DE PERE (WTAQ-WLUK) — Project leaders of an $80 million development project in De Pere say it is on track and they’re adding more to it.
Earlier this year, the Mulva Family Foundation announced it would be building a 60,000-square-foot cultural center on the corner of Broadway and Lewis St. in De Pere.
As part of the project, the foundation is building a new Notre Dame Elementary School and St. Francis Xavier parish hall to make way for the Cultural Center. The new buildings carry a total price tag of $28 million.
It is also renovating and expanding De Pere Historical Society’s White Pillars Museum at 403 N. Broadway.
In April, a fire destroyed a downtown historic building on Broadway.
“That morning was a really sad day for De Pere and now there is hope,” said Bridget O’Conner, a spokesperson for the Mulva projects.
The “Front Street” project will redevelop property from the current Claude Allouez Bridge north to the original De Pere bridge location at George Street and from the riverfront east to Broadway. The Tile & Stone Gallery at 126 S. Broadway and the parking controlled by the city are not included.
“I think the Mulvas have already done a lot of really good things for the community, so it’s exciting that someone who is really invested in the community is taking over that block,” said Emily Kincaid, owner of Locals Only Vintage Collective, which is just down Broadway from the land the Mulvas now own.
“To be able to have a couple like Jim and Miriam who have the vision for enhancing a downtown community like this, is really unheard of,” said O’Conner.
James Mulva is the retired chairman and CEO of Conoco Phillips. A spokesperson for the Mulvas says they plan to use all of 2020 to come up with a plan for the block.
“They really expect that it will be multi-use in some capacity,” said O’Conner. “Miriam has talked about Galena, Illinois as being an example of a community that can really be a great walking, strolling downtown that can really be vibrant.”
“The Mulvas are really attuned to art and culture and I think it would be cool to see something more geared towards that,” said Kincaid.
Also on Thursday, The Mulva Cultural Center Board of Directors has named Michael Van Asten as CEO and Dan McKenna as its President and COO. Van Asten will assume his new position on April 1, 2020 and McKenna will start his position July 1, 2020.
A preliminary schedule envisions the start of excavation of the Mulva Cultural Center in late spring 2020 with construction completion by fall 2022.
