LIVONIA, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Alfred Noble Library has sat vacant for six years. Now, the city is seeking a private partner to redevelop and re-imagine the mid-century building.
The doors of the Alfred Noble Library in Livonia have been closed since 2019 after the building shuttered due to mold and safety concerns, with repairs and renovation estimated in the millions. The city has stated it does not have the ability to fund it.
Watch Christiana Ford's video report below:
Plans to demolish were halted in 2023.
Now, city officials are hoping the historic building can get a new chapter.
A task force created by the mayor in December of 2025 began meeting in January 2026, made up of residents from across the city. They conducted research and gathered community feedback to explore working with an outside partner.
The city will retain ownership of the land and building, while a partner investor would reconfigure the interior, ideally preserving the exterior and take on rehabilitation and ongoing maintenance costs.
Watch our previous report from December 2025 below:
The city's goals for the site include accessibility, ongoing programming, long-term sustainability and thoughtful preservation of the site's historic character.
City Council Member Carrie Budzinski says the task force has been hard at work.
"I've attended all of their meetings and seen firsthand how much time and attention to detail that they've put into creating a request for proposal, an RFP, which is currently live and on the city website," Budzinski said. "The hope is that we can find an investor that is looking to do something with this building to rehab it and that adds community value in some capacity."
The library sits directly across from the new Sheldon Park, currently under construction, which thanks to a $5 million investment by the city, will feature a splash pad, water slide, playground and sporting facilities. Budzinski said the proximity creates a unique opportunity.
"This is a huge amenity. This is going to attract a lot of people to our city, to this area that can be a symbiotic relationship with whatever business or organization invests in the Noble Building here," Budzinski said.
Community member Cindy Flemming, who has pushed to save the Alfred Noble Library and serves on the Noble Task Force, said the effort has not been without its challenges.
"It's been a long journey here with a lot of roadblocks and little action. And in the meantime, the building is continuing to decompose literally," Flemming said.
But Flemming said the current process gives her reason for optimism.
"It brings us hope that now the city is behind this and supporting this process and we're hoping to find lots of great new things to happen here in Livonia," Flemming said.
Neighbors near the library said they are eager to see the building put to use. Chris Hench, who lives nearby, shared his vision for the space.
"I mean, it could be like a maker center, a community center, an activity center, a little cafe and something else. I just want to see it being used and bringing the community together," Hench said.
Hannah Wenderski, who also lives near the closed library, has similar ideas.
"I'd be really happy to see the old library be turned into a community center or someplace where our kids could play like a playplace with a coffee center —something that could bring the community together, especially because there's a lot of kids in this area," Wenderski said.
The proposal process closes July 17. From there, the Noble Task Force will review submissions, provide feedback and make recommendations to the city council.
Noble Task Force member Samantha Lewis said she hopes the outcome serves the broader community.
"My goal is that it's engaging, the community can leverage it as a resource from a resident perspective and just make use of it. There's nothing sadder than a decaying building that's not being used," Lewis said.
—————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
