A Lincoln construction firm and a well-known local coffee shop will be cemented into the fabric of the city’s forthcoming central library.
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird announced Wednesday that Sampson Construction has been selected as the general contractor for the project at 1111 “O” St, and the Mill Coffee & Tea will oversee the on-site café.
The site, residing in the former Southeast Community College Education Square building, will replace downtown’s Bennett Martin Public Library, built in 1962. The City Council approved purchase of the Education Square building in July. Demolition and renovation are expected to begin in fall 2026.
The 80,000-square-foot, $46 million facility will include community spaces, areas for youth, a café open beyond library hours, digital labs, administrative offices, a makerspace, a rooftop auditorium, quiet reading rooms, and a future partner space. The facility includes an attached, City-owned parking garage with 1,057 spaces and skywalk connections.
“Modern libraries are more than books,” Mayor Gaylor Baird. “Modern libraries catalyze innovation and creativity, foster community connection, promote lifelong learning, increase digital literacy and technology access, improve educational outcomes, support economic opportunity, and enhance overall quality of life.”
The project will be funded by $23 million in municipal infrastructure bonds, $5.2 million in interfund loans, and $18 million in private contributions. The funding-split is 60% public, 40% private. The Foundation for Lincoln City Libraries is managing the fundraising campaign for private donations.
Joining Mayor Gaylor Baird at the news conference were Justin Carlson, City Council Chair; Ryan Wieber, Lincoln City Libraries Director; Cori Vokoun, Vice President of Strategic Operations, Sampson Construction and Tamara Sloan, Co-Owner and Director of Operations, The Mill Coffee & Tea.
The City of saving money and time by working with Sampson through the design process, said Lincoln City Libraries Director Ryan Wieber.
Sampson’s Vice President of Strategic Operations Cori Vokoun heralded the project as a “legacy” or “cornerstone” project.
“They define what it’s like to live here, and what it’s like to grow up here. You feel like a community builder, not just a contractor,” said Vokoun.
For more information about Lincoln City Libraries and the Central Library Project, visit lincolnlibraries.org.