$1.2M Tuttle library branch to hold soft opening Wednesday

The separate Northridge branch is on schedule to open late spring/early summer.
Jason Wearly, branch manager of the new Tuttle Road branch of the Clark County Library, puts books out on the shelves Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 as he gets ready for the library's soft opening. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Jason Wearly, branch manager of the new Tuttle Road branch of the Clark County Library, puts books out on the shelves Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 as he gets ready for the library's soft opening. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

A new Clark County Public Library location on the east side of Springfield will open this week.

Library officials will hold a soft opening on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 191 S. Tuttle Road, for a “chance for folks to start using the new location and also give our in-place staff the ability to see how the new space interfaces with customer needs,” said Allison Peck, public relations manager.

“We hope patrons will be excited to utilize our range of different meeting spaces and take advantage of some of the cutting edge (audio-visual) and presentation equipment in those spaces,” said branch manager Jason Wearly.

This roughly $1.2 million, 5,000-square-foot location features a small meeting room, study rooms, computers, books and materials.

The exterior of the new Tuttle Road branch of the Clark County Public Library Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

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Credit: Bill Lackey

Peck said late last week they were waiting on a few details to get installed, such as computers, self checks and other technology items.

Library director Bill Martino also said the computers needed to be set up, as well as printers and scanner stations, as they were continuing to put items on the shelves.

This new space was retrofitted to meet library needs and the interior was renovated. Luminaut is the architect and did the basic design inside, while KAPP Construction also worked on the project.

A true grand opening for the Tuttle branch location will be held after the first of the new year at a date yet to be chosen. At that event, there will be refreshments and special library logo giveaways, while supplies last, for those who attend.

The hours for the library will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and closed on Sunday.

The interior of the new Tuttle Road branch of the Clark County Library Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

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Credit: Bill Lackey

Northridge Branch

The new Northridge library location is on schedule to open in late spring/early summer 2025 at 4925 Middle Urbana Road, which is about seven miles from the main branch in downtown Springfield.

Martino said everything is on schedule, but that there could be weather or other delays, and that “both the contractor and architect are happy with how things are going.”

“Things with the Northridge construction are moving along well. We have framing up, and anyone who happens to drive by the location will see progress being made every day,” Peck added.

The roof and some external framing should be done in the next few weeks, Martino said, which “will help once the weather gets colder as most of the remaining work will be on the inside.”

Jason Wearly, branch manager of the new Tuttle Road branch of the Clark County Library, demonstrates the video board in the library's conference room Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

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Credit: Bill Lackey

This branch will have dedicated adult, teen and children’s areas and materials, multiple meeting rooms and study areas for the public to use, and an outdoor multi-use programming and reading patio that backs up to Moorefield Family Park.

The base bid of this new construction, which broke ground in June, was from Pepper Construction Company of Ohio for $5.03 million. The architects are Luminaut Architecture.

Martino said there have not been any issues or challenges related to either of the new branches.

The Clark County Public Library system has multiple branches, with three in Springfield, one in Enon and one in South Charleston. The library also has a bookmobile that travels around the county.

For the month of October, all locations had a total of 30,910 visits, which Peck said is about the average for each month. This includes 14,227 at the Main branch, 5,693 at the Park branch, 3,947 at the Southgate branch, 4,926 at the Enon branch and 2,117 at the Houston branch.

For more information about the library, visit www.ccplohio.org or call 937-328-6903.

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