Hickory – A group of community partners came together to revitalize the Old Ridgeview Branch Library.

The building will be used as a history center and meeting space.  The building received interior and exterior renovations, ranging from windows to handicapped accessibility.  The former library was opened in 1951 and remained for four decades. The current Ridgeview Library was opened nearby in the late 1990s.

The project is being partly funded through community development block grants and loans from the city and funds from the Interfaith Housing Development Corporation. The project also received a $9,000 federal historic preservation grant.

In celebration of the remodeling, the Interfaith Housing Development Committee will be hosting a grand opening event on Friday, August 25.  A ribbon cutting has been planned at 4:00 pm. Officials from the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Hickory will be on hand to offer congratulatory remarks.