Collierville officials, library staff, and community members gathered Wednesday to break ground on a major expansion of the Lucius E. & Elsie C. Burch, Jr. Library, marking the start of construction on a project that will add 20,000 square feet to the town's only public library. The addition will bring the facility to a total of 49,500 square feet, with an anticipated opening in Spring 2028.
The groundbreaking, held Wednesday at the library's Poplar View Parkway site, capped years of planning for a project the Town of Collierville described in a Facebook post as an important part of Collierville families and generations. Mayor Maureen Fraser spoke at the event and shared a memory of her own children growing up in Collierville and how the library shaped their lives, according to the town's post. Library Director Lisa Plath also spoke, reflecting on the library's roots and its future, per the same post.
According to the Town of Collierville's post, Wright Ryan Construction, LLC is listed as the architect for the expansion project, with Walerath, LLC also named in connection with the work. Project renderings dated March 10, 2026, and produced by Haizlip Studio show an exterior approach, an exterior conservatory, a children's patio, and a teen space. Those renderings are available to the public at colliervilletn.gov/civiccenter, per the town's announcement.
A $12.26 Million Investment Years in the Making
The Collierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the expansion plan last August with an estimated total budget of $12,259,830, according to the Town of Collierville. That figure breaks down into $10,797,820 for new construction and $1,462,010 for building renovations, after town leadership selected the “better” of three proposed development tiers presented by administrators. A central feature of the addition is a multi-purpose 300-person civic center that can divide into three individual meeting rooms, supporting both public gatherings and private rentals while generating a new revenue stream for the library, the town's release notes.
The project traces back further than last year's vote. The town initially hired Memphis-based Haizlip Studio in 2014 to run focus groups and draft expansion concepts, but the plan was shelved for several years while municipal resources went toward building Collierville High School instead. Formal procurement moved forward this year: the town opened competitive bidding for the expansion and site renovation work on March 3, 2026, and closed the bidding period on April 8, 2026, according to Starbridge.
Population Growth Outpaced the Old Building
The push to expand stems from demographic pressure the original building was never designed to handle. Collierville's population grew by 64% since the library's 2001 opening, climbing past 53,500 residents and pushing the existing facility below the State of Tennessee's benchmark of 0.5 square feet of library space per capita, per the town's statement. The expansion is expected to bring Collierville above that state guideline once complete.
The Burch Library first opened at its current site on March 3, 2001, following a 5-acre land donation from developer David Halle and a $575,000 gift from Elsie C. Burch, made in honor of her late husband Lucius Burch Jr., a prominent Memphis attorney and civil rights activist, according to the Shelby County Chamber Alliance. The library opened as a suburban branch of the Memphis and Shelby County library system before the Town of Collierville took over complete operational, management, and financial control in 2004.
New Spaces for Readers of Every Age
The expanded design goes well beyond added square footage. Plans call for an Adult Reading Center and Conservatory, a reimagined Children's Area, and a Teen Space outfitted with a content creation and podcast studio, along with flexible community rooms and infrastructure upgrades including new HVAC and flooring, according to the town's announcement. The renderings shared alongside the groundbreaking depict several of these spaces, including the children's patio and teen space.
Much of the funding push relies on private philanthropy alongside the town's construction budget. In September 2025, the Friends of the Collierville Library committed to raising up to $4 million — roughly one-third of the project's projected cost — through a campaign offering more than 25 donor naming opportunities ranging from $5,000 to $1,000,000, the town said. Hoodline previously reported on the fundraising launch, and it remains unclear how much has been raised toward that goal as construction now gets underway.
Several details about the build-out remain unresolved. It is not yet clear which contractor was ultimately selected following the spring RFP process, and town officials have not detailed how library staff will maintain public service and access to the facility while construction proceeds toward the targeted Spring 2028 completion.
