Contractors from Building Systems Incorporated are at work on the Center for Lake Erie Education and Research - CLEER.

Gannon Officials leading the project walked us through the footprint.  Half of CLEER will be devoted to interactive exhibits -- a Lake Erie table, a Great Lakes Wall, and global lessons with NOAA's "Science on a Sphere."

The goal of the center, through exhibits and library books is to teach all ages what they may not know about the largest fresh water eco-system on the planet.

Dr. Sherri Mason, Director of Project Neptwne at Gannon University said,  "They don't really realize the resource and the critical nature it serves, not just to our community but to the whole region and the whole planet. And so that's what this is really about, is trying to bring this to the community and that's why its location within the library is so critical."

A window will look into the research laboratory space, where Gannon University students in a number of science fields and majors will continue deep study into Lake Erie water quality, life, health, pollutants and its future. "Project Neptwne is really about sustaining our environment and thinking about water quality and how we are going to continue to measure, mitigate and manufacture solutions to protect this incredible resource," Dr. Sarah Ewing, Gannon University provost said.

Starting in early February, contractors put up two temporary walls with insulation to protect the library and its patrons from the construction site.

If all goes according to plan, CLEER should be ready to open in the fall of 2025.  "The plan is when we open up and have that ribbon cutting we're immediately doing educational activities as part of that," Dr. Mason said.

A group opposed to Erie County government leasing library space for the project is moving forward with legal action to try and stop it.  

As it stands, the construction is moving forward too.  Dr. Ewing said the project has received $1.75 million in grants toward the initiative and continues to seek more support.