A rendering of the proposed single-family homes for remnant Thomas Street parcels in Wausau. (Photo courtesy of the City of Wausau)
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — New single-family homes could be coming to downtown Wausau in the next year.
Tuesday night Wausau’s Economic Development Committee considered a proposal received for the Thomas Street Phase 2 Remant Parcel RFP put out in October of 2020. The RFP only received one proposal that came from Tyler Knudson Construction LLC to buy the 6 lots offered in the RFP for $7,500 each – a total of $45,000 – and constructing six single-family homes.
The proposal has two different styles of homes that all have two stories, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and an attached 2-car garage within 1,400 square feet. The homes would sell for a price between $200,000 – $240,000 once construction is completed. Construction is expected to begin in May of 2021 and be completed in three phases each phase consisting of two homes at a time ending in May of 2022.
Most members of the committee were in favor of the proposal but members of the community attending the meeting were concerned with the estimated price of the homes. Keith Sampica of Tyler Knudson Construction informed those in attendance what aspects of the homes asked for in the RFP make up the proposed $200,000 price point of the homes.
“So it was requested that the houses have to be either one and a half or two-story construction. So they do not have a basement but they do have 2 stories. The price would be significantly reduced if it was requested that these houses be only one story. It also says that they need to have a two-car garage, which drives up the price as well.”
City Business Development Specialist Sean Fitzgerald did note in his letter to the committee that the RFP only received one proposal as other interested developers indicted it was improbable to develop single-family homes in the under-$180,000 range and mitigate the risk of a financial loss.
The conversation around affordable housing in Wausau and how the proposal fit into the issue lasted for over an hour in the Council Chambers. In that hour of discussion, the idea of an affordable housing task force was proposed to help look into the problem in the city. Mayor Katie Rosenberg expressed interest in the idea, as she is the official who can authorize a task force for the City.
The proposal was passed on a 4-1 vote, with District 3 Alder Tom Killian being the lone no vote on the Committee. With no City money involved in the project, it now moves onto the full City Council for final approval of sale for the 6 remnant parcels on Thomas Street.
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