GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Green Bay’s Rail Yard is about seven weeks from welcoming tenants into its third renovated warehouse building. It’s one of several construction projects happening in the district.
“We’re excited to be the first frankly, but we’re just excited to be downtown,” said Katie Hess, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Wisconsin.
April 1st can’t come soon enough for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Wisconsin. That’s when it will be the first tenant to move into the renovated warehouse. The non-profit had been on West Mason Street for nearly 30 years.
“One of the biggest things about our program is that we need to recruit mentors and we need to be where people are so that they can come in and be bigs and mentors in our program,” said Hess.
About a third of the building, which could house up to 20 businesses, is already spoken for.
Larsen Canning used to occupy the four warehouses on the property.
Titletown Brewing Company’s tap room anchors the first warehouse that was renovated.
Technology businesses and a space for entrepreneurs have largely filled the most recently renovated warehouse, according to Base Companies President and CEO Paul Belschner.
Design work is about to begin on the remaining warehouse building. It is planned to be mostly housing units.
“Now as we move north, we’ve got about $3.5 million dollars of road infrastructure, public infrastructure, that will be going in,” said Belschner.
Donald Driver Way, Kellogg Street, and Bond Street are being extended. They’ll help people access the Broadway Lofts,107 affordable housing units planned for the district’s far end, and the eight owner-occupied condos currently under construction.
“That is going to give a broad spectrum of individuals the opportunity to come live and participate in this urban redevelopment downtown,” said Belschner.
Out of the Rail Yard’s 22 acres, Belschner says only three or four acres remain unaccounted for. As for what could go on the land, Belschner says people should expect something that will continue the district’s theme of innovation.
“We’ve had real working, functioning 5G with Nsight and Cellcom bringing in their global partners, Ericcsson , and testing some of that out here, so we can see smart city concepts, smart street concepts taking shape,” said Belschner.
