TROY — The Troy-Miami County Public Library Board of Trustees voted Wednesday evening to enter into a contract with J.L. Kuck General Contractors of Ludlow Falls for the renovation of the second floor at the Hobart Government Center, 510 W. Water St., Troy, for the creation of a Maker Lab. At $358,857, J.L. Kuck was the lowest responsible bid.

Renovations will include demolition of most walls in about a 5,000 square foot area, the addition of ventilation for specialized machinery including printers, laser cutters, and CNC equipment, and remodeling to create the makerspace and lab. The project is expected to begin by the end of August and finish by the end of the year.

“Makerspaces serve as gathering spaces where people come to connect and work on meaningful projects using new technologies and traditional tools,” said Rachelle Via, executive library director. “Today, libraries aren’t just a place for using resources, programs, and services, but they are also places where patrons can be active producers too. The Maker Lab will give our community a place to further develop their skills while learning new things.”

The library’s administrative offices are also moving to the Hobart building, located next to the main library, in an effort to increase available space for future remodeling of that location. This project is being funded without the use of additional tax dollars.

The Troy-Miami County Public Library is located at 419 W. Main St. in Troy, Ohio.