"People Over Property"
$800K Library Renovation Exposes Disconnect Between Policy and People
As the city prepares to close Rondo Library for a year-long remodel, community leaders say the plan highlights a deeper divide between public policy and the people it’s meant to serve.
t the corner of University Avenue and Dale Street, where the Rondo Community Library stands,
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the tension between policy and people is visible on the pavement.The library — a neighborhood anchor for more than two decades — is set to close for a year while the city undertakes an $800,000 renovation it says will make the building safer.
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But community members who rely on the space say safety can’t be built with drywall and blueprints.
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According to reports, police have responded to 262 calls for service near the library this year, and in the past two years, multiple fatal shootings have taken place at the same intersection. Inside, staff say they’ve revived patrons with Narcan and de-escalated fights — acts of compassion that reveal both the danger and the heart of a public space serving people in crisis.
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Now the library is preparing for a year-long closure beginning on December 15. While renovations are underway library services will be offered at Hallie Q Brown beginning Saturday, January 3.
“Renovate our people first.”
​At a tense public meeting this fall, longtime resident Ms. Adams stood and spoke for many in the room.
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“You’re putting $800,000 into a renovation? Imagine what that could do for the people right outside these doors,” she said. “Renovate our people first.”
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Her words drew applause — not because residents deny the safety concerns, but because they believe the city’s plan addresses symptoms, not the source.
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​Video recording below from city meeting shows Ms Adams' full remarks.
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City leaders say remodel is overdue and that community engagement is not required
"The community deserves to know what is being built, who is doing the work and what the timeline will be," says Ward 1 Councilmember Anika Bowie
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For years, Neeko McLemore, co-founder of Confidence2Create, has been one of the few consistent presences at the Rondo Library. Neeko organizes mentoring circles, resource drives, and outreach events aimed at connecting unhoused residents and youth to support systems.
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“He’s out there every day,” one resident said during the town hall. “Talking to people, calming things down, bringing food. He’s doing what the system won’t.”
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Despite that, Neeko was trespassed from near the library by police earlier this year — an incident that many in the community say captures the larger disconnect between those shaping policy and those living with its consequences.
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“My role at the library has been about bringing people together — offering encouragement, resources, and consistency,” Neeko said. “The staff have always been supportive. But when decisions get made without including the people who show up every day, it sends the wrong message.”
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Neeko said the proposed design change, moving bathrooms deeper inside the building to deter loitering, misses the point.
“Relocating the bathrooms may ultimately be counterproductive,” he said. “It could increase inconvenience for patrons and potentially worsen the challenges the library is already facing.”
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He believes the solution starts not with construction, but connection.
“We need a consistent, visible presence within the community,” he said. “By meeting people where they are — offering resources, support groups, and opportunities — we can empower them to make positive change.”
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For Neeko, the Rondo Library isn’t a liability. It’s a lifeline. And one worth improving with the people, not around them.
A trusted leader, suddenly unwelcome
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City leaders say safety improvements are overdue
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Library Director Maureen Hartman said the redesign aims to make the space safer and more welcoming for everyone.
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“When people walk in the door, we want it to be clear they’re in a library,” Hartman said. “It’s about expectations, visibility, and safety for both patrons and staff.”
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The plan that was approved by the mayor and City Council will temporarily relocate library services to Hallie Q. Brown Community Center under a one-year lease costing $100,000. Construction is expected to begin by the end of the year. No contractor has been named.
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Hartman said she is open to holding additional community input sessions before the final design is set.
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Ward 1 Councilmember Anika Bowie said she supports improving safety but acknowledged that the process lacked transparency.
“We’re preparing to close the library before we have a contractor or a detailed design plan,” Bowie said. “The community deserves to know what’s being built, who is doing the work, and what the timeline will be.”
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According to the Library Communications Manager, "The renovation uses one-time Public Safety Aid provided to the city in 2023 by the State of Minnesota. The city received a total of $13.6 million in aid and $793,000 of that was dedicated to the Library for Rondo Community Library renovations as part of the 2025 budget."
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“Addiction, housing instability, and the lack of coordinated care are at the root,” she said. “We can’t police people into recovery or stability. We have to create pathways that help people get support and care.”
Neighborhood leaders push for compassion, not displacement
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The Frogtown Neighborhood Association also opposes the renovation, warning that a year-long closure will harm unhoused residents who depend on the library for warmth, restrooms, and a sense of dignity.
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“The shutdown of the library will add to the burdens facing folks who have few other places to find warmth in winter and a decent place to clean up,” the group said in a statement. “We should be supporting this community — to humanize those who have been dehumanized and displaced.”
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The group suggested transforming the library into a resource hub during the renovation, offering showers and services for unhoused residents rather than shutting them out.
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“It would take some additional planning for the construction plans,” the statement continued, “but it would be worth it.”
The path forward
For now, construction is set to begin by year’s end. Library staff and safety specialists will move to Hallie Q. Brown during the closure; if fewer are needed, they will be reassigned to other branches.
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Bowie said she will continue pushing for transparency and inclusion.
“Someone at that meeting said, ‘Renovate the people, not just the building,’” Bowie said. “That captured it perfectly.”
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For Neeko, that message couldn’t be clearer.
“If we want safety, we have to invest in the people first,” he said. “Because when people feel seen, valued, and supported — they protect the space themselves.”
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