In the waning days of 2018, Milwaukee Public Library issued a request for proposals from potential partners to replace the current Capitol Library, 3969 N. 74th St.
A public input session for the project was held in late November.
Now, MPL has reissued its call for qualified firms who want a shot at creating a mixed-use development to replace the current Capitol Branch Library, at 3969 N. 74th St.
The current library opened in 1964 and was renovated in 1995.
According to a statement issued today, "MPL and its Board of Trustees have decided to reissue the RFP in order to generate additional interest in the project and allow more time for development teams to complete proposals for the project."
"We received two proposals and only one of those satisfied the requirements," MPL’s Eileen Force Cahill told OnMilwaukee.
"MPL is changing the way people think about libraries while we continue to help patrons read, learn and connect." said Library Director Paula Kiely in a statement issued Dec. 28 to announce the initial RFP.
"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."
Now, RFPs are due Thursday, May 9. The Capitol Library branch will host an open house Thursday, April 11 at 1 p.m. for those interested in submitting a an RFP.
One the closing date has come, MPL will share the RFP responses with the public in person at the Capitol Library and online. Submitters will also have a chance to present their ideas at public meetings in May and June, according to today’s statement.
Details on the RFP and the project are here.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
