Rendering of the proposed Green Bay Public Market (Image courtesy On Broadway)
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A public market in Green Bay’s Broadway District is now expected to open in time for the NFL Draft next spring, as fundraising has surpassed 60% of the $12.5 million goal.
At a news conference Wednesday, On Broadway announced the Richard J Resch Foundation will be the project’s lead donor and will hold the naming rights for Resch Square.
“Now we just need to get a couple more things down the stretch here as we land this plane and really make this happen for our community,” said Brian Johnson, executive director of On Broadway, Inc.
The market will be located at the site of the former Old Fort Square building, 211 N. Broadway. On Broadway, which bought the building almost two years ago, says demolition has begun on both the interior and exterior of the building.
Construction fencing closing off the sidewalk is expected to go up soon.
The Appleton-based Boldt Company, which will be the lead contractor, plans to move its Green Bay offices to the second floor of the market.
Work at the site has already begun.
Demolition started this month, and is expected to wrap up sometime in June.
“There’ll be exterior work, but I think a lot of the work that’s going to happen is the interior and we’re getting very, very close to final designs and concepts,” said Tom Boldt, CEO of Boldt Company.
Behind the building will sit a proposed three-story parking structure that would add an additional 286 parking spots.
Leaders are also contemplating adding apartment units to the top of the parking structure.
“We’re still committed to that, we just need a private developer that has that interest and we have several ongoing productive conversations right now,” said Johnson.
According to ‘On Broadway,’ the market could have an annual economic impact of more than $65M.
The public market is expected to feature at least 20 vendors. It promises year-round access to fresh produce and goods.
“Think about having a butcher, a fish monger, a baker, right? those are the types of products,” said Johnson.
Some leases have already been signed, and leaders are eager to rent out the remaining space.
When the public market project was first announced in January 2022, construction was expected to begin that fall and opening was expected in 2023.
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