By Rebecca Gaunt
The City of Kennesaw is set to buy the building at 2250 Lewis St. that was formerly used as a branch of the Cobb County Public Library System from the county.
The purchase price is $470,000, which will come from the city’s general fund. City manager Jeff Drobney said the cost was negotiated down from $550,000.
“This is something that we’ve talked about for a few years, and now, finally, the county has come back,” he said.
Though the city didn’t share details of any specific intentions for the building, the purchase will play a role in the plans for the future growth and development of the downtown area.
The city, in partnership with the Kennesaw Downtown Development Authority, also purchased the property at 2881 N. Main St. last year as part of the effort to improve the downtown corridor.
The Kennesaw City Council will vote whether to approve the purchase at its meeting on Tuesday Jan. 21, 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. It is expected to pass given its placement on the consent agenda.
The 1960s-built Kennesaw and Acworth branches closed in 2019 due to the opening of the North Cobb Regional Library on Old 41 Highway.
Old 41 Highway Mixed-Use Development
The mixed-use development at Old 41 Highway and North Roberts Road, where the Electric Cowboy nightclub once sat, is facing further delays. The developer requested the matter be postponed to March hours before it was to be discussed at the Jan. 13 work session.
Attorney Kevin Moore, on behalf of the developer, said they are still working on addressing the city’s concerns about the proposed changes.
The plans will go to the Planning Commision on March 5, and to the City Council on March 10 and March 17 work session and regular meetings.
The 13-acre development has undergone multiple changes since it was originally approved in 2018, with one of the major updates being the loss of a planned hotel.
The 250-unit multi-family portion of the project and 10,000 square feet of retail space were completed in 2021.
Cherokee Street Development
Also on the agenda for Jan. 21, a Central Business District (CBD) rezoning application for 3059 Cherokee St.
The request is phase 2 of the mixed-use project already approved for 3033 and 3045 Cherokee St. Developer Jason Scheidt plans to rehab the historic home on the parcel for commercial use.
According to zoning administrator Darryl Simmons, there will be 19 for-sale residential units ranging from 1,045 to 1,650 square feet.
Rebecca Gaunt earned a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in education from Oglethorpe University. After teaching elementary school for several years, she returned to writing. She lives in Marietta with her husband, son, two cats, and a dog. In her spare time, she loves to read, binge Netflix and travel.
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