The Lawrence Humane Society on Wednesday announced that it has received a gift of nearly $500,000 from the estate of Ann L. Hyde, who died June 19, 2014.

The gift is meant to assist with the organization’s upcoming major renovation or the building of a new facility.

“This gift will have an enormous impact in the lives of homeless animals, and we are all so incredibly grateful for it,” said Kate Meghji, executive director for the Lawrence Humane Society.

In a news release, the Humane Society said Hyde’s gift will provide approximately 10 percent of the funding needed to complete its planned $5 million building project.

Hyde was born in 1930 in New York City and is a 1960 graduate of Kansas University, according to the release. She was the manuscripts librarian in the Department of Special Collections at KU’s Kenneth Spencer Research Library, retiring in 2000.

Meghji said the organization would start a public fundraising campaign for its facility once it had gathered 50 percent to 60 percent of the total cost. She estimated that would be sometime before 2017.

“We’re really going to ramp it up in 2016 because we need something done about the building,” Meghji said.

Meghji said slightly more than $1.2 million has so far been raised or committed for the project.

The Journal-World reported in July that the Humane Society’s facility had a lack of space and seclusion areas, faulty air-conditioning and a leaking ceiling. The layout of the kennels causes stress for the animals, according to the report.

Meghji said it was not yet certain whether the Humane Society would renovate the current facility or build a new one. If it chose a new building, it would be constructed on some of the Humane Society’s 4 acres at 1805 E. 19th St., she said.

It’s also unsure when the project would begin, but “the sooner, the better,” Meghji said.

“Every month it seems like there’s something that breaks or some major repair that has to happen,” she said. “Every time something like that happens, I think, ‘Oh my gosh, I really would like to spend money fixing this building, like really fixing it, and doing the best for the animals we serve.'”

The Humane Society took a request to the Lawrence City Commission in July for $2.5 million to be paid over two years. The request was denied, but commissioners said they’d help explore other funding options for the project.

Douglas County commissioners declined Meghji’s request for $450,000 in July, but did grant $43,000 — up from $28,000 last year — in funding for the shelter’s stray animal program.