November vote. Either way, the Friends have $2.7 million of the cost with private money, something not achieved before the 2007 referendum, which was one point cited by its opponents. Augusta City Manager William Bridgeo announced on March 5, 2014, that the proposed bond issue of $7–8 million can be paid for without a tax increase by refinancing an existing bond. He said the refinancing would save enough money to pay for the increased operation costs of a larger facility, such as more staff and increased utility expenses. Library supporters have also said that they may be able to save $1.7 million by trimming the project or alternative funding ideas. The new referendum vote occurred on June 10, 2014, and the bond issue passed, 2,153-461. It was expected that the project would begin in spring 2015 and take a year or two to complete. Bridgeo said he wanted to ask Hannaford Bros. Co. about leasing a former supermarket building to use as a temporary library during construction. A lease was negotiated with the owners of the former MaineGeneral Medical Center Augusta campus on East Chestnut Street, currently known as the Ballard Center, subject to City Council approval. It provided for a lease of $10.50 per square foot, well below the building's regular rate of $16. The building's owner has said the lease will cover the costs of the library being there and little else, as a contribution to the fundraising campaign. The library closed for the move to the Ballard Center on April 13, 2015, intending to re-open in mid-May. The library was operated out of the Ballard Center until closing earlier than planned for the move back in August 2016. The construction project continued through the summer, where progress was made in demolishing the addition of the library that had been installed in 1979, revealing a large part of the original exterior that had been hidden for 36 years. Lithgow has contracted a company known as Stained Glass Express to restore and repair many of the library's stained glass windows - which have been since been covered by almost 120 years of dirt and coal residue. The library held a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the completion of the expansion on August 13, 2016, with its original operating hours resuming on August 15. References External links Library buildings completed in 1896 Libraries on the National Register of Historic Places in Maine