The footprint of the new Southdale Library is taking shape as footings and foundation are going in, laying the groundwork for more progress to come.

Recent project highlights include:

• Temporary gas, water, and electric work completed
• Foundation piers completed
• Drilling for the geothermal wells continues; first well has reached a depth of around 225 feet so far
• Work on underground structures, footings, piers, and foundations is starting
• Sub pumps and elevator pits work is starting

Foundation/underground parking work progressing

Project updates

Interested in receiving future updates on the project? Subscribe to the Southdale Library email list or visit the Southdale Library building project page.

View of excavation for the underground parking lot - looking to the southwest.

With deconstruction, demolition, and groundbreaking complete, transformation of the Southdale Library site is underway.

Demolition highlights

Deconstruction of the library began in January 2025. This process included the careful decommissioning of the building to ensure as much building material as possible could be diverted from the landfill.

Hennepin County’s Climate Action Plan identifies a target of diverting at least 75% of construction and demolition waste for reuse or recycling. Initial reports indicate that nearly 90% of the Southdale Library building was recycled or reused during the demolition process. This includes:

• More than 7,000 tons of material (1,200 tons of metal, 6,000 tons of concrete, and 3 tons of glass)
• Nearly 150 tons of furniture, fixtures, and equipment
• 20,033 pounds of carpet, vinyl flooring, and rubber

A phased approach to this work allowed crews to make the biggest impact and lower the project’s carbon footprint.

What’s next?

With the site cleared, contractors have a blank slate to begin work for the new build. The following tasks are in progress or will begin this fall:

• Digging for underground parking
• Drilling for the geothermal wells, nearly 450 feet in depth
• Underground structures, footings, piers, and foundations

Project updates

Interested in receiving future updates on the project? Subscribe to the Southdale Library email list or visit the Southdale Library building project page.

Beginning Wednesday, October 15, crews will connect the water and sanitary sewer lines for the new Southdale Library in Edina. To safely complete the work, the northbound lanes of York Avenue (County Road 31) will be closed between Hazelton Road and 70th Street. Traffic will be detoured using 69th Street, France Avenue (County Road 17), and 76th Street.

Northbound lanes will reopen to traffic at the end of October, weather permitting.

Find more information on the Southdale Library new construction project on the building project page.

Nearby project

Southbound York Avenue remains closed for ongoing construction on the York Avenue Trunk Sanitary Sewer project. For information, visit the Better Together Edina webpage.

From left to right: Hennepin County Administrator Jodi Wentland, Former Hennepin County Administrator David Hough, Hennepin County Board Chair Dr. Irene Fernando, Hennepin County Library Director Scott Duimstra, City of Edina Council Member Kate Agnew, City of Edina Mayor James Hovland, Hennepin County District 5 Commissioner Debbie Goettel, Hennepin County District 6 Commissioner Heather Edelson, City of Edina Council Member Carolyn Jackson, and City of Edina Council Member Julie RisserHennepin County officially broke ground on the long-anticipated redevelopment of Southdale Library on October 3, marking the beginning of a transformative project that blends community, creativity, and sustainability.

A vision years in the making

The groundbreaking ceremony, held at the Southdale Library site near York Avenue South and West 70th Street in Edina, celebrated the start of construction on a facility that will house both the new Southdale Library and a reimagined Edina Art Center. The project has been in development for over a decade and reflects extensive community engagement and inter-agency collaboration.

Remarks from Hennepin County Commissioners and leadership, along with City of Edina officials, emphasized the importance of the new space as a hub for learning, creativity, and connection. A ceremonial shovel-turning symbolized the shared commitment to innovation and inclusion.

"We are building more than a library. We are building a place where people will come to feel seen, supported and inspired,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Heather Edelson. Hennepin County and library leaders break ground at Southdale Library groundbreaking celebration

Scott Duimstra, Hennepin County Library director, addresses groundbreaking attendees

Designing for the future

The new facility will feature:

• A light-filled atrium designed for both library and arts events
• Improved layout that will invite visitors to explore the collection and relax in the quiet, vibrant space
• Studio spaces and flexible classrooms for art programming on the second floor
• Outdoor plazas that will invite families to read, play, and explore in nature
• Flexible meeting rooms that will be available for everything from after school homework and tutoring to community gatherings
• Sustainable features including geothermal energy, solar panels, and native landscaping that manage 95% of annual rainfall
• A trailhead connection to the Nine Mile Creek Trail, enhancing pedestrian and cyclist access
• And more

A home for creativity

The Edina Art Center, which has served the community for nearly 50 years, will find a new home within the library. The updated space will support a wide range of media and continue to foster intergenerational creativity and connection.

Looking ahead

Construction is anticipated to continue for the next few years. Library services will remain available at alternate locations during the project.

