Representatives of the city of New Braunfels, area nonprofit organizations and businesses gathered on Feb. 16 for a topping out ceremony celebrating the new branch of the local library system that is being built.

Construction on the new Westside Branch of the New Braunfels Public Library began last spring on the same property as the Westside Community Center, located at 2932 I-35 S. Frontage Road.

The $5.5 million project is part of the city’s 2019 bond program, and the planned 8,800-square-foot facility will include a program room, a study room, teen space, a library collection of up to 20,000 items, computers and a community garden.

“It took a lot of time and a lot of hard work and a lot of vision on the part of a lot of people who are here with us today to make this happen,” said Gretchen Pruett, library director for the New Braunfels Public Library, during the ceremony.

Members of the community were invited to sign a beam that will be used in the construction. The building was designed by Komatsu Architecture with Stoddard Construction Management acting as the contractor.