WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) — Wausau’s board of public works will be taking their first look at proposals to renovate the former Sav-O Supply store site today.
The request for bids went out in December, and economic development manager Christian Schock says Wausau economic development manager Christian Schock says this represents a step forward for the riverfront. “It’s really an exciting time to see the evolution of a lot of years of the city’s efforts come to fruition, and Sav-O Supply is one of those key parcels along with others as to what it can bring to the community, and how it can be best utilized.” Along with the Sav-O project, Schock says the city will be continuing the process of rebuilding the walking trails and the recreation of the creek this year.
A previous request for proposal was rejected back in October after alderman Keene Winters and others voted against it at council. The proposal was a plan from MetroPlains to turn the building into a 23 unit apartment complex with income adjusted rents much like the project at the Trolley Quarter Flats. The vote was 6 to 4 in favor of taking another look at the project at committee. A number of people spoke out about the project including a pair of local housing developers who say they weren’t properly informed about the request for proposal on the project.
Schock says today’s meeting will put the city back on track to doing something with the property. “It’s really just a start of a longer process to making a final decision as to who the partner will be and moving forward on it.” He adds that the city has been working hard at a full redevelopment of the area. “There’s been a real concerted effort to look at mixed use, about reenergizing and reinvigorating certain parcels in the city, and about creating an environment that’s able to contribute to the city in multiple different facets.”
Today’s meeting gets underway at 1:30.