Community
Ella Johnson library renovation: costs and services for Pingree Grove
Pingree Grove, Kane County, Illinois
At a glance
The Ella Johnson library renovation affects Pingree Grove readers but concerns the existing building at 109 South State Street in Hampshire. The district’s 2026 construction-management request describes a $1.6 million concept estimate for about 7,500 square feet. That estimate is not final spending; later contracts, board actions and service announcements establish subsequent commitments and arrangements.
Editorially updated . Individual source dates and limits appear below.
Key Takeaways
- •The 2026 project concerns the existing library in Hampshire; the district includes Pingree Grove.
- •The $1.6 million figure is a March 2026 concept estimate described in the May RFQ, not verified final spending.
- •July minutes record Lamp contract approval; September's agenda lists a remodel update and possible temporary-location action.
Records checked October 3, 2026. Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library District includes Pingree Grove in its service area. Its current renovation record concerns the existing library at 109 South State Street in Hampshire. This page follows the project's cost evidence and service implications for Pingree Grove readers.
Confirm an individual property's coverage with the district's community information and district map and the parcel's taxing-district record. The library district is a separate public body from the Village of Pingree Grove.
What project is being tracked?
The construction-management RFQ issued May 6, 2026, page 2, describes renovation of about 7,500 square feet in the existing Hampshire building. It identifies expanded public-service areas, including a community room, study rooms and children's space.
The RFQ says the board approved a design concept estimated at $1.6 million in March 2026. It explains that the district turned to renovation following unsuccessful new-building referendums in 2024 and 2025. The document does not establish construction of a new Pingree Grove branch.
Its early schedule anticipated construction from October 2026 to April 2027. Later meeting records discuss a different bidding timetable, so those RFQ dates should not be treated as a current opening or closure notice.
Cost and commitment ledger
| Item | Verified evidence | Limit of the figure or record |
|---|---|---|
| Renovation concept | $1.6 million estimate described in the May RFQ | Concept estimate; not final cost, total paid or a tax-bill calculation |
| Construction management | July 27 minutes record approval of a contract with Lamp, Inc. | The reviewed minutes do not state the contract amount |
| Architectural work | July 27 minutes authorize Dewberry Architects to proceed to design development | This action does not establish the value of every design or construction commitment |
| Final project spending | No reconciled project spending total established in the reviewed sources | Requires project-specific contracts, invoices, payments and changes |
Source for the July actions: July 27 board minutes, page 2.
Do not add a districtwide monthly bill list or payroll amount to the renovation estimate. To calculate project spending, identify the project account and supporting transactions, then distinguish commitments from money actually paid. An unavailable total is not a zero balance.
Recent decisions and open questions
July 27 — contract and design action. Alongside the recorded approvals, the presentation discussed December/January bidding and a temporary service location. Bathroom scope and exterior work still required decisions at that meeting. These are dated statements, not claims that those questions remain undecided today. July minutes.
August 24 — budget and renovation on the agenda. The agenda scheduled a budget hearing, consideration of the FY2026–27 budget/appropriation ordinance and a renovation update. It also scheduled a visit to a possible temporary location at Zion United Methodist Church in Hampshire. An agenda alone does not establish the adopted budget or a lease. August agenda.
September 28 — later location and funding items. The agenda lists a remodeling update, a proposed transfer of FY2025–26 Corporate Fund surplus to the Special Reserve Fund, and possible action concerning a temporary library location after an executive session. The posted meeting page did not provide September minutes when checked. The amount transferred, action taken and any final location agreement are not established here. September agenda.
The next meeting is listed for October 19, 2026, rather than assuming the usual fourth-Monday pattern. Check the meeting directory for changes and new documents.
Services for Pingree Grove readers
The library's home page lists a book drop at the entrance to the Cambridge Lakes Community Center, as well as its Hampshire and Burlington return locations. Check current notices before relying on any location during a service change.
The hours and holiday page lists:
| Day | Regular listed hours |
|---|---|
| Monday–Thursday | 9 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Friday | 9 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Saturday | 9 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Sunday | Noon–4 p.m. |
Holiday closures and project-specific notices can override regular hours. For a visit, program, pickup or return during renovation planning, check the library's current announcement and calendar, or call 847-683-4490. A location considered in an agenda is not an instruction to travel there for library service.
The library home page also links the catalog, account tools, digital library and events. Those service links remain the best starting point for day-to-day use.
Where to follow the money
The Library Board page links the FY2026–27 tentative budget and appropriation document, FY2024–25 receipts/disbursements and the audit for the year ended June 30, 2025. Their dates and labels matter: an older audit cannot establish later project spending, and a tentative budget is not proof of final adoption.
The next useful project records are the executed Lamp agreement and compensation terms, architectural amendments, approved construction bids, change orders, project-specific payments and any temporary-location lease. Compare each amount using the same scope and period before calculating a total or change.
For address-specific taxing bodies, use the Pingree Grove property-tax guide. This tracker does not infer a household tax increase from the renovation estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a new library building in Pingree Grove?
The 2026 RFQ describes renovating the existing Hampshire facility. Pingree Grove is within the district's described service area, which is why its residents have a direct interest in the project.
Is $1.6 million the final amount spent?
No. It is the concept estimate reported in the May RFQ. A final spending total needs transaction and contract records that this review has not established.
Has a temporary library address been confirmed here?
No. The reviewed agendas show location discussions and possible action. Use a current library service notice for an operating address and effective date.
Review history
October 3, 2026: compared the RFQ, July minutes, August and September agendas, board financial-document index and current service pages. Future updates should record confirmed location dates, adopted financial decisions and project payments with direct source links.
Return to the Pingree Grove civic hub.
Related Pingree Grove guides
Return to the Pingree Grove development, taxes and village-records hub.
Sources
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