News Details
GWINNETT OFFICIALS CUT RIBBON ON SOUTHEAST’S FIRST THEMED LIBRARY HONORING LEGACY OF HOOPER-RENWICK SCHOOL
(Lawrenceville, Ga. June 17, 2025) – Gwinnett County officials on Monday cut the ribbon on the new Hooper-Renwick Themed Library in partnership with the city of Lawrenceville, Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee and Gwinnett County Public Library Board of Trustees.
The project revives and expands the 11,475-square-foot Hooper-Renwick School, which once served as the only public high school for Black students in the Gwinnett County school system.
The new, 27,327-square-foot themed library includes library amenities, community space and exhibits that showcase stories, accomplishments and memorabilia related to the school. Original elements of the building prominent in the final design include exposed rafters above the library portion of the facility, the restored façade of the school building and the original gym floor, which was repurposed as flooring in the upper-level exhibit space.
“From the history of the school to the personal stories of Hooper-Renwick’s students and teachers, the Hooper-Renwick Themed Library showcases our forward-thinking approach to preservation,” said Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson. “Today, we’re cutting the ribbon on a gateway to understanding, reopening a space for learning and inviting all to share in our hope.”
The project was inspired by the engagement of a group of local alumni and stakeholders who wanted to see the former school preserved, forming the Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee in 2017.
“Hooper-Renwick has always been more than a building; it was a beacon of hope, education and pride for our community during a time when opportunity wasn’t always within reach for everyone,” said Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee Chair Coni Brown, who was a student at Hooper-Renwick School before integration. “Preserving its legacy means honoring the sacrifices and triumphs of those who came before us. Today, it stands as both a symbol of resilience and a promise to future generations that their history matters.”
The project was funded using $18.8 million from the County’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax along with $1.7 million from the city of Lawrenceville, which also provided the 3.8-acre site, sidewalks, lighting and landscaping.
Lawrenceville Mayor David Still highlighted the collaborative approach behind the project.
“This project was a true partnership between the city of Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County and the Gwinnett County Public Library System, all under the guidance of the Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee,” said Mayor Still. “A tremendous effort was put forth by all parties to bring this vision to reality.”
The library is the first themed library in the Southeast.
“The Hooper Renwick Library is about remembering our past while reaching forward toward our future — and offering every person who walks through these doors the tools to dream, to read, to imagine and to thrive,” said Gwinnett County Public Library Board of Trustees Chairman JT Wu.
The library, located at 56 Neal Boulevard in Lawrenceville, officially opened to the public today.