Richmond Library reopens after finishing eight-month, $2.5 million renovation

The Richmond Library reopened Wednesday after eight months of repairs. The $2.5 million renovation included a new roof, masonry restoration, replaced HVAC system and repairs to the plaster inside the building at 2987 Almond St.

The Free Library of Philadelphia branch in Port Richmond first shuttered in December for HVAC issues. Later that month, workers said the closure would be prolonged because of issues with the roof that left the building in danger of a "major ceiling collapse."

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An Aug. 21 Facebook post from the library said the staff was catching up on a backlog of new materials, but the library planned to restore community resources like story times, yoga classes, book clubs and after school programs soon. The library will be open six days a week, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Wednesdays through Saturdays and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays.

A grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, with speakers including Councilmember Mark Squilla and the Free Library President Kelly Richards.

Michaela Althouse/for PhillyVoice

The Richmond Library set up for a grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting on Wednesday afternoon.

Prior to the renovation, the building had several issues with leaks and falling plaster. It was originally set to have its roof replaced in 2023, however that was delayed. It later had multiple closures for problems with its air conditioning and heating. On Dec. 7, the building experienced a gas leak that required a boiler replacement. While replacing that, workers discovered that the chimney lining had collapsed.

The project was funded by the city's Rebuild program, which uses soda tax revenue to pay for repairs to community facilities. Another Rebuild project, the Frankford Library, reopened in June after a $5.5 million renovation that took two and a half years to complete.

This article previously reported the incorrect amount of renovation costs for the Richmond Library. It was $2.5 million. This story has been updated.