The city is preparing to sell the site of a former Bay View library. That creates a new redevelopment opportunity.
A city-owned property in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood is being prepared for sale — creating a new redevelopment opportunity.
The plan to request development proposals for the former Llewellyn Library, 907 E. Russell Ave., comes as the city is updating its long-term comprehensive plan for Bay View.
That planning update process has already named some key sites for future development in Bay View. The neighborhood continues to see strong demand for both residential and commercial properties.
The two-story, 8,200-square-foot former library, and its 17,200-square-foot corner lot, are "going to have some value," said David Misky, city Redevelopment Authority assistant executive director.
Misky spoke at a Thursday meeting of the Milwaukee Public Library Board's Building and Development Committee.
The Llewellyn Library was built in 1913, with an addition constructed in 1958, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.
It closed when the Bay View Library opened in 1993 at 2566 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
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The building was then leased to Milwaukee Public Schools, which used it for programs tied to the nearby Bay View High School, said Sam McGovern-Rowen, Milwaukee Public Library construction project manager.
MPS is no longer interested in using the building, McGovern-Rowen told committee members.
"We're happy to have it back in our possession," he said. "It's an exciting opportunity for us."
An appraisal to determine the property's estimated value is to be completed in October. The building could be listed for sale by early 2023, McGovern-Rowen said.
The Llewellyn Library is named for Henry Llewellyn, a prominent Bay View resident. The site was given to the city by his sons as a memorial to their father, according to the Milwaukee Public Library.
Bay View was the first Milwaukee neighborhood to have a branch library.
Meanwhile, the Bay View plan update, which is being drafted by the Department of City Development, features preliminary ideas for projects that include affordable housing.
The proposal, which needs approval from the Common Council and Mayor Cavalier Johnson, has other conceptual ideas for development, transportation and public gathering spaces.
It will take private and public funding, as well as additional city approvals, to bring those ideas to life.
And, while all those concepts may not become realities, the plan provides a long-range road map to accommodate them.
Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bay View library site to be listed as redevelopment opportunity
