Gritters Library will undergo a complete overhaul as Cobb County rebuilds the aging Marietta facility.
Cobb County recently accepted a $1.9 million state grant to complete the funding of the $6.8 million makeover. The building was constructed in 1973.
Construction is set to begin in December for the new library, which will feature a larger multipurpose room, reading and study rooms, and an outdoor reading area.
Gritters, located at 880 Shaw Park Road, is one of 15 public libraries in Cobb County.
The Charles D. Switzer Library, the system’s flagship branch, reopened June 1 after being closed more than two years for a $9.6 million revamping.
The capital outlay grant to rebuild Gritters was secured through the Georgia Public Library Service’s Board of Regents.
Cobb County dedicated more than $4.9 million in funding to the project from the 2016 special purpose local option sales tax.
Cobb commissioners, however, realized the penny tax dollars weren’t enough to cover the full cost for the improvements. County officials applied for the state grant in July 2018. It remained on the state’s list of capital outlay projects three years before the Board of Regents approved the application July 1.
Cobb County’s Board of Commissioners formally accepted the grant and approved the library renovations during an Aug. 24 meeting.
It is not clear how long construction will take. Gritters visitors will have to use nearby branches during construction and the library system’s Bookmobile will circulate the community while Gritters is closed.
About the Author
