A contentious Philly library renovation is starting soon, and residents are confused and frustrated

A renovation project to a beloved library should be easy win for a local politician. But plans to rehab the Cecil B. Moore Library have been anything but a win for Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr.

Young and representatives from the city’s Capital Program Office and the Free Library of Philadelphia gave further details on the $2 million renovations planned for the Cecil B. Moore Library at a community meeting Tuesday. An additional $8 million previously fundraised for the project will remain unused for now.

Construction on the North Philly library is expected to begin in October on what city officials are calling phase one of a larger project. The initial phase will include a new accessible building entrance, bathrooms, and elevator; HVAC replacement; a new fire alarm system and water heater; and safety improvements to building exits, they said.

The building at 2320 Cecil B. Moore Ave. will be closed during construction, which is expected to last about six months. During the closure, some limited programming will be available at the nearby MLK Recreation Center at 2101 Cecil B. Moore Ave., according to the Free Library’s neighborhood library services division chief Joel Nichols.

Other library programming at MLK or elsewhere is under consideration, he said, but it remains unclear whether Cecil B. Moore will have a dedicated satellite branch.

This plan did not go over well with the roughly 100 community members who came for Tuesday’s meeting at MLK Recreation Center. They and other supporters of the library have long been frustrated by how Young has wielded his power of councilmanic prerogative to delay the project for years while pursuing alternative ideas for the site, and resisting spending the full $10 million that has been fundraised.

Young’s responses to their questions did not ease that frustration, as he and Capital Program representatives could not provide details about future project phases, citing the need for more community feedback. Throughout the event, residents chanted at Young to release the full funds and yelled back and shook musical instruments while he gave answers. Some held up signs referencing his upcoming reelection campaign, which spelled out “one term”.

“At what point have you received enough community engagement that you can listen to the community?” said Allyce Estremera, a Brewerytown resident.

In a presentation, officials highlighted the library’s aging infrastructure and the urgent need for the foundational and safety improvements in their plan. The Cecil B. Moore Library, which opened in 1962, still has its original bathrooms and an HVAC system from 1994, they said. The building has been “plagued by deferred maintenance,” said the Free Library’s deputy director of property management Ty Dupass.

In his opening remarks, Young acknowledged the role the library has played in the community for generations, and said the renovations would “bring this building back to life.”

Community members have not voiced opposition to renovations included in the first phase. However, residents have been asking Young and the city to proceed with a more comprehensive $5.3 million renovation plan put forth through the city’s Rebuild initiative, which was slated to begin construction in 2024 and could have been completed by now had it begun on schedule. The Rebuild plan would have included the phase one renovations, as well as a dedicated teen space, new flooring, additional computers, exterior upgrades and more.

But once Young replaced outgoing Council President Darrell L. Clarke in 2024, he secured an additional $5 million from the city’s capital budget and paused the project. At various points, Young has offered larger development proposals for the library, including a new building altogether or a hybrid space that includes a library and affordable housing. While the housing proposal has been dropped, Young said Tuesday the current library footprint was too small to accommodate the 21st-century features the community deserves.

» READ MORE: North Philly neighbors shout down Councilmember Young’s plan to replace their library

Young’s spokesperson Yumeno Young and Capital Program representatives said the remaining $8 million fundraised for the project remains committed to the library in its current location.

“Leadership is built on trust. And where is the trust? Because they’re not earning it,” said Emily Dumas, 38, who said she doesn’t trust the $8 million would actually go to the current library building.

Nikol Ligon, 56, said she believed Young and the city ought to release the full funding for a wider renovation, and doesn’t like that the councilmember seems to have first and last say on a project that means so much to the community.

And Neferteri Raynor, 24, signed up this summer for a community advisory group Young’s office organized to gather feedback, but the group has held no meetings so far.

“We would love to have a level of certainty and transparency,” she said.

Yumeno Young said an assessment may conducted to determine what additional amenities and renovations could be constructed in the future given the library’s current footprint, but it’s unclear if or when that would happen.

The convoluted planning and decision-making confused State Sen. Sharif Street, who spoke at the meeting in support of the residents.

“I don’t understand any of the process that was said today … we need to come back with a better plan,” he said.

Young largely deferred questions to his spokesperson or the Capital Program representatives, and said “we are working on this as a team” when residents implored him to speak more.

And community members were often left more confused by his answers. Siobhan Neitzel, the Brewerytown Sharswood Neighborhood Coalition Co-lead of Youth and Education, said it felt like Young was passing accountability onto others.

Some residents brought up the timing of the initial renovations, which are scheduled to be completed shortly before Young, considered the most vulnerable councilmember, is up for reelection in May. The residents swore to use the library saga against Young.

While library staff have said they were told by Capital Program staff the renovation timing was related to Young’s reelection, Young denied there was any connection.

At points during the meeting, Young appeared to get frustrated. He said his goal is to find the best uses for taxpayer money.

“Your voices will be included in the process … I’m not going to do anything just to do it,” Young said.