Howard County’s plans for a long-overdue new Central Branch library on Downtown Columbia’s lakefront are finally back off the shelf.

County Executive Calvin Ball on Thursday announced he has submitted legislation to purchase land from The Howard Research and Development Corporation (HRD), an affiliate of Howard Hughes Communities, for the new Central Branch of the Howard County Library System (HCLS). A budget amendment would allow the county to use previously allocated state funding for the new library’s design.

“Today Columbia stands out as one of America’s greatest success stories,” Ball said. “Downtown Columbia continues to grow as a vibrant and inclusive community that reflects Jim Rouse’s original vision of a ‘garden for growing people.’ Together, we are taking bold steps to mak

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