Milwaukee Public Library seeks development partners | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Library
December 28, 2018
The Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) has issued a Request for Proposal from qualified firms who want to partner on a mixed-use development of a replacement of Milwaukee Public Library’s Capitol branch at 3969 N 74th Street.
“MPL is changing the way people think about libraries while we continue to help patrons read, learn and connect.” said Library Director Paula Kiely. “We are improving the library experience with more flexible and open floor plans, better technology, and exciting new features such as our makerspaces at Mitchell Street and at the new Good Hope branch when it opens in 2019.”
The library is seeking a catalytic development that not only provides a 21st century, technology-rich building for residents, but improves the economic vitality of the neighborhood. The proposal should feature the new library as the most visible component of a mixed-use project. The non-library component(s) must be housing, retail, office or another commercial use as long as the use is appropriate for co-location with a public library, and should strive to add to the tax base for the City of Milwaukee.
“Our plan for a mixed-used development for the Capitol branch is the next step in our comprehensive library replacement strategy,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “Our public/private partnerships on these mixed- use library projects have added millions of dollars in tax base to the City of Milwaukee and hundreds of new apartment homes. With this new project, City government, Milwaukee Public Library staff, and private developers will add educational resources, new job opportunities and advanced technology for children and families in the area near the Capitol branch.”
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This plan follows the successful replacement of the Villard Avenue, East, and Forest Home libraries with new, mixed-use buildings. Mayor Tom Barrett, the Milwaukee Common Council, and the Library Board of Trustees have identified $18 million for library redevelopment which has been allocated to the Forest Home, Mill Road, Capitol and Martin Luther King branches.
By 2021, it is expected that MPL will have replaced or updated the entire system with 21st century, technology-rich facilities.
Proposals are due Tuesday, January 29th, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. to MPL Library Construction Project Manager Sam McGovern-Rowen. Visit http://www.mpl.org/about/library_development/ for more information.