North Powder Secures $1.2M Grant for 1910 Library Restoration and Expansion

Business Oregon awarded the City of North Powder a $1.2 million Community Development Block Grant in 2023 to rehabilitate and expand the town’s 1910 Carnegie-era library, city officials say, turning a deteriorated 1,118-square-foot building into roughly a modern, 2,000-square-foot community hub. The project adds an 825-square-foot gathering space, installs ADA-compliant entryways and restrooms, and paves a new parking area to serve a city of just over 480 residents located along the historic Oregon Trail.

City leaders moved the project from an earlier plan to reuse an old city hall bay after seismic upgrade costs exceeded the grant’s scope; the result is a standalone library sited adjacent to city hall under architect Brandon Lanius. Lanius said, “I think that we've worked really hard to create something that the community will be proud of and that they will hopefully be able to use for years to come and that is adaptable for their needs as they grow.” The design was unveiled publicly on October 3, 2024.

The timeline of construction is explicit: the CDBG was awarded in late 2023, the city accepted construction bids in spring 2025, and North Powder officially broke ground on May 15, 2025. Work has progressed through construction to the point that the building itself is finished and the city has occupancy, while a few finishing tasks remain, city officials report. Local leaders describe the project as “restoring the strength of rural services” for Union County residents.

Operational pieces are still being completed before full public service begins. The North Powder City Library Board announced an $18,740 Wildhorse Foundation grant on Aug. 18, 2025 to purchase furniture, updated computers and technology, and materials to expand the library’s physical collections; Library Board President Mike Schoeningh said, “With the Wildhorse Foundation’s support, the new library will open fully furnished and ready to welcome patrons.” City staff note they are awaiting bookcases and other interior elements and are prioritizing hiring a new librarian to bring the space into operation.

Mayor John Frieboes framed the project as both practical and civic: “It’s going to be very inviting. It fits in. It’s going to be new and so much better of a facility than what we had previously. We’re very fortunate to be able to get this block grant to be able to do that.” Beyond historic preservation, the work explicitly targets accessibility and digital equity by adding full ADA access, door openers, a single flat grade for the whole building, accessible restrooms, and updated computers to support digital learning, job searches, and research.

With construction complete and occupancy secured, North Powder now faces the final municipal tasks that will determine when residents can use the space: installing remaining furnishings, completing the interior fit-out paid for in part by the Wildhorse Foundation grant, and recruiting a librarian to run programming and services. Once those elements are in place, the restored Carnegie-era library will serve as a safer, more accessible community resource for students, families, and patrons across Union County.