Fort Worth’s new downtown library envisioned as a ‘lifelong learning center,’ planning officials say
October 2,2025
See full Fort Worth Report article by Drew Shaw here.
As Fort Worth plans out its new downtown library branch, residents want the city to make it a “third place” between work and home, library officials said.
In September, the city hosted three public listening sessions asking locals to weigh in with their vision for the new six-story location — a nearly 100-year-old building, long known as the YWCA’s home, at 512 W. 4th St. Fort Worth sold its previous central library building in 2023.
At an Oct. 1 presentation, library officials detailed the findings from those listening sessions and an online survey that garnered 821 respondents.
Residents reported they wanted the library to offer more than just books and space to read, although those were still a top priority.
They want the library to be a safe, welcoming cultural center full of natural light and services ranging from mental health counseling to learning opportunities, including educational programs for life skills, such as applying for jobs and using AI.
“Libraries today are not the libraries that we grew up with,” said Mia Ovcina, director of operations for 720 Design Inc., an architecture firm specializing in transforming libraries. “Libraries have evolved into a number of different services that are provided to the community and that resonate with communities.”
Along those lines, residents commonly listed bilingual services, free parking and safety as top wishes.
The estimated $6.5 million in renovations haven’t started yet. The library team will spend the fall coming up with programs and design concepts for the building, which they expect to present in December.
Ovcina said libraries are one of the last institutions that are free and accessible to everyone.
People experiencing homelessness should be welcome in the library, said Cathy Holt, co-founder of DEI Consultants, which is partnering with Fort Worth on the library planning process. She said rather than turning anyone away, the library will maintain system-wide behavior standards to ensure everyone is comfortable.
A focus group that included formerly homeless people discussed what could be included in such standards, said Estrus Tucker, president and CEO of DEI Consultants.
Survey respondents envisioned that five years after opening, the library will be a busy, multifaceted community hub that offers books, quiet study spaces and expansive modern resources and programs, Tucker said.
The city will intentionally design it for modern and evolving spaces, while still preserving the building’s historic architecture, Ovcina said.
Residents shared a sentiment that the library should also have a section devoted to preserving and telling local history, similar to what Cedar Hill does at a location that also features a museum tracing the city’s history back millions of years.
Whether the library devotes space to this, community arts or imaginative play for children, the end goal is to create a “lifelong learning center,” Holt said.
The new location’s renovation will be completed in phases as funding for each is secured.
Phase one includes the main entry, basement and first floor. On the second floor, the city will need funding for a technology package to make the floor’s theater and stage functional for events. Additional phases will be planned accordingly, per the city’s website.
Drew Shaw is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org or @shawlings601.
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