OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A partnership between the City of Oshkosh and Habitat for Humanity is aiming to fill housing needs in the community.
Washington Elementary School is closing at the end of this academic year as part of a long-term plan to consolidate elementary schools within the Oshkosh Area School District (OASD).
A partnership between the City of Oshkosh and Habitat for Humanity is aiming to fill housing needs in the community. (WLUK)
Washington, as well as Merrill and Webster Stanley, will be merged into the new Menominee Elementary School opening this fall at the site of the former Webster Stanley building.
In November, the district publicly called for proposals for the purchase and redevelopment of the Washington Elementary site, but none were submitted.
As a result, the City of Oshkosh and Habitat for Humanity decided to make a $75,000 offer on the building, proposing for the construction of low-income, single-family homes. Plans involve removing the decommissioned school to make way for about 18 homes divided between the groups.
Habitat for Humanity would build about nine homes on its part of the site, and the city would construct a similar number of workforce housing units.
City of Oshkosh Community Development Director Kelly Nieforth explained to FOX 11 on Friday why she believes the project would be good for the community.
In 2022, the City of Oshkosh conducted a housing study and it was adopted by council, and it really showed that there is a huge need for all different types of housing in our community. Very low-income all the way up to executive-style housing. We know that workforce housing, specifically… finding suitable housing is very difficult for them. And so with this, we are looking for different ways to potentially keep the cost of the housing down for people to purchase, and this is a beautiful neighborhood.
Nieforth said multiple meetings have been held to include surrounding neighbors to ensure their voices are heard.
“We, of course, will have neighbors involved through the whole process because this project is going to be very important to this neighborhood,” said Nieforth.
The proposal goes before the Oshkosh City Council April 9 and the OASD school board April 10 for approval.
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