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Escambia County Applying For $500,000 Grant For New Molino Library
August 20, 2009
Escambia County’s purchase of the old Molino Elementary School is set to be finalized on Friday. And tonight, the county commission is set to approve the re-submission of a half million dollar library construction grant to construct a public library in a portion of the building.
In March 2007, the commission authorized the submission of an application for a state library construction grant to provide $500,000 towards the construction of a public library in a 4,930 square foot portion of the old Molino Elementary. That 2007 application was ranked number two for funding among 23 applicants; but, the Florida Legislature did not fund any applicants. The county has already committed $510,408 in matching local option sales tax funds toward the $1,010,408 total library cost.
The same application was again re-submitted in 2008 and ranked number three, but due to funding constraints, the Legislature did not fund any projects. The State Library has requested that if Escambia County intends to continue to pursue this project, the existing approved grant application on file with the state be updated for consideration and re-submission to the next session of the State Legislature for funding consideration. The Escambia County Commission is expect to approved that re-submission at their Thursday night meeting.
The closing on the $400,000 sale of the old school from the Escambia County School Board to the Escambia County Commission is set for Friday. The funds for the property purchase are from the county’s local option sales tax fund. The school board will use the $400,000 in the Local Capital Improvement Fund.
In addition to a library, plans call for the old Molino school to become a community hub, possibly including a museum highlighting Molino history, a small health clinic, a business incubator, renovation of the cafeteria and one additional building for community events and private party rental along with other uses. The school campus includes four buildings — the largest of which is 16,630 square feet.
The Molino school closed in 2003 when the new Molino Park Elementary School consolidated Molino Elementary and Barrineau Park Elementary. The school, which sits on 9.66 acres along County Road 95A, first opened in 1939.
Comments
9 Responses to “Escambia County Applying For $500,000 Grant For New Molino Library”
I would love to see this happen also, but lets be real. When it comes to Molino we are not anywhere near the top of the County Commissions list of priorities. So I will take the I’ll believe it when I see it out look.
As for the Grocery store, I remember when Molino had three or four of them. We also had a shoe store a dress shop, a hardware and a feed store. Those where the days. Then the department stores, the Malls and lets not forget Wal-Mart came and everyone just started going to town to do all their shopping. One be one our stores had to close their doors. I guess that is progress. The closing of our most recent Grocery store, from what I have heard only mind you, was due to pure human greed. If this is true sooner or later somebody’s pocket will need to be filled again and we will have a Grocery Store again.
be nice to have a library close at hand. why not use the former navy fed(winn dixie) spot in cantonment as an internmit till its ready. totally rehabed and computer ready. right by the tax office and vet.
For those of you who don’t know this Molino Elementary was built there as part FDRs’ WPA projects. The same is true of the Barrineau Park Community Center also a WPA project during the first depression.
and the comment about the grocery store i agree we need one here to it was
rong to do us that way i myself dont want the same people in it someone
fair
A library will be a great asset to the community. Everyone can benefit if they will just support it. Molino has a great history and a museum would be very much appreciated. Other activities will keep people coming and eventually help the news to spread. Let’s hope that the grant will become a reality because there is no way the county is going to support this. I will be first in line to volunteer for work. William, please keep us posted.
Does anyone know if they are taking book, video, computer donations now, or if they will in the future?
finally. a library is so important to a community, especially one that is so far away from civilization now maybe we can get a grocery store
I’m so glad they finally decided to do something w/this school…I was beginning to wonder if they were just gonna let a great peice of molino history rot away!
Anxiously awaiting for this to happen.