Villanova University is demolishing one of its buildings next year to make room for a new $150 million library building, writes Michael Tanenbaum for the PhillyVoice.

Kennedy Hall houses the school bookstore and administrative offices. It will come down next summer.

The hall was built in 1968. It will be replaced with Vic Maggitti Hall, the new home of the Falvey Library, which is expected to open in the winter of 2027.

The five-story library will have a writing center on one floor, along with a tutoring hub and support services.

There will also be event and programming spaces highlighting the library’s rare collections. It will include a dedicated section for graduate students.

One goal of the new library is to elevate the university’s reputation as a national research institution.

Millicent Gaskell, university librarian and director of Falvey Library, referred to the new library as “transformative.”

“It will be a modern, welcoming space for our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends to come together as they advance their intellectual pursuits,” she said.

The 150,000-square-foot building was designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects.

The current library building west of Kennedy Hall will be renovated and its facilities repurposed.

Find out more about the new library at Villanova University in PhillyVoice..