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Lebanon Library buys new building; council weighs uses for vacated space and flags easement issue
Summary
Keaton Sarchick, a trustee of the Lebanon Library, told the council the library will move into a newly purchased building at 425 West Saint Louis in August; the council discussed repurposing the vacated library space and an easement dispute involving the adjacent Mermaid House.
Keaton Sarchick, a trustee of the Lebanon Library, told the Lebanon City Council committee the library purchased a building at 425 West Saint Louis and plans to move in August, adding that the library has provided a check covering six months of rent to carry it through September while a lease is finalized. "We bought a building. We'll be moving out, by the September. We plan on moving to the new building in August," Sarchick said.
That move means the city will have additional city-owned square footage to decide how to use, the council’s chair said. Council members discussed options including relocating the council chamber, creating offices, or converting the space into a community center, but members stressed the need to assess restroom capacity and building upgrades before any reuse. The chair estimated the retrofit and repairs for the building could total "probably 2 or $300,000," citing plumbing, electrical and roof work that would be required before more intensive public use.
Separately, the chair reported a dispute tied to 108 Saint Louis Street: the local historical society, which received a roughly $130,000 grant to restore the Mermaid House, told the council it will not grant easements on the east side of its property. The historical society told prospective buyers the limitation could affect egress and maintenance access; the chair said the society will notify any potential owners of that restriction.
Council members noted that repurposing the vacated library for municipal or nonprofit use could require significant renovations and that rental income projections are modest. The chair said the city could rent the space for events or partition it for nonprofit offices but cautioned that prior estimates that rental use would yield about $10,000 were not a financial driver.
The council asked staff to compile repair estimates and to bring sample plans and cost options back to the group for longer-range planning. No formal vote was taken; the council agreed to continue work on options and to collect more detailed cost estimates.
