Good Afternoon,
On Tuesday, Aug. 15 Charlotte Mecklenburg Library celebrated the demolition of Main Library with a festive event that drew elected officials, donors, board trustees, staff, and a host of media. The day was a great success that enlivened the work CML is doing to bring a new Main Library to the community in 2026.
With all of the positive coverage about the demolition, there were also a couple of stories about the challenges with the 7th & Tryon mixed-use development. The new Main Library project is a part of that development and continues to move forward. In short, the 7th & Tryon development will change due to the current master developer and Mecklenburg County not being able to come to terms with the development deal. As a result, the County will decide the best way to move forward with development of the 4.5-acre site that is located on the 300 and 400 blocks of North Tryon Street. This could include redeveloping portions of the property individually instead of the entire acreage as a whole. It is anticipated that the Library/County owned block will still be developed in an integrated manner, preserving the original goals of the 7th & Tryon Vision Plan.
The news about the 7th and Tryon development does not change the new Main Library project. The County has communicated to CML that they are still committed to the new Main Library and Spirit Square project. The CommonSpark campaign will continue to raise the final $18 million of the project’s funding.
We are certain Mecklenburg County is committed to creating an environment that supports the Uptown community and CML. This new path will bring something “transformational and spectacular.”
More information about the new Main Library can be found here. Progress on the project site can be safely observed from the sidewalk at 7th & College streets. Hopefully, you will share the excitement and progress of the project with your friends and family.
I hope you find this information helpful. Please contact the Library’s Chief Marketing Officer Krystel Green at kgreen@cmlibrary.org if you have any questions.
The new Main Library project continues forward, and we can’t wait to open this architecturally distinctive, state-of-the-art, technologically advanced knowledge center. It will truly be a place to gather, a place to learn, a place for all.
Sincerely,
MT
