Mill Road Library For Sale
Former library has unusual circular shape, located on busy 76th Street corridor.
Mill Road Library in 2019. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
The Mill Road Library is for sale.
But that doesn’t include any of the Milwaukee Public Library‘s books or computers. Those migrated north to the Good Hope Library when the new branch opened in 2020.
Now, the City of Milwaukee is looking to sell the former library, 6431 N. 76th St., for $500,000.
The listing includes the 15,061-square-foot library building, which has a circular shape, and the rectangular 37,155-square-foot site.
The library opened in 1970 as the first building ever constructed on the site.
But it was replaced with a new facility to the north as part of a citywide plan to replace aging branches with mixed-use buildings that have more efficient library layouts and generate property tax revenue.
Now, the city is seeking to generate more revenue and activity from the site and N. 76th Street commercial corridor.
Suggested uses in the listing include: “Educational, Cultural institution, General Office, Bank, Artist Studio, Medical Office, Personal Service, Business Service, Sit‐down Restaurant, Health Club, Theatre, Broadcasting or recording studio, or Recreation facility (indoor).” A deed restriction will ensure the property is taxable, regardless of use.
A response to a request for proposals is due Dec. 14.
The building is not historically protected, but the listing says demolition is “discouraged.” Additionally, the sculpture in front of the building is not included in the sale.
The city will not entertain offers for its redevelopment as a “parking lot, pawnshop, cigarette or cigar shop, gun shop, liquor store, currency exchange, payday or auto-title loan store, medical service facility, daycare facilities, or other uses prohibited by zoning.”
A 2021 third-party appraisal valued the property at $410,000. The city didn’t move to sell the property that year in large part because it was still using it.
The empty building was repurposed as a COVID-19 vaccination site, which continued into 2022. The facility was paired with the adjacent Northwest Health Center, 7630 W. Mill Rd., to form an indoor and drive-through vaccination clinic.
Two open houses remain. On Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. and Nov. 15 at 9 a.m. the city will show the property for inspection by interested parties. Proper construction footwear and a flashlight are recommended.
The city secured $427,500 in selling the former Forest Home Library site, but only after a contentious historic preservation fight ensued. The building was demolished and a children’s clinic replaced it.
The former Villard Library, 3310 W. Villard Ave., was the first to be replaced with a new mixed-use facility. But the city has yet to sell that property. It is not currently listed for sale on the Department of City Development website. The site has been identified as a catalytic site and the city recently won a grant to substantially upgrade Villard Avenue.
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