Proposed City Hall in Stevens Point. MWC photo by Mike Leischner
STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) — The Stevens Point City Council heard from design architects on Wednesday as plans for a new City Hall continue to brew.
Alders held a special City Council meeting on Wednesday to hear from Justin Marquis of Milwaukee-based Somerville Architects and Engineers, who provided an overview of what it would take to turn the current building at 1039 Ellis Street into a functioning government office.
Mayor Mike Wiza says they’re still in the planning phase with city leaders and department heads. “We’ve asked them to give us an idea of what space they need and what future expansion they may need as well.”
He says not all departments will be moving into the new building. The Parks and Recreation department will stay at its current location near Goerke Park and the KB Willett Ice Arena, though Wiza notes that they would still like an upgraded garage. The Police Department on Michigan Avenue is also staying put. Both departments are “very comfortable where they are at,” noted Wiza.
Marquis told the Alders that the building would likely be gutted. Each department would start from a blank canvas. “We obviously will try to reuse as much existing space as possible, but we don’t want to keep a wall for the sake of keeping a wall. We want it to be most efficient for how you will use your space.
“It would involve a complete gut job,” added Marquis
The city is taking over the property as part of a land swap with Portage County. Stevens Point will turn over its portion of the current building, allowing for remodeling and expansion of the courthouse. In return, the city gets the 1039 Ellis Street site.
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The move would allow for better security at the Courthouse, including private entrances and exits for Judges and others involved in a case. Wiza previously told WSAU News that the current setup has everyone sharing common areas like entrances and bathrooms, which allows for something to go “very wrong” if tensions from a court proceeding were to spill over.
Discussions about a new City Hall have been held for nearly a decade. Wiza says city leaders will hold more high-level discussions later this month. The City Plan Commission will also discuss the project at its August meeting.
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