ABILENE, Texas (KTAB) – Abilene Heritage Square will take the former Lincoln Middle School from vacant to vibrant as plans reveal it to become a new library, coffee shop and event space.

A Friday morning press conference detailed the plans for the $41.5 million high-tech hub, which will host a brand new public library.

The conference also revealed that more than 75 percent of the funds for the structure have already been raised through private donations.

Board members say the rest of the money will be made by applying for grants and obtaining more private donations, they strongly iterated that no taxpayer funds would be used to build the structure.

Construction on Abilene Heritage Square is expected to begin this fall and be complete in 3 years. AHS President, Jane Beard says the new structure will give locals many opportunities to better their lives.

“Libraries change lives, art changes lives, performance art changes lives and we have all three of those things in this complex,” said Beard.

For more detailed information on the building project visit this link to an article already on BigCountryHomepage.com.