IN THE KNOW

New Gahanna Branch: CML

Perusing rows and rows of books will soon look very different in Gahanna. The current Gahanna Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML), located at 310 Granville St., will be replaced with a modern, two-story building in 2022. The new branch will be focused on open meeting spaces for all ages and will serve as a “21st century community centerpiece,” according to CML spokesperson Ben Zenitsky.

“The Gahanna Branch was built on its current site in 1991. The needs of Gahanna residents have evolved dramatically since that time. No longer are libraries merely vaults for books. Public libraries of the 21st century serve as community centerpieces, with iconic designs and wide-open, welcoming spaces filled with natural light and an emphasis on people,” he added.

The new two-story building, which will be constructed on the same site, will be significantly larger than the current building, which stands at 21,400 feet. The new building will add an additional 16,000 square feet, almost doubling the size of the current branch.

Zenitsky said spaces set aside for young minds include a larger Homework Help Center, a dedicated space for teens, and a larger children’s area, including the new “Ready for Kindergarten” space where preschoolers and their families

New Lincoln Elementary

This fall, almost 700 students in the Gahanna-Jefferson Public School District will walk into a new elementary school building— something that hasn’t happened in 26 years.

Located next to Middle School South, at 261 Helmbright Dr., the new Lincoln Elementary will replace the original building, constructed in 1957, adjacent to Gahanna Lincoln High School on Havens Corners Rd.

The new Lincoln Elementary was funded by the District's bond issue and operating levy passed in May of 2018, and is the centerpiece of Phase 1 of the District’s Master facilities plan.

← Watch the ribbon-cutting ceremony here can familiarize themselves with a kindergarten classroom.

“We’ll have more meeting rooms and small study rooms available for customers to reserve, as well as a quiet room for those who still enjoy a little tranquility with their library visit,” Zenitsky said. “Front and center, though, will be our collection, and everything we do will revolve around books and reading. We’re eager to shatter Gahanna’s preconceived ideas of a public library.”

The temporary location for all Gahanna Branch operations has been moved to 310 Hamilton Rd., in the Hunter’s Ridge Shopping Center.