Work to Expand, Renovate Falls Church Library Starting This Fall

The City of Falls Church’s aging library will begin its makeover in a few months.

After nearly two years of planning, construction to expand and renovate Mary Riley Styles Public Library (120 N. Virginia Avenue) is set to start in September.

“The building is aged and its systems are outdated, having been constructed in 1957 and expanded in 1968 and 1992,” according to the city’s website, adding that the library needs more space to meet the needs of its growing number of registered borrowers.

Planning for the project began in 2017. Most recently, Falls Church’s City Council received updated designs for the project in January.

The two-story expansion will add roughly 6,600 square feet to the side of the library facing N. Virginia Avenue and create a new entrance on the corner of Park and N. Virginia avenues.

Once the work is complete, the library will become ADA compliant, have more meeting space and offer additional programming.

The project also plans to make the Local History Room more prominent by moving it from the lower level to the upper level and to nearly triple the size of the kids’ area.

While construction is underway, the library will temporarily relocate near the Thomas Jefferson Elementary School (601 S. Oak Street).

Construction is expected to last through December 2020.

Images via City of Falls Church