Developer Terrence Wall is making a bold proposal to bring a striking new library to Downtown Madison.

T. Wall Properties is proposing to demolish the worn, 43-year-old facility on the 200 block of West Mifflin Street and replace it with a $45 million, nine-story structure with ground-floor retail, a three-story library and private offices above it.

"This will be something special for Madison, " Wall said Tuesday. "I believe this will end up being a catalyst for additional rehabilitation of buildings around it. "

The structure 's look would complement the $205 million Overture Center across the street, which was designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli, Wall said.

A preliminary concept shows a towering, oval, glass main entrance and a glass and stone building -- reflecting Overture 's exterior materials -- with a dramatic "hole " in the side of the structure that would serve as a green, outdoor patio and a signature architectural statement.

The design and the hole -- the latter inspired during a recent trip to China -- are meant to create a landmark "good enough to sit next to Overture, " Wall said.

"We want to do something really dramatic to be a special building for the city, not just your standard box, " he said.

Wall is scheduled to make a presentation to the Library Board 's building committee on April 29.

"This is not a done deal, " Wall said. "We 're working within the process. There are a lot of constituencies and groups, and the neighborhood has to weigh in. "

Wall, the state 's largest commercial developer, has a portfolio of more than 2.5 million square feet of commercial space.

New library needed

City officials have long wanted to replace the aging, undersized library, but have been unable to fund a project. Wall 's proposal might be the key to making a new library financially viable, officials said.

"I 'm interested in pursuing this, " Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said. "This would help the library get built. "

The two-story, 90,000-square-foot library badly needs space for patrons, technology and meetings, officials said. The roof leaks, elevators need replacement, and heating and air conditioning systems are inadequate, Director Barb Dimick said. The building has inadequate power and is dysfunctional for the demands of a modern library, she said.

The building "is on its last legs, " Dimick said. "There are a whole lot of reasons we need a new library. "

The scale of Wall 's proposal is a good use for the site, would allow future expansion, and would generate needed revenue, Cieslewicz said.

Library Board President Tripp Widder called the proposal "intriguing. "

If the Library Board likes the concept, it would prepare a request for proposals outlining a project that Wall or any developer could pursue, officials said.

The RFP process could begin this spring with responses due this fall, Cieslewicz said.

Wall said he could break ground as soon as the winter of 2009.

'Worth looking at'

Wall 's proposal is intriguing because it would help the city finance the library and let it stay at the same site, Widder said.

"There are a lot of questions, a lot of issues, " Widder said. "(But) this kind of mixed-use project allows us to close the financing gap. It 's worth looking at. "

The new building would have many engaging features, Wall said. The glass-sheathed main lobby could be used for educational exhibits and ground-floor retail could host a coffee shop and restaurant that would attract people to the facility.

The 115,000-square-foot library would be built as a condominium space for the city with options for expansion. It could have a "teen only " library with targeted offerings, similar to one in Queens, N.Y.

The hole could hold a suspended sculpture and glass elevators along the wall would pass through the space, Wall said. The upper floors would have about 120,000 square feet of office space. The retail and office components of the building would have separate entrances from the library.

"Every community should have a library of this quality, and now it 's Madison 's turn, " Wall said.

Private sector needed

At the turn of the decade, the Library Board approved plans for a $28 million expansion to add a third floor and refurbish two floors. But Cieslewicz said the city didn 't have the money, and the private sector must make the first move to help pay for it.

The Library Board then scaled back plans, forgoing the extra floor but still delivering 30,000 feet of new space.

Cost estimates for design and construction, however, are now at $23.7 million, and the mayor is only willing to pay for half that. So far, private sources haven 't stepped forward.

"There haven 't been a lot of volunteers, " Widder said. "We 're kind of stuck. "

In 2005, developer Kenton Peters proposed a 120,000-square-foot library with condos atop it behind the Madison Municipal building -- if allowed to also build a condo tower on the original library site. The Library Board declined due to the complexities and having to leave its location a block off State Street.

NEW DOWNTOWN LIBRARY

WHAT: A prominent developer is proposing to demolish Madison  's main library and redevelop the site with retail, a new library and offices.

WHY IT'S NEEDED: The existing, 90,000-square-foot library has inadequate space, is worn and needs repairs.

WHY THE PROPOSAL IS ATTRACTIVE: The city can't afford the almost $24 million to renovate and expand the existing facility, and a private-public partnership would help the city finance a new facility.