City staff told trustees that the first solicitation for redeveloping part or all of the Main Library produced limited proposals and that lessons learned will shape a reissued "call for development concepts" in January 2026. Staff recommended clearer messaging on available space and incentives, targeted outreach to museums and cultural institutions, use of the BlueDot CRM to track leads, and a longer cultivation window (6–9 months) to allow large cultural partners to plan.
The presentation outlined industry insights — museum partners typically require 6–9 months to develop proposals and planning through opening can take 6 months to 2½ years — and identified primary targets including museums, cultural institutions and developers. Staff estimated a competitive marketing and outreach program could cost $100,000–$140,000 but said the approach could be value‑engineered.
Trustees supported clearer prospecting and asked staff to focus on the right contacts inside institutions, consider extending the proposal window if needed, and provide monthly updates on outreach. The trustees reached consensus and directed staff to move forward with the refined strategy and continue monthly check‑ins during the solicitation period.