LAKE STATION | The new Lake Station/New Chicago library branch isn't set to open for another three months.

Yet the stately, brown brick building is already getting rave reviews, according to Lake County Public Library Director Larry Acheff.

The compliments, or "oh, wow" factor as he calls it, from those who see the new building isn't lost on him.

The solid, brick and limestone structure is there to stay, Acheff said.

"We're expecting it will be there 100 years," he said.

The 16,000-square-foot library is being built on a piece of triangular property at Grand Boulevard, Fairview and Central avenues in the heart of Lake Station.

"It will mirror the new St. John branch library," Acheff said.

The cost to build the Lake Station/New Chicago branch, which will be used by Lake Station, New Chicago and north Hobart Township patrons, is $3.8 million to $4 million, he said.

This library is the third and final new branch library built by the county library system in recent years, he said.

Construction of the three new libraries, including Cedar Lake, is being funded by a $30 million bond issue approved in 2003.

The bond money is also being used to pay for remodeling, including such improvements as cooling and carpeting, at the rest of the library branches.

"At the end of all the projects, the remainder of the money will go to the central library in Merrillville for improvements there," he said.

The county library system is also working to upgrade its computer system at all the branch libraries, he said.

"We provide 100,000 hours of service to the general public and we're running close to capacity," he said.

Once the new Lake Station branch is opened in early October, the 45-year-old present Lake Station branch library will go up for sale, he said.

The present New Chicago branch library will be given to the River Forest School Corp. to be used as school administration headquarters, he said.

"We're excited," Acheff said of changes scheduled for fall.