DENVER (KDVR) — A former church could soon morph into a new library for the Westwood neighborhood.

Denver City Council introduced the $5.96 million purchase of the new library property on Monday, with the final vote set for Feb. 27, according to a Tuesday release from Denver Public Library.

The library initially said Tuesday that the proposal had been approved, but they sent a correction later in the evening that it’s still pending a final vote.

Construction is already underway on the library, a condo unit at 3300 West Nevada Place — formerly the site of Lutheran Redeemer Church. The library system credits Dr. Lyda Prado, who helped envision a campus for well-being in Northeast Park Hill, for helping get the project underway.

“Prado led a community-driven process to identify the needs of Southwest Denver residents to develop a vision for the project,” according to the release. “The new library will be a co-created space with other neighborhood organizations providing legal support, healthy food and well-being resources.”

New Westwood library, new amenities

The current library in Westwood is just 900 square feet — “the smallest library in the Denver Public Library system,” the release said.

The proposed new branch would be 6,000 square feet and offer a lot more. Planned amenities include a larger library collection, more technology access, community meeting spaces and services for families, youth, immigrants, refugees and job-seekers.

Led by Prado, Lifespan Local first bought the property in 2021.

That year, Denver voters approved the RISE Denver bond program, which will help fund the Westwood library project and more than 80 other community projects across the city.