In recent years, Milwaukee Public Library has been upgrading and replacing its branch libraries, with notable mixed projects on the East Side and Villard Square and another one in progress on Mitchell Street, to replace Forest Home. Recently, Tippecanoe got a major upgrade, too.
Now attention is turning fully toward a mixed-use development that will replace the Mill Road branch, which opened in 1970 at 6431 N. 76th St.
Here are some facts about the planned new library development at 7717 W. Good Hope Rd.
The development
- The development team is Maures Development and and Royal Capital LLC, with CommonBond – which was part of the team making the initial proposal – serving as apartment manager. This change is pending library board approval
- Designed by Engberg Anderson Architects, which also worked on Tippecanoe and East Library projects. Library architect has not yet been selected
- Will include 55 mixed-income apartment units
- Parking, including dedicated parking for library patrons
- 17,000-square foot library would, like recent projects, include more technology, computers, community rooms and open spaces
The timeline
- Current library will remain open during construction
- Affordable housing tax credit application decision expected in April
- If credits awarded, construction could begin fall 2016 with library move-in slated for fall/winter 2017
The cost
- Estimated total cost of $14.2-15.1 million, depending on final number of apartment units
- Library costs of $4.5 million covered by library-controlled funds
Next, MPL plans to discuss mixed-use projects to replace the Martin Luther King branch, at 310 W. Locust St., and Capitol branch, 3969, N. 74th St.
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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.
