New Richmond Community Library Project Receives State Grant

NEW RICHMOND, Wis (WLAK) – The New Richmond Community Library project has received a significant grant funding award from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

The city received the funding through the agency’s Idle Sites Redevelopment Grant Program. According to a press release, the city of New Richmond will receive $221,400 in funding to help cover eligible infrastructure costs for the community library project.

The Idle Sites Redevelopment Grant Program aims to help communities redevelop underutilized or entirely abandoned properties. Construction on the new community library has already been underway for months, and city officials expect to complete it by the end of the year.

In addition to the new 30,000 square foot public library, the completed project will also feature a number of housing units and amenities. There will be 69 market-rate residential units above the library, and a nine-unit townhome building next to it. The site will also have a public corridor with amenities like a playground, fireplace, and tables.

The housing aspect of the project represents another creative solution for persistent housing availability challenges in the region. Communities across the state have struggled with addressing housing and childcare challenges with limited resources. The city of Rice Lake has been working towards the development of a housing project at a former nursing home. Barron County has also pursued the use of buildings at the local University of Wisconsin -Eau Claire campus for childcare facilities.

Mixed-use developments like the New Richmond Community Library project could serve as an example of creative ways those issues can be solved with limited available resources.