback and make recommendations based on community needs. When Allen City Council awarded the library construction contract to Fransen Pittman Construction at its May 28, 2024 meeting, the crowd gathered inside council chambers erupted in applause.
“We’ve got a new library coming!” Allen Mayor Baine Brooks announced with a grin after the motion passed. “I think it’s a great thing for Allen.”
To minimize disruptions to the library’s popular summer programming, regular library operations continued through July 31, even as dirt began to turn for some of the exterior spaces. On August 1, however, the library closed its doors to move to its temporary home: the former Rountree Elementary School campus located at 800 E. Main Street. That location will open in mid- to late-September once materials, technology, and other resources have been relocated.
Fransen Pittman Construction is committed to an aggressive timeline for construction and renovations at the library’s permanent location, aiming for a grand reopening in early summer 2025.
Allen Public Library’s digital collection, including cloudLibrary eBooks and digital audiobooks, NewsStand digital magazines, Comics Plus comics and graphic novels, Biblio+ and Parent TV streaming videos, and Bluebird language learning will remain available while the library is closed. Residents ages 18 and older can apply for a 90-day digital-only card that offers access to the digital library.
Residents can get updates and follow the progress at AllenLibrary.org.
Expansion Timeline:
May 7, 2016 – Allen voters approve bond funding for Allen Public Library expansion
May 28, 2024 – Allen City Council approves construction contract
June 22, 2024 – Allen Public Library expansion and renovation project breaks ground
July 31, 2024 – Last day of regular operations at 300 N. Allen Drive location
August 1, 2024 – Allen Public Library closes to the public. No materials are due until the library reopens at its temporary location.
Mid September, 2024 – Allen Public Library opens temporary location at Rountree Elementary School (800 E. Main Street).
Summer 2025 – Allen Public Library reopens at permanent location following expansion and renovation