New Lenox Library Completes Café Construction, Prepares for February Grand Opening

New Lenox Public Library District Board of Trustees Meeting | January 19, 2026

Article Summary:
The New Lenox Public Library District has finalized the construction of its new in-house café, with officials preparing for a highly anticipated grand opening in early February. The Board of Trustees approved the final payment for the project, marking the end of the major facility upgrade.

Library Café Key Points:

• Facilities Coordinator Nikki Orchard confirmed the new café space is complete.

• A grand opening is officially scheduled for Monday, February 2, 2026, with the potential for an earlier soft launch.

• The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the final payment application for Kandu Construction, the contractor for the project.

• The library’s Information Technology department has already installed security cameras in the new space in preparation for the opening.

The New Lenox Public Library District Board of Trustees on Monday, January 19, 2026, celebrated the completion of the library’s new café space, officially green-lighting the final contractor payments and setting a date for the grand opening.

According to a departmental report from Facilities Coordinator Nikki Orchard, the physical construction of the new café space is fully complete. Executive Director Michelle Krooswyk informed the Board that all necessary paperwork and project closeout information has been finalized.

The library has scheduled the café’s grand opening for February 2, 2026. However, Krooswyk noted that the café may open its doors slightly earlier for a soft launch to ensure operations run smoothly before the official debut. Information Technology Coordinator Devin Arbuthnot reported that his department has already hung a camera in the café space to monitor the area.

To formally close out the construction phase of the project, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the final pay application for Kandu Construction, the firm responsible for the café buildout. The approval was passed as part of the Board’s consent agenda, advanced by a motion from Trustee Dr. Edward Tatro and seconded by Trustee Colette Loecke.