BUILDING REPURPOSING OF MARY CHENEY LIBRARY

Town of Manchester - Planning has issued request for proposal, solicitation 25/26-50.

The Town of Manchester is requesting proposals from established organizations or entities interested in occupying an iconic historic building within a visible, accessible public park in Downtown Manchester. The Town Board of Directors' intent is to see the Mary Cheney Library building repurposed as a community asset and to bring renewed energy and vitality to the Downtown District. The Town seeks a use or combination of uses that will take advantage of the character of the location and space, while preserving the full exterior of the existing building. One proposal from a qualified entity or team in keeping with the preferred goals, objectives and uses outlined in this document will be selected.

Manchester is a forward-thinking community of 60,000 residents and the commercial, entertainment and residential hub of the east-of-the-river Greater Hartford region. This Request for Proposals outlines important information regarding the site, the context for this project, the qualification documentation and other information to be submitted. The project site is located at 586 Main Street, at the north end of Manchester’s vibrant Downtown district. The Colonial Revival style building was constructed in 1937 and expanded to its current 26,135 sq-ft in 1962. It has served the community as a public library for almost 90 years. The building itself is of primarily brick construction, with Palladian windows set into recessed brick arches. It is perfectly symmetrical, including the two wings flanking either side. A pediment caps the projecting front portico, overhanging stone steps and held up by Doric columns. The Mary Cheney Library falls within the Main Street Historic District which runs from Center Street to Eldridge Street (see attached map). The Main Street Historic District is considered a National Register Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While the building is not listed individually, it is listed as a contributing building to the larger district. The building sits within Center Memorial Park, also known as Cheney Park. The park is laid out in an informal and romantic manner with winding paths and landscaping. The building shares a plot with the Manchester Probate Court, which is also a contributing structure to the district. Center Park provides passive recreation opportunities along with an outdoor concert and theater venue, a hill often used for sledding during the winter and a green space for gathering and outdoor events. The park also offers opportunities to learn about the Town’s history including the Revolutionary War Memorial Fountain, Civil War Monument, and Spanish American War Monument can be found there. Manchester’s Downtown is in the midst of a positive transformation, fueled by tens of millions of dollars in public and private funds over the past five years. While key incremental improvements have come steadily during that time, the Town’s efforts are about to be turbo-charged with a $50 million, 75,000 sf public library project soon to be completed. The new library will still be located on Main Street, several blocks to the south. The project envisioned in this RFP will occupy the site of the previous library building and is intended to both compliment and benefit from this generational public investment. In addition to public investment, the district has seen a marked increase in private downtown investment over the past several years. Most recently, a $40 million private mixed-use development has recently been proposed directly across the street from the new library. Investments of this scale have not been seen in over 100 years in Downtown Manchester. Downtown is an authentic mixed-use d

Responses are due October 15, 2026 at 11:00 AM EDT.

Questions must be submitted by October 6, 2026 at 4:00 PM EDT.

A non-mandatory pre-proposal conference is scheduled for April 21, 2026 at 9:00 AM EDT at Mary Cheney Library, 586 Main Street, Manchester, CT.

Commodity categories: Real Estate: Land and Improvements; Real Estate Developers.

Contact: Cora Narracci, Purchasing Agent (cnarracci@manchesterct.gov, (860) 647-3033).

3 documents are attached to the notice: Manchester Living Wage Certification; Main Street Historic District Map; Mary Cheney Library Facility Study - Friar Report.

The full solicitation document, addenda and the question-and-answer thread are on the agency's OpenGov portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/townofmanchester/projects/251652. Responses are submitted electronically there, and a free vendor account is required before you can upload one.