Madison Reporter

The City of Madison Engineering Division has announced the commencement of the bidding process for the construction of the Imagination Center at Reindahl Park (ICRP). This project marks a significant development as it will be the first Madison Public Library facility constructed within a City of Madison Park.

The bid advertisement invites interested and prequalified contractors to submit their proposals. The initial phase involves announcing the need for construction services, allowing bidders to present their cost estimates for this specific project. General contractors are primarily targeted, but due to the complexity of ICRP, collaboration with various subcontractors, suppliers, and trades is anticipated.

The Imagination Center is a collaborative effort involving four partners: Madison Public Library, City of Madison Engineering, Madison Parks, and Madison Public Library Foundation. It will be situated off E. Washington Ave at Portage Rd., aiming to connect library and city services to northeast Madison and serve approximately 19,300 residents.

This center represents the first new library by Madison Public Library in over 25 years. It is envisioned as a multifunctional community space that fosters social interaction, civic engagement, and cultural expression while focusing on holistic health and economic opportunities for visitors. The design includes an indoor-outdoor connection developed in collaboration with the northeast Madison community.

Professional design consultants JLA Architects, GRAEF, Saiki Design, and InteriorLOGIC, Inc. have prepared the bid documents. The total estimated cost for the project is around $18.6 million.

Interested parties can find bidding documents on BidExpress under "9610 Imagination Center at Reindahl Park." The bid opening date is set for March 27, 2025. Construction is expected to start in Summer 2025 with completion projected by Summer 2026.