Once opened, the Grade II listed building will provide rental spaces for organisations and individuals within the creative industries sector, boosting the creative and cultural ambitions for Wrexham.
This will be the first time since 1974 that the building will be publically accessible.
The new steel and glass extension will be a focal point and location for a new city centre coffee shop or café. If you are interested in renting this space and would like further details you can contact our agent Forge Property Consultants Ltd, Chartered Surveyors, Valuers, Land & Property Agents; T: 01978 799059 M: 0783 4545974.
Since the previous update work has continued at pace and includes:
External Works
Electrics, installation of high speed Internet, drainage diversions.
Façade & Roof Works
General roofing Works; re-slating the roof, roof light installation, return of external metal and timber framed windows.
Internally works ongoing include
Plastering repair and decoration including ceilings, rafts and partitions. Installation of a lift, electrical installation, secondary glazing, placement of internal doors and screens, installation of washroom facilities including tiling, kitchen fit out. Re-installation of repaired and reclaimed parquet flooring, the manufacture of cast iron floor grills.
Glazed Extension
Piling, foundation work and steel frame & concrete slab completed
Curtain walling and glazed roof installation is ongoing and near completion.
Externally the tent and scaffold that was installed during refurbishment is being removed.
Creative and cultural ambitions
The development of this city centre creative hub is another exciting project and is integral to the Wrecsam2029 UK City of Culture bid campaign. Wrexham has a diverse and well established creative scene and this new facility will further support the development of this sector. Winning the 2029 title will be transformational for Wrexham’s cultural infrastructure, the new creative hub will help support businesses to achieve their ambitions, which will strengthen our bid to host Wrecsam2029
Leader of Wrexham Council and Lead Member for Assets Cllr Mark Pritchard said “Originally opened by Sir Foster Cunliffe of Acton Hall on the 15th of February 1907, the Old Library will shortly reopen after a multi-million pound grant funded refurbishment. “Our ambition for this newly refurbished Grade II listed building is for it to becomes a focal point and hub for the creative industries both locally and further afield. “The refurbishment of this prominent city centre building is as a reminder of our past, whilst also serving our ambitions to attract high quality and creative businesses to Wrexham.”
Lead Member for Economy and Regeneration Cllr Nigel Williams said “Over the past few years we have successfully secured external funding in order to improve the look and functionality of our developing city centre. “Following the successful refurbishment of several shop frontages, conversions of vacant upper floors into residential accommodation, the Butchers and General Markets refurbishments via the Townscape Heritage Scheme, and the High Street and city centre public realm improvements via funding from NLHF & Welsh Government Transforming Towns Fund and Shared Prosperity Fund. The grant funding has allowed us to transform this historic building and underused asset into what will become a thriving Creative Hub that benefits the city, whilst ensuring it contributes towards the delivery of the city and the region’s strategic vision & objectives. WCBC’s vision is to create a flexible, energy-efficient, creative hub that mixes culture, technology and sustainability led by purpose driven organisations, entrepreneurs and businesses from the creative industry sector.
