GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – To talk about eyesore properties, Green Bay city leaders welcomed the public into a building that used to be one.
The city held a public meeting on brownfield redevelopment Tuesday night at Titletown Brewing Company’s Tap Room.
“It’s a shining example of brownfield redevelopment,” said Matt Buchanan, a development specialist for the city.
A brownfield site is defined as a property that might be complicated for redevelopment because of potential pollutants.
The transformed canning warehouse that now is home to Titletown’s Tap Room used to be identified as a brownfield site.
The city wants residents to know it can help jumpstart similar turnarounds with a grant it recently received from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Buchanan tells FOX 11 there’s financial help available.
“With our EPA grants, we could pay for the environmental site assessments, which can be a little bit of an expense, especially early on in the redevelopment process.”
City leaders say they’re already focused on redeveloping brownfield properties in the University Avenue and Velp Avenue corridors.
Projects are also proposed for sites in the Rail Yard District, which Titletown Brewing Company anchors, and the Shipyard District.
Before starting construction on the Shipyard’s proposed outdoor events center, the city is still waiting to hear whether Festival Foods President and CEO Mark Skogen and Anduzzi’s Sports Club will build their concert venue and restaurant.
Mayor Jim Schmitt says the city is ready to go.
“We’re where we can be and we’re just going to see what they all need and they need to make a business decision. We hope they make it at the Shipyard and if they do that’s great. If not, we’ll have to look at Plan B.”
Either way, the goal is to eliminate another eyesore.
EPA grants have helped a number of recent projects in Green Bay’s downtown.
They include the Schreiber Foods headquarters, the Children’s Museum, and Hagemeister Park restaurant.
