Wauwatosa's City Hall and library remodeling could cost $75 million. Here's what to know.

Wauwatosa wants to remodel and expand its City Hall and library complex, a long-awaited project that could cost $75 million, according to preliminary estimates.

But first, city officials need to figure out how much the project will actually cost and how the city will finance it.

Here’s what to know.

Why does Wauwatosa want to remodel City Hall and the library and when was this decided?

City Council and city staff have long discussed the potential renovation Wauwatosa's city hall, civic center and public library, which are located together at 7725 W. North Ave.

The Common Council voted in 2022 to keep the complex in its current location, prompting city staff to conduct a feasibility study with a space needs analysis and conceptual design plans for the complex. The study, created by OPN Architects Inc., was presented to the Committee of the Whole in January 2023.

Current designs for the expansion would make both City Hall and the library more accessible by connecting the two upstairs, placing public meetings and city clerk windows on the first floor of City Hall and upgrading the library with age- and ADA-friendly spaces, among other things.

Staff members say the changes are much needed and they want to start construction in 2027. The public library building was last remodeled in 1993 and city hall's last updates included solar panels and roof construction.

How much would a renovation of Wauwatosa's City Hall and public library cost and how would the city pay for it?

The remodel and expansion of Wauwatosa City Hall and the public library would cost $75 million, current designs from OPN Architects Inc. estimate. The bulk of that would likely come out of the city's tax levy, but private funds could help offset that cost on residents' tax bills. A capital referendum could be required for the City Hall portion of the project, which would allow the city to borrow money and pay it back with interest.

City staff with the departments of Public Works, Finance and Administration and the public library made it clear to the Committee of the Whole Feb. 20 that the multi-million-dollar price tag isn't set in stone.

"We're showing you a $75 million project that could very well be substantially less depending on the construction market, actual design plans, things like that," Dave Simpson, director of Wauwatosa Public Works, said.

Council members voted to move discussion of how much of the property tax levy to pay toward the project to the Financial Affairs Committee. It isn't clear when the project will be an item on the committee's agenda, however the next committee meeting is Feb. 27.

That cost may also change depending on insights from the construction manager the Committee of the Whole greenlit staff to hire.

Committee of the Whole approves half a million dollars towards construction manager for remodeling project

During the Feb. 20 meeting, staff members asked council members to approve the use of $500,000 from the city's five-year Capital Improvement Program to hire and pay a construction manager to deliver more detailed designs and an accurate price tag for the remodeling project.

The Committee of the Whole unanimously approved the use of CIP funds for the construction manager position. That will move the city a step closer to knowing roughly how much private funding could help pay for the project, according to John Ruggini, Wauwatosa's finance director.

"The Library Foundation has commissioned a study to determine what's feasible for private fundraising, but they need a dollar amount of a project to be in that study," Ruggini said.

What changes would come to City Hall in the current remodeling designs?

City Hall would be more accessible and customer-friendly under the proposed renovation designs, said Melissa Cantarero Weiss, Wauwatosa's deputy city administrator.

"People won't have to wander around this building wondering where to go," she said.

Public meetings would happen downstairs, rather than upstairs where they're currently held. City clerk kiosks where residents come to make a payment or ask a question would be improved for customer service, she said.

What changes would come to the library in the current remodeling designs?

Wauwatosa's renovated library would improve the children's library space and add a teen library, address a shortage of meeting rooms and include an outdoor space.

The children's library would have study rooms for tutoring and a sensory room. A bigger "story time room" would help the popular library program reach more kids and an enclosed outdoor patio would allow parents to watch their children as they're in story time.

The current library is ADA-complaint, but the renovated library would be truly ADA-friendly, Peter Loeffel, director of the Wauwatosa Public Library, said. Lower shelving throughout the library would improve mobility, access and safety, Loeffel said.

The new library would also include a local history area and improve the library's collection of tools, technology and other things besides books that patrons can check out.

Designs for the new library include more study and meeting rooms, which would meet the current need for people looking for space to hold one-on-one Zoom meetings, Loeffel said. There would also be a "truly quiet room" for people who want to escape technology or need a silent space to focus, he said.

How would this affect Wauwatosa residents' tax bills?

The project's impact on residents' tax bills all depends on how much it ends up costing, how much private funding the project gets and how city officials decide it should ultimately be paid for.

Staff presented an estimate of how projects of varying prices would affect the average Wauwatosa household's tax bills if the cost for the expansion were paid for with property taxes. These numbers don't include any private fundraising:

• A $75 million project would add $201 annually to the average family’s tax bill for 20 years.
• A $65 million project would add $174 annually to the average family's tax bill for 20 years.
• A $55 million project would add $147 annually to the average family's tax bill for 20 years.
• A $45 million project would add $120 annually to the average family's tax bill for 20 years.

All averages are based on equalized value assuming a $300,000 home, and the median household income for Wauwatosa in 2022 dollars is $93,812 according to the United States Census Bureau.

Possible referendums could help pay for the Wauwatosa City Hall and library remodel project

There is a possibility the City Hall portion of the project would go to a capital referendum, which would require the city to issue bonds, Ruggini said. A referendum places the issue on the ballot in an election, giving voters a say.

Due to the levy limits set by the state, it's also possible Wauwatosa could pursue an operating referendum in the next five years. An operating referendum allows a school or municipality to exceed its revenue limit without issuing new debt and pays for operating costs like salaries, benefits and supplies.

Wauwatosa could structure the operational referendum in a way to raise additional cash and cash finance a significant portion of the project, Ruggini said.

"In that case, there would be a way to reduce our interest costs, but the end result would be a higher upfront levy increase for homeowners," he said.

What do alders think about the project as currently proposed?

Wauwatosa alders agreed to take the next step to hire a construction manager and get more concrete designs and cost estimates for the project.

Some remained hesitant of the current $75 million price tag, saying the project would add on another cost to residents' growing tax bills and would compete with roads, lead pipes and other city infrastructure that needs an upgrade.

Ald. Joseph Makhlouf II said he would want a referendum on the ballot to ask residents how the city should pay for the project.

Ald. Sean Lowe said he would support a $75 million project to address the needed changes and avoid rising costs.

"If we come back and talk about this in five years, the cost could potentially double and that's something that I wouldn't want," Lowe said.

Contact the reporter Bridget Fogarty at bfogarty@gannett.com

Editor's note: This story was updated at noon Feb. 23 to correct the spelling of Ald. Joseph Makhlouf II's name.