 After years of planning and fundraising, construction on Bemidji's Carnegie Library is about to begin. Josh Peterson takes a look at the project's timeline. It's a project that has been in the making for over a decade. Bemidji's Carnegie Library is set to finally begin construction within the next couple of days. With a tight timeline in place, the first phase of the project will be gradual. It will be a little slow start perhaps from what the public will see on the outside. Once the mason gets done, then they can start on the addition. Soon security fencing will be put in place once trees are removed and masonary work can begin. While work on the exterior will be visible to the public, most of the work will take place on the inside. The exterior is the first priority, so as soon as that's underway and under control, then focus will turn to the interior. While the main level of the Carnegie will be restored back to its original glory, the lower level of the facility will see some changes. And some new tenants added as well. The lower level will be renovated into least office space. With one tenant on board, there remains room to grow. We have a tenant who's really excited about coming in already. I think the plan is for them to have only half of the space that's going to be available. With work about to commence, the hope is the legacy of the Carnegie will continue to live on once the project is completed. Having it be accessible for the community, Dan, I think it's going to be the thing we're going to be the most proud of. With the majority of the work set to take place over the winter, Bemidji residents can expect a blast to the past when doors open next summer. In Bemidji, Josh Peterson, Lakeland News. The entire Carnegie project is set to be completed by June 30th of 2019. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.