by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Sale helps fund future Southeast Community Center library while preserving services through 2028
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Poudre River Public Library District is moving forward with plans to sell the Council Tree Library property to the NoCo Foundation, a move that will help finance the library district’s future presence in the Southeast Community Center while keeping library services available at the current location for several more years.
The Library District and NoCo Foundation are under contract to sell the property at 2733 Council Tree Ave., Suite 200. Proceeds from the transaction will be used to support the library district’s funding plan for its portion of the Southeast Community Center project, which is expected to open in 2028.
In May, the Poudre Libraries Board of Trustees unanimously approved the sale and authorized Executive Director Diane Lapierre to sign the purchase and sale agreements.
“Securing the sale of Council Tree Library is a fiscally responsible decision ahead of the library’s eventual move to a new and larger space at the Southeast Community Center,” Lapierre said. “We know how beloved Council Tree Library is in the community, and we’re excited to bring that same energy to the new location where we’ll be able to expand library services and programs.”
Library officials said the future facility will offer expanded services, including makerspaces, meeting rooms, study spaces, and other community-focused amenities.
Under the agreement, the library district will lease the building back from the NoCo Foundation after the sale closes, allowing Council Tree Library to continue operating in its current location until the move to the Southeast Community Center. Library leaders say the arrangement will minimize disruptions for patrons during the transition.
For the NoCo Foundation, the purchase represents an opportunity to establish a larger community presence in one of Fort Collins’ busiest public gathering areas.
“The NoCo Foundation’s move into the Council Tree Library location marks a pivotal moment in our growth as a community catalyst, convener, and civic hub,” said Kristin Todd, president and CEO of the NoCo Foundation. “By joining one of Fort Collins’ most welcoming and well-traveled public spaces, we’re positioning ourselves at the heart of everyday community life.”
Todd said the foundation plans to use the building to host partnerships, community conversations, and collaborative initiatives aimed at strengthening Northern Colorado.
Groundbreaking for the Southeast Community Center is scheduled for June 10. The project will include recreation and fitness facilities, indoor and outdoor aquatic amenities, creative and innovation spaces, intergenerational programming, and a new state-of-the-art public library.
More information about the Southeast Community Center project is available at https://ourcity.fcgov.com/secc.
Fort Collins continues to grow, and projects like the Southeast Community Center will shape how residents connect, learn, and gather for decades to come. Stories like this are exactly the kind of local developments we track every day across Northern Colorado.
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Source: Poudre River Public Library District