Milwaukee Public Library Breaks Ground on New Neighborhood Library

Groundbreaking for the new Milwaukee Public Library at Villard Square took place on September 17 at the corner of N. 35th St. and Villard Avenue.  The Villard Square project is a mixed-use development that will include the new MPL branch on the first floor of the building, with 47 apartment homes on three stories above for families where grandparents are the primary caregivers for their grandchildren.  The grand opening of the new library is scheduled for Fall 2011.

The new library will replace an aging, energy-inefficient building located 1-1/2 blocks away at 3310 W. Villard Ave.  The new Villard Square Library will cover 12,871 square feet, and will include 50 desktop and laptop computers for library customers, community meeting and study rooms, children’s and teen areas, and self-checkout stations.  An on-site parking lot for 32 cars is part of the plan.  Local architectural firm Engberg Anderson is the interior architect.

MPL’s partners in this project include the City of Milwaukee, WHEDA, the Northwest Side Community Development Corp, and Gorman & Company, a development and construction company.

Photo shows Villard Square groundbreaking participants left to right:  Milwaukee Public Library Board of Trustees President Ald. Ashanti Hamilton, Library Director Paula Kiely, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, WHEDA Executive Director Antonio Riley, Northwest Side CDC Executive Director Howard Snyder, Board of Trustee member Ald. Nik Kovac, and Ald. Michael Murphy, chair of the Milwaukee Common Council’s Finance & Personnel Committee.