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College eyes plans for downtown library site
By Krista Ledbetter
Daily News staff writer
As plans continue to move forward with the Beloit Public Library's move to the Eclipse Center, there is still one thing to keep in mind - the building that'll be left standing at 409 Pleasant St.
The new library will be located in what used to be the JC Penney store at the former mall. The city traded the current building on Pleasant Street with late developer Ken Hendricks, who gave the library space at the Eclipse Center. The city will renovate the space for library usage.
As it stands, Beloit College has plans to utilize the Pleasant Street location to house its dance and music programs, as well as an extension program for the college's museums, said college spokesman Ron Nief. The intention is to have an art center for the college, he said.
“That's all the college can really say right now,” Nief said. “We're still about a month away from finalizing things.”
Kathleen Braatz, director of the Downtown Beloit Association, said she's waiting for plans to unfold, but is excited about the college's plans.
When plans for reuse of the building were initially discussed, it was thought the former library would be used as a performing arts center, an idea that was widely accepted. However, that's not the plan.
“The challenge we were finding was that a lot of the downtown was supportive of the library's move because they thought a performing arts center was coming in its place,” she said. “We've had to reinforce that this is not what it's going to be.”
Regardless, she finds the new use to be a good one.
“We would've been really worried about this place if we didn't have a reuse for it,” she said. “We would've had a lot of opposition if there hadn't been a positive reuse.”
Braatz said this is one more step the college can take to build bridges into the downtown area.
“I do think this is positive,” she said. “I think if the college is able to open its doors to the public in some fashion, it's going to strengthen the connection between the college and the community.”
The new library will be located in what used to be the JC Penney store at the former mall. The city traded the current building on Pleasant Street with late developer Ken Hendricks, who gave the library space at the Eclipse Center. The city will renovate the space for library usage.
As it stands, Beloit College has plans to utilize the Pleasant Street location to house its dance and music programs, as well as an extension program for the college's museums, said college spokesman Ron Nief. The intention is to have an art center for the college, he said.
“That's all the college can really say right now,” Nief said. “We're still about a month away from finalizing things.”
Kathleen Braatz, director of the Downtown Beloit Association, said she's waiting for plans to unfold, but is excited about the college's plans.
When plans for reuse of the building were initially discussed, it was thought the former library would be used as a performing arts center, an idea that was widely accepted. However, that's not the plan.
“The challenge we were finding was that a lot of the downtown was supportive of the library's move because they thought a performing arts center was coming in its place,” she said. “We've had to reinforce that this is not what it's going to be.”
Regardless, she finds the new use to be a good one.
“We would've been really worried about this place if we didn't have a reuse for it,” she said. “We would've had a lot of opposition if there hadn't been a positive reuse.”
Braatz said this is one more step the college can take to build bridges into the downtown area.
“I do think this is positive,” she said. “I think if the college is able to open its doors to the public in some fashion, it's going to strengthen the connection between the college and the community.”
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