Project updates

Interested in receiving future updates on the project? Subscribe to the Southdale Library email list or visit the Southdale Library building project page.

The walls of Southdale Library are coming down fast as demolition crews reshape the site’s future. Debris from the building is being sorted and piled as it is removed to separate material that can be recycled from material that will go to the landfill.

What’s done/what’s happening now:

• Building materials such as concrete, rebar, and glass are being sorted and recycled
• Debris is being hauled away
• Exterior glass salvaging complete
• Protection of preserved trees complete
• Trees that will be used for mulch or other on-site elements set aside

Walls are coming down at Southdale LibraryDebris is being sorted into piles for recycling

What’s next?

After the demolition is complete this fall, the site will be cleared and prepped for new construction to begin.

Project updates

Interested in receiving future updates on the project? Subscribe to the Southdale Library email list or visit the Southdale Library building project page.

Share your stories

Have any fun stories, favorite events, or memorable moments of your time at Southdale Library? We'd love to hear them! Share with us.

The Southdale Library new construction project has reached an exciting milestone. The demolition permit for the project has been approved and demolition is underway. Crews have been working to prepare the building for the next phase of the project since early January. Demolition will continue for the next several weeks to prepare the site for new construction.

Project updates

Interested in receiving future updates on the project? Subscribe to the Southdale Library email list or visit the Southdale Library building project page.

Share your stories

Have any fun stories, favorite events, or memorable moments of your time at Southdale Library? We'd love to hear them! Share with us.

Southdale Library closed January 6, 2025, for a new build project. In the time since the building closed, the collection – containing 179,000 books! – was moved to a storage facility and the building decommissioning process has begun.

The demolition of Southdale Library is different than the past “wrecking ball” method. Although it may seem a bit quiet from the outside, there has been a lot of work happening on the inside. Hennepin County has partnered with Better Futures Minnesota, a local nonprofit organization that provides building deconstruction services, to salvage any usable materials from the Southdale Library building. This organization is removing materials such as furniture, interior doors and hardware, bathroom fixtures and accessories, lighting, ceiling tiles, metals, and more from the building that are still in good condition and can be reused elsewhere in the community.

This process is long in nature due to delicate and thoughtful removal work necessary to keep the integrity of the salvaged items intact, while also keeping safety in mind. This method not only keeps many items out of the landfill it also reduces the need for raw materials to make the same product new. To date, around 28 tons of material from the building has been diverted from the landfill.

What’s next in the project?

The salvaging and deconstruction work will continue throughout the spring to prepare the building for demolition. As demolition nears, residents will see fencing go up around the site and large equipment staged in the parking lot.

Project updates

Interested in receiving future updates on the project? Subscribe to the Southdale Library email list or visit the Southdale Library building project page.

Share your stories

Have any fun stories, favorite events, or memorable moments of your time at Southdale Library? We'd love to hear them! Share with us.

The Southdale Library collection has been moved to an offsite storage facility to prepare for the new-build project. While the collection will be closed to the public, materials will remain accessible through the holds process. When the new library opens in approximately three years, the collection will return for public browsing.

Fun facts about the collection move:

• 179,000 books moved
• Collection weighed 55 tons (equivalent to 28 cars!)
• Books would span 1.56 miles if lined up book-to-book (8,276 linear feet)

Nearby libraries

While Southdale Library is closed, patrons may visit nearby libraries for library services.

• Edina, 5280 Grandview Square, Edina
• Penn Lake, 8800 Penn Avenue South, Bloomington
• Washburn, 5244 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis
• Starting spring 2025, Augsburg Park, 7100 Nicollet Avenue, Richfield

Patrons may contact Ask Us online, call 612-543-KNOW (5669), or visit any Hennepin County library for assistance.

What’s next in the project?

Hennepin County has partnered with Better Futures, a local nonprofit organization, to decommission the Southdale Library building. This organization will remove materials such as furniture, lighting, and ceiling tiles from the building that are still in good condition and can be reused elsewhere in the community. This work will happen throughout the spring to prepare the building for demolition in the coming months.

Project updates

Interested in receiving future updates on the project? Subscribe to the Southdale Library email list or visit the Southdale Library building project page.

Share your Southdale story

Have any fun stories, favorite events, or memorable moments of your time at Southdale Library? We'd love to hear them. Share with us.

Southdale Library will close Monday, January 6, 2025, to make way for a brand new Southdale Library. Plans for a temporary holds pickup location are in the works and details will be shared as they are finalized.

Changing holds pickup location

Starting Friday, December 27, you will no longer be able to select Southdale Library as your holds pickup location. All remaining library materials on hold at Southdale will be available for pickup until end of day Sunday, January 5. To select an alternative pickup location that is convenient for you, login to your online account and adjust your account settings.

