Multnomah County will close the Midland and Holgate Libraries for renovations this month. Construction at these sites will temporarily reduce nearby public library options for Montavilla residents for over a year. County planners expect both projects to complete in the middle of 2024. Until then, people can utilize the three remaining libraries within 3-miles of the neighborhood or take transportation to one of the many other locations.
The Midland Library at 805 SE 122nd Avenue will close on December 23, 2022, and reopen in the summer of 2024. Crews will renovate and expand the 23,871-square-foot building, adding 6,000 square feet to support increased usage. The completed project will incorporate more gathering spaces and activities, with dedicated areas for children and young adults. These updates will provide more room for community use, faster internet, and updated technology.
Midland Library’s new and expanded features will include:
- Outdoor interactive children’s play area.
- Large play and learning space for children and families.
- Dedicated teen room with space for technology, homework and creative expression.
- Updated technology and internet.
- Outdoor plaza for community members to relax and connect.
- New art that represents the community.
- A Gathering Circle for community conversation.
Demolition crews will remove the existing Holgate Library building at 7905 SE Holgate Blvd. The County constructed the 6,060-square-foot single-story building in 1971. Construction workers will build a new two-story building, triple the size of the current space, for a total of 21,000 square feet. This branch will become one of the largest libraries in Multnomah County. Holgate Library will temporarily close for construction starting on December 5, 2022. If construction timelines hold to the schedule, this all-new Library building will reopen in the spring of 2024.
Holgate Library’s new and expanded features will include:
- Large play and learning space for children and families.
- Dedicated teen room with space for technology, homework and creative expression.
- Multiple flexible programming and meeting rooms.
- Updated technology and internet.
- Outdoor plaza for community members to relax and connect.
- New art that represents the community.
- Solar panels to help offset energy use.
Draft renderings for Holgate Library from an April 2022 Presentation. Courtesy Multnomah County
These two ambitious projects are part of Multnomah County’s work to expand and modernize these public spaces, helping the library change and grow alongside the community. Holgate and Midland libraries are among the first branches to undergo dramatic rebuilding and expansion in the mid-county. In spring 2023, construction will begin at Albina and North Portland libraries, temporarily closing those locations. These libraries are the first set of eight total building projects funded through the 2020 library bond, including the construction of a new East County Library. Montavilla residents looking for the next nearest public Library can use Belmont Library at 1038 SE Cesar Estrada Chavez Blvd., Gregory Heights Library at 7921 NE Sandy Blvd., or Hollywood Library at 4040 NE Tillamook Street.
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