Central Park Got Its Rebuild. The Library in the Middle Is Next.

Woodbury's indoor town center is halfway rebuilt. The Central Park building reopened last November after a $42 million renovation. R.H. Stafford Library sits between that building's east and west entrances and wasn't part of that project. It has its own redesign, and this month Washington County is showing residents the first floor plans. The county's most recent update also points to a later construction start than what was reported in the spring, and no exact closure date has been published yet.

The building around the library already changed

The Central Park renovation added close to 24,000 square feet to the complex, which opened in 2002, according to the Pioneer Press coverage of the November 2025 reopening. The indoor garden got new tropical plants and a water wall, with benches and charging stations around it. The amphitheater now seats 175 on cushioned benches and is fully enclosed. A new first-floor event space holds up to 300 people and can be split into Woodland Rooms A, B and C. A Destination Woodbury welcome desk now sits at the east entrance.

The three-story building links the library, the YMCA and Stonecrest Senior Living, with R.H. Stafford in the center. So the space you walk through to get to the library is new, and the library itself is still the 2002 version. Washington County District 5 Commissioner Michelle Clasen explained why the county is putting so much effort into gathering input:

"Because Woodbury has become such a large community in kind of a short period of time, is we're trying to make sure that the people who are utilizing it the most are getting their voices heard because really the community center of Woodbury is Central Park."

She said that to the Pioneer Press in May.

Why the library is next

R.H. Stafford takes up 30,000 square feet on Central Park's main level and another 9,000 on the lower level. Woodbury News Net reports that it's the fifth-busiest library in Minnesota and the third-busiest in the Twin Cities. It's also the most-used branch in Washington County's system.

After nearly 25 years of that much use, the county says the layout "no longer meets current needs, interior finishes are worn, and major mechanical and electrical systems are nearing the end of their lifespan." The redesign will also update administrative and support-service areas that patrons don't see. The county hired Minneapolis-based MSR Design in early 2026 for architecture and engineering.

The ideas residents already put on the board

The first round of input ran this spring. It included a May 19 workshop at the library, an online survey open through May 29, and an exhibit in the library where people could leave notes. These were among the ideas the county asked about:

• Picking up holds even when the library is closed
• A creative lab with 3D printers, sewing machines, creative software and photography equipment
• A podcasting studio
• A dedicated book club room
• Quiet spaces, meeting and study rooms, and work and social areas
• A children's area built for creative play and learning

None of these is approved. The biggest open question is whether the building gets bigger. "We will be studying options to expand the usable space, which could include expanding the building footprint, but it is too early to say whether we will or won't," County Capital Projects Manager Erik Jalowitz told Woodbury News Net in May. He added that a larger footprint "would require additional parking analysis on the site as well."

The October materials suggest which requests carried forward. Two of the three sessions focus on an expanded teen space and an expanded children's area.

The two October dates still ahead

The county's September 25 announcement says these sessions will show residents what came out of the first round and how those priorities shaped the initial floor plans and layouts.

The teen session has already happened. The Oct. 12 drop-in is the only one open to everyone, and it's the first public look at actual layouts instead of a wish list. The listings disagree on the time for the Oct. 15 family activity. The county's release says 10:30 a.m., and the library's facility page says 11 a.m. The October announcement mentions in-person sessions only, with no new online survey. That makes these drop-ins the clearest way to respond to the plans right now.

What the project costs so far

In May, Woodbury News Net put the project estimate at $22 million. That's a design-phase estimate, not a final construction price. At its April 28, 2026 meeting, the Washington County Board approved a $931,908 construction management contract with Kraus-Anderson Construction Co. The board also approved a separate $341,800 temporary use of fund balance, which the board record says bond proceeds would pay back.

The county's preliminary 2027 budget includes $39 million in long-term capital investments that cover construction at both R.H. Stafford and Park Grove Library in Cottage Grove. Woodbury News Net reported that figure in late September, with no separate amount for Stafford.

Construction keeps landing later on the calendar

Park Grove matters here for more than its budget line. The county has said the two libraries won't be closed at the same time, so Stafford can't close until Park Grove reopens after its own redesign. Here's how the published timeline has changed since May:

The county's own update is the newest of these, and it describes fall 2027 as anticipated, not guaranteed. A 14-to-16-month build starting in fall 2027 would run past the summer 2028 completion reported in May. That's simple math on the published numbers, not a new schedule from the county. The sources reviewed for this post don't give an exact closure date, a temporary location, or a plan for getting library materials during construction. The county's project page is where those details are most likely to show up first.

This winter in the current building

Every reported timeline has the current library open through this winter, with the renovated Central Park all around it. The fall calendar already uses both spaces. Woodbury News Net's event roundup lists a Snake Discovery program called "Snake, Rattle and Roll" at the Central Park Amphitheater on Thursday, Oct. 15, from 2 to 3 p.m. It includes a salamander feeding, information about turtles and exotic reptiles, and a possible chance to pet a boa constrictor. It's free.

The same roundup lists these sessions inside R.H. Stafford:

1. Changes to Medicare, Friday, Oct. 23, 11 a.m. to noon, covering changes ahead of open enrollment. It's free, but registration is required.
2. Be (Almost) Invisible on the Internet, Friday, Oct. 23, 1 to 2 p.m., covering online privacy and reducing your digital footprint.

On Monday, Oct. 12, the general drop-in runs from 5 to 7 p.m. inside the library that's being redesigned.

If you're wondering how a remade library at the center of Central Park might change daily life in Woodbury, Gary L Bredeson follows projects like this one closely and is happy to talk them through with you. Let's Connect. Call or email Gary today.