City Council Authorizes Acquisition Of Land for Expansion Of Branch Library

The City Council today approved an ordinance authorizing the Public Building Commission of Chicago (PBC) to acquire property that will allow the expansion of the Whitney Young Branch Library. The PBC will manage construction of the new space.

The property to be acquired is located at 415-423 W. 79th Street, alongside the Chicago Public Library’s existing Whitney Young Branch Library at 7901 S. King Dr.

The addition of the new property alongside the existing space will create a larger plot where a new structure will be constructed, resulting in a considerably larger facility for the community. The building will use several sustainable design features, expected to give the new branch Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.

The existing building was built in 1973. The new, larger library will expand the current book collection and allow for more computers for residents.