RiverLife Apartments in Wausau. Image courtesy: Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — After years of planning and three different development groups along with legal hurdles and other delays apartments along Wausau’s downtown riverfront are finally ready for their ribbon cutting.
The units, developed by a local team, have quite the story to tell beginning in 1995 when the city began purchasing property along the river and cleaning them up for redevelopment. Developers then proposed a mixed-use concept for the area including some ground-level retail and office space along with apartment units.
Their project stalled after millions in construction bills went unpaid, leading to legal issues between the city, contractors, and the developers. That group was later removed from the project.
A Madison-are development company then emerged as frontrunners to restart the project, but they backed away and encouraged the city to go with the local team led by Mitch Viegut, Dr. Fritz Riveron, and Bob Ohde.
That group formally took over the project in June of 2019. The first tenants moved in one year later, but the COVID-91 pandemic delayed their formal ribbon-cutting until now.
The apartments feature amenities such as underground parking, bike racks, private balconies and patios, and workout facilities.
Leasing for the complex is currently at capacity.
The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce will cut the ribbon on the Riverlife Apartments Tuesday at 12:30.
RELATED: Wausau Economic Development Committee Considers Riverlife North Development Proposals
The complex, along with the RiverLife park and concessions stand which opened in the Summer of 2019, are the first major riverfront redevelopment projects to cross the finish line in the city. The team of Viegut, Riveron, and Ohde are also hoping to develop another complex near the WOW building into more market-rate apartments and office space. They are also getting ready to start construction on a complex of condominiums.
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