• Change the pickup location for holds you've already placed
• Change your preferred location for future holds

You may contact Ask Us online, call 612-543-KNOW (5669), or visit any Hennepin County library for assistance.

Nearby libraries:

• Edina, 5280 Grandview Square, Edina
• Penn Lake, 8800 Penn Avenue South, Bloomington
• Washburn, 5244 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis
• Starting spring 2025, Augsburg Park, 7100 Nicollet Avenue, Richfield

If you do not change your holds pickup location before December 27, all Southdale and Augsburg Park holds will automatically transfer to Washburn Library until the temporary holds pickup location is available.

Project updates

Interested in receiving future updates on the project? Subscribe to the Southdale Library email list or visit the Southdale Library building project page.

Hennepin County hosted a community meeting at Southdale Library Saturday, December 7, 2024, as part of a series of events to engage the public and share updates on the Southdale Library new build project.

Centering the community through design

The design of the new Southdale Library, developed by MSR Design, was informed by years of community engagement efforts including surveys and public meetings, and was created with community in mind. The design addressed site access and redevelopment; connection to people, amenities, and nature; sustainability; and partnerships.

Site access

Careful consideration was paid to the ways patrons will access the new Southdale Library. Safe and easy access points for buses, cyclists, pedestrians, and cars are reflected in the design. In addition to accessing the building itself, much thought was put into accessing library services. The new design allows better utilization of library space and street level service for easier access.

Bus, pedestrian, and bicycle access are integrated and safely organized in the site plan for the new Southdale Library. Bird’s eye view of the North entry plaza showing points of access. Connection

The new library will be a hub for creativity and lifelong learning. It will provide more opportunity for connection with additional study and meeting room space, as well as outdoor terrace and learning space, included in the new design.

Multi-purpose room with flexibility and adaptability to provide for different types of programming.

Outdoor programming opportunity available on the children’s plaza. This rendering shows how the landscape might look 10 years after planting. As time passes, plants will grow and the plaza will fill in.

Outdoor terrace on level 2 with places for patrons to connect outside and take in views of the landscape.The site will also connect neighbors to the Edina Promenade, Adams Hill Park, and 9 Mile Creek through trail connections. The connection of the park and trail system will bring these activities to the front door of the library.

Southdale Library will be connected to the nearby park and trail system.

A trail sweeps around to the South main entrance, just below the community terrace, providing access to the library via the regional trail system.

Sustainability

The Southdale Library design includes a full redevelopment of the site, creating healthy environments for learning and engaging in community activities inside and outside of the building.

Sustainability work includes:

• Rainfall managed on site
• Rooftop solar panels collect energy from the sun
• Geothermal heat pumps heat the building
• High performance façade that will control glare and optimize interior daylight and comfort levels
• Native landscape provides a habitat for pollinators, improves air quality, and provides health benefits to patrons through time spent in nature

The design of the new Southdale Library integrates sustainability through native landscape, rainfall management on site, daylit spaces, healthy material palette, low-embodied carbon materials, solar array, and geothermal heat pumps.

At the North entry, a wide plaza provides access for pedestrians approaching the library from York and 70th and for patrons using the surface parking lot. Drive-up and walk-up book drops are conveniently located near the entry. Glass doors provide views directly through the library and into the southern landscape, where a second primary entry and event plaza are located. Windows into the second level art classrooms provide views and natural daylight, while a high performing façade controls glare.

South entry plaza with connections to trail and outdoor space.

The site is designed as a “library of local landscape,” incorporating oak barrens, tallgrass and wet prairie, and freshwater marsh into the design. These plantings will be reparative and responsive to climate change.

Partnerships

Hennepin County is partnering with Edina Art Center and Three Rivers Park District to bring art and trail connections to the site. Edina Art Center will have dedicated space in the Southdale Library building for an art gallery, gift shop, and classrooms on level 2.

A look inside at the atrium with technology and library collection, a multipurpose room towards the middle, main stair with large meeting room above, and art center space to the top left.

Level 2 of the library includes a casual seating area along the community terrace, art gallery space straight ahead, and clerestory windows providing maximum daylight to the right.

What’s next?

Southdale Library will close to the public Monday, January 6, 2025. Work immediately after the closure will include salvaging and removing materials before demolition begins. Demolition, groundbreaking, and construction will happen in the months following the closure. The project is expected to take around three years to complete.

Plans for a temporary holds pickup location are in the works. Details will be shared as they are finalized.

During the closure, patrons may visit nearby libraries, including:

• Edina, 5280 Grandview Square, Edina
• Penn Lake, 8800 Penn Avenue South, Bloomington
• Washburn, 5244 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis
• Starting spring 2025, Augsburg Park, 7100 Nicollet Avenue, Richfield

Project updates

Interested in receiving future updates on the project? Subscribe to the Southdale Library email list or visit the Southdale Library building project page.