New Lakewood Ranch Library Project At Premier Park Kicks Off With Groundbreaking Wednesday

LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL — Manatee County kicked off the construction of a new library, the East County Branch Library, in Lakewood Ranch with a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday, the county shared on its Facebook page.

The $20 million library and community center will be located at 16410 Rangeland Pkwy. in Premier Park.

The library will occupy the first floor of the 50,000-square-foot facility, which will include a rooftop terrace overlooking the planned park, the county said.

The project, which is being designed by Fawley Bryant Architecture and built by Willis Smith Construction, is expected to be complete by 2024. It will be the seventh full-service branch of the Manatee County Public Library System.

“This is yet another big step in our five-year capital improvement plan,” County Administrator Dr. Scott Hopes said. “It’s good to see it coming out of the ground.”