GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – As the Packers prepare to get back on the football field, the team continues to make moves off of it. For the first time, the team has purchased land north of Lombardi Avenue.
A Packers spokesperson confirmed to FOX 11 the team recently bought about two acres of land on the northwest corner of Lombardi Avenue and Ridge Road, which includes Lyndahl Funeral Home.
The team partnered with Commercial Horizons, a Green Bay-based development company, to make the acquisition.
According to Brown County Land Records, the property was purchased for $2.65 million, which is about three times the assessed value for the two parcels.
Nicholas Hermsen lives down St. Agnes Drive from the funeral home and spoke to FOX 11….
“Seeing all the other stuff going up around Lambeau Field, the new Titletown District and it’s working its way toward 41, just kind of a matter of time before it was going to determine they were going to move their way into some of these neighborhoods.”.
Packers Director of Public Affairs Aaron Popkey says in an email, “the property was for sale and we thought it made sense to acquire it for potential development. There are no immediate plans, however, as it is under lease to the funeral home.”
Popkey could not verify whether the lease was for the entire property, as there is a large parking lot and green space that could fit a development project.
“We’d just like to know what’s going on,” said Joan Behnke, who has lived next door to the funeral home for 30 years.
“The whole neighborhood is kind of in limbo that they’re not letting us know.”
FOX 11 was able to talk with an owner of Lyndahl Funeral Home. He wanted to emphasize the funeral home isn’t going anywhere. It has a multiple year lease and when that lease is up Lyndahl would relocate, if necessary, as it has been part of the community for more than 70 years.
“Starbucks wouldn’t be so bad,” said Behnke when asked what she would like to see developed on the site.
Along with other neighbors, Behnke tells FOX she loves what the Packers have done with its development so far, but would like to know what’s to come.
“That is definitely on people’s minds. How far are they going to go?”
As for phase 2 of the Titletown District, construction continues on the office building and two rows of town homes.
The Packers have said there would be between 70 and 90 townhomes. The first ones are expected to be ready for residents this summer.
Construction is also expected to start soon on an apartment building with about 150 units.
The team reports there is still room in the district for a development between 100,000 and 120,000 square feet. That would go between the office building and the Titletown Tech building. Options for that space are currently being evaluated.
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