GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Green Bay’s city council has brought new life to plans to revitalize the city’s struggling East Town Mall.
On an 8 to 3 vote last night, the council passed a term sheet to redevelop the mall.
As recent as last week, it looked like the plan to redevelop East Town Mall was no longer possible. However, with the New Jersey developer behind the plan ready to walk, some of the city’s council members decided to change the votes they made in October.
City Council President Tom Dewane spoke to WLUK.
“I was never against this project, but I understood and I agreed with Alderman Nicholson and Alderman Zima, let’s try to see if we can renegotiate something”
City leaders say the developer wouldn’t budge on receiving up to $3 million in city assistance to purchase and renovate the mall.
The entire plan would cost about $12 million, transforming the traditional interior mall setup, into bigger box stores with exterior parking lot entrances.
A sporting goods store, Fresh Thyme Farmer’s Market, and other national retailers would be involved in the redevelopment plan. East Town’s current Kohl’s and Hobby Lobby stores would remain.
Kevin Vonck, Green Bay’s economic development director, says a development agreement still needs to be reached before construction can begin.
“The developer, we’re lucky they’re still interested and want to move forward, so we’ll start working on it right away”
The project is contingent on the county agreeing to move the east branch library to the mall. The county is also considering expanding its current location on Main Street or moving to the UW-Extension building on Bellevue Street.
City leaders say the developer hopes to have an answer from the county in the next few months.
