New Richmond advances $30 million mixed-use library with 78 residences and public amenities

Noah Bienfeld, city administrator and utilities manager for New Richmond City, said construction began in September 2024 on a mixed-use building that will contain a 30,000-square-foot public library on the first floor and 69 market-rate apartments above it, with a standalone nine-unit townhome building on the northeast corner of the site.

"I'm really excited today to talk to you about the library building project and to answer some frequently asked questions that we've received," Bienfeld said, summarizing the layout, ownership and schedule for the development on land the School District of New Richmond gifted to the city in 2017.

The project is the largest public-private partnership in the city’s history at $30,000,000, Bienfeld said. About half the total cost is the residential component paid by the private partner, identified in the presentation as 360 Real Estate Solutions; the remaining half covers the library, parking and outdoor amenities. "This is an opportunity to contribute to a facility that will serve the community for the next 50 years," Bienfeld said.

Ownership and operations are split: 360 Real Estate Solutions will own and operate the underground parking garage, the residences above the library and the standalone townhome building. The Richmond Community Development Authority (CDA) will own the library-first floor and lease it to the city for library use; the CDA also will own the outdoor space and surface parking, Bienfeld said.

Interior features on the first floor include a coffee shop on the southwest corner; large meeting rooms and smaller boardrooms available for public use; a kitchen for outside catering; a dedicated teen space with flexible furniture; breakout rooms; a children's area; public computer and printing area; and a staff work area and circulation desk. The mechanical room is located in the building’s northeast corner.

The housing component, marketed as Archway Residences, will include 69 market-rate apartments above the library (a mix of studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units). The standalone townhome building will contain nine market-rate units including one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts. Bienfeld said leases for Archway Residences are already being signed and that the standalone townhome building is on schedule to be completed and occupied by June 2025, with the mixed-use library building on track for completion in October 2025.

City financing for its portion of the project will come from lease revenue bonds, impact fees collected when new homes are built, grants and donations; city officials said they are actively seeking grants and donations to reduce borrowing. Donors will be recognized on permanent signage inside the library; naming rights for various spaces are available. Tax-deductible donations can be made through the St. Croix Valley Foundation, designated to the New Richmond Library Building Fund, Bienfeld said.

The presentation identified private and nonprofit partners by name: 360 Real Estate Solutions as the private developer, the Richmond Community Development Authority as the public owner of the library floor and outdoor space, Archway Residences as the housing brand, Jewel Town Roastery as a coffee tenant scheduled to open a second location inside the new library, and the St. Croix Valley Foundation as the conduit for donations. Bienfeld directed listeners to the project website at enrichmentlibrary.org/building for updates and listed city contacts for questions: himself; Rayan Ielts, assistant city administrator and finance director; and Monica Lewell, library director.

No formal votes, motions or policy actions were recorded in the presentation; Bienfeld’s remarks were informational and focused on design, ownership, funding and schedule. The presentation noted the land was gifted to the city in 2017 by the School District of New Richmond and that the site previously housed the former high school and middle school.