Maitland is getting ready to trade up its longtime library for a sleeker, much larger version in the park. City leaders will break ground next week on a nearly $16 million, two-story, 20,000 square foot library inside Quinn Strong Park that they say will almost double the town's current facility and give local readers some serious elbow room.
The new building is designed to expand space for collections, meetings, and community programming, and officials estimate construction will take about 17 months. Pre-construction planning has already kicked off this spring as the city gets its timeline and contractors in order.
According to the City of Maitland, the official groundbreaking ceremony is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 7, at Quinn Strong Park. The public is invited to a short program with brief remarks, informational displays, and light refreshments, so expect a bit of civic ceremony with your coffee.
The two-story, 20,000 square foot building will sit on the north side of the park and replace the existing library at 501 S. Maitland Ave.; the project is expected to cost nearly $16 million, and construction is estimated to take about 17 months, according to WFTV. Turner Construction Company will oversee the work and has already requested subcontractor prequalification as it prepares to solicit bids, per ConstructConnect.
Site changes and community programs
To make room for the new campus, the city plans to remove a vacant office building and the facility currently used for the Maitland Senior Center; senior recreation programs will be relocated to other city facilities, according to the City of Maitland. City officials say the historic 1907 library building will be preserved, with its future public use to be determined after the new facility opens.
Design and park upgrades
HBM Architects, the design firm behind the plans, described a mid-century modern building that draws on local architectural cues and ties directly into the Art & History Museums campus. Renderings and project notes show outdoor patios, a children's patio connected to a sensory garden, lawn terraces for events, and a small performance space as part of a broader reimagining of Quinn Strong Park, per HBM Architects.
Funding and next steps
The project was approved by voters in a 2024 referendum, with nearly 62 percent backing public financing for the library, according to WFTV. The ballot language authorized general obligation bonds of up to $14 million for the "New Public Library and Park Project," per the Orange County sample ballot. A January 2025 City Council decision on the contemporary library design moved the project from concept toward construction.
Once construction wraps, the new library will absorb senior center programming and provide meeting rooms, maker spaces, and expanded areas for kids and teens. HBM's project notes say the existing 1907 building will be preserved and repurposed for future public use.
