John Marshall School. Image courtesy: Wausau School District
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Residents of the Southeast Side neighborhood were given a chance to hear from the Wausau Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday regarding the potential for a historic designation for the John Marshall Elementary School.
Commission Chair and District 5 Alder Gary Gisselman says it was a chance for them to explain their interest in naming the building a historic landmark in the city, while also hearing concerns from residents. He says the building is an important part of the city’s history for several reasons, including how an entire neighborhood sprung up around it.
“In 1922 [that neighborhood] sort of grew up. The airport and a lot of things that came in the 1920s came after that school was built. It was the center of that neighborhood for 100 years,” said Gisselman. “We feel very strongly about John Marshall as a potential landmark.”
Representatives of the Wausau School District did speak at Wednesday’s meeting including Superintendent Keith Hilts who doubled down on the district’s opposition to the designation. The district is in the early stages of assessing the makeup of its elementary and secondary schools, including the possibility of consolidation. He says if the school does get tagged as a historic landmark, it could put some constraints on the district’s plans should they need to consolidate or make significant changes to the school.
RELATED: Wausau School Board Signs Letter Opposing Historic Designation for John Marshall School
Gisselman says the designation does not mean the building will be frozen in time, and they are willing to work with the district to find an accommodation that will be in everyone’s best interest if the designation does go through. “After it is landmarked; there are steps to follow [to obtain] a certificate of appropriateness.
“Once it’s landmarked yes, it’s final. It’s in the ordinance, but there are resolves to it afterwards,” added Gisselman.
A full recording of Wednesday’s meeting, including background on the school and what led to the discussion about making it a historic landmark, is available on the city’s YouTube channel.
RELATED: Wausau City Council Tables John Marshall School Historic Designation
The matter was tabled by the City Council earlier this month to allow more time for comment from the neighborhood and others in the city, which led to Wednesday’s meeting. It’s expected that the Council will revisit the discussion during their meeting on November 9th.
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