Darlene Heater, Executive Director, University City Partners.

University City Regional Library’s current facility at 301 East WT Harris Blvd.

I am so proud of your advocacy and support for our library.  The people who will determine the future home of University City Regional Library have heard our community’s concerns.

Leaders of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and Mecklenburg County have communicated they are working through the process of choosing a new location for Mecklenburg County’s second busiest branch that is in the best interest of our community, and that your voices matter in making that choice.

The right location

Currently, the Library and county staffs are negotiating with developers to find an appropriate site in University City. Easy access by public transit is a consideration; cost is, as well.

We continue to hope that, in the end, our Library and county leaders will go with the location that three separate land-use plans since 2007 have recommended for the new Library home – at University Place.

Library and county leaders have told us, as well, that a site in University Place near the JW Clay Blvd light-rail station is a leading option from among 20-plus proposed locations they are evaluating.

Advantages of a Library on the lake at University Place

This rendering from the Waters Edge website shows a possible 2-story library building on the lake between the Hilton (far left) and a new office building. (Double-click on image to enlarge.)

Developer EB Arrow has offered to provide a stand-alone two-story library building overlooking the lake and a waterfront active area in their new University Place development called Waters Edge.

A Library on the lake and boardwalk at University Place would be a highly accessible and visible location to support literacy and social and economic opportunities for residents in and near University City.

The proposed location anchors the Library in a new town center where this asset can deliver exceptional services and programs to the greatest number of individuals as possible – improving lives and strengthening our community. It is THE location that will have the greatest impact in our community.

The location within a short walk of the JW Clay Blvd light-rail station, which serves both the Blue Line and five bus routes, would mean that our Library and its many visitors will benefit from Charlotte’s and North Carolina’s $1.1 billion investment in mass transit through north Charlotte and University City.

Alternative locations being considered are in nearby business parks. Those sites are not highly visible or accessible. Nor do they have retail and restaurants nearby, which would provide complimentary and supportive uses and drive more users to the Library.

Learn more

To learn more about the efforts of the county and Library board to find a new home for University City Regional Library, read this Qcitymetro news article.

How you can have a say

We are down to the wire. Let’s get the Library now that will serve us well for generations to come. This is a once in OUR lifetime decision. Please use your voice to help our Library and county leaders to make the right choice.

Contact our County Commissioners, County Manager Dena Diorio and Assistant County Manager Leslie Johnson, who oversees the public libraries. Tell them that you value University City Regional Library and you support your tax dollars being invested in the larger library building at University Place as part of that planned urban center.

Names and email addresses are below. If you wish to write all of these people with one email, we have also created a cluster of their emails that you can paste into your email letter.

Thank you

Darlene Heater

Executive Director, University City Partners

County leadership and their emails

• County Manager Dena Dioria – dena.diorio@mecklenburgcountync.gov
• Assistant County Manager Leslie Johnson – Leslie.Johnson@mecklenburgcountync.gov

Board of County Commissioners

• Chair, George Dunlap, District 3 – george.dunlap@mecklenburgcountync.gov
• Vice Chair, Elaine Powell, District 1 – elaine.powell@mecklenburgcountync.gov

At Large commissioners

• Leigh Altman – leigh.altman@mecklenburgcountync.gov
• Pat Cotham, At-Large – pat.cotham@mecklenburgcountync.gov
• Ella B. Scarborough, At-Large – ella.scarborough@mecklenburgcountync.gov

District commissioners

• Vilma D. Leake, District 2 – vilma.leake@mecklenburgcountync.gov
• Mark Jerrell, District 4 – mark.jerrell@mecklenburgcountync.gov
• Laura J. Meier, District 5 – laura.meier@mecklenburgcountync.gov
• Susan Rodriguez-McDowell, District 6 – susan.rodriguez-mcdowell@mecklenburgcountync.gov

For a group email to County Commissioners

Paste this entire block into your email window for addresses to send a single message to each commissioner.

George.Dunlap@mecklenburgcountync.gov, elaine.powell@mecklenburgcountync.gov, Vilma.Leake@mecklenburgcountync.gov, Mark.Jerrell@mecklenburgcountync.gov, laura.meier@mecklenburgcountync.gov, susan.rodriguez-mcdowell@mecklenburgcountync.gov, pat.cotham@mecklenburgcountync.gov, leigh.altman@mecklenburgcountync.gov, ella.scarborough@mecklenburgcountync.gov