• Interstate 41 Corridor

Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Outagamie, Winnebago Counties

EPA awards brownfields grants to Northeast Wisconsin communities

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded brownfields grants to 10 organizations in Wisconsin that will assess, clean up and revitalize local land.

Northeast Wisconsin grant recipients are:

• The city of Brillion was selected for a $1.98 million brownfields cleanup grant to clean up part of the Brillion Iron Works Redevelopment, located at 300 Park Ave. The site functioned as a machine shop and iron forge from 1900 to 2016. Most of the buildings were demolished between 2019 and 2022. The site is currently vacant and contaminated with heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds.
• The city of Manitowoc has been selected for a $500,000 brownfields assessment grant to conduct seven Phase I and six Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to update the brownfield site inventory, prepare four cleanup plans and conduct community engagement activities. The target areas for this grant include a property on River Point Drive, a former tannery and a former dye house.
• The Oneida Nation has been selected for a $2 million brownfields community-wide assessment grant to conduct environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to support reuse planning and community engagement activities. The target area for this grant is the Oneida Reservation in Northeast Wisconsin.

Federal grant recipients must satisfy legal and administrative requirements to receive funds from EPA.

• The Lakeshore

Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Sheboygan Counties

Weill Center begins $13M expansion

The Weill Center for the Performing Arts, a 1,150-seat historic venue in downtown Sheboygan, announced a $13 million expansion.

The Weill Center owns nearly half a block of property adjacent to its theater that is currently vacant. More than 800 community members shared local entertainment needs and desired improvements for the Weill Center through surveys and focus groups, and the feedback shaped the plans for the project.

Phase I of the project consists of a lobby expansion with an ADA accessible family restroom, elevator access to the mezzanine level, an area for merchandise, ticket office improvements, additional concessions areas, lobby balcony lounge and updates to existing theater equipment. The historic theater will remain intact.

Phase II of the project includes a rooftop lounge with stage and outdoor patio, and a “Box Office Bar” at street level with sliding doors that open to the sidewalk. Both spaces will support current programming and will also host acts ranging from street artists and acoustic singer-songwriters to comedians and DJs.

The project architect is Rickman Architecture + Design from Atlanta. The construction manager on the project is Sheboygan-based Quasius Construction. The current completion date is anticipated for November 2026. The fundraising goal for Phase I of the project is $10 million and Phase II is $3 million.

Private and public partners have contributed more than $6 million to date. This includes a $2 million matching grant from the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration’s Non-State Grant Program.

$18M budgeted for Wisconsin harbor projects

Most of the $18 million the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District has budgeted for Wisconsin harbor projects in fiscal year 2025 will be spent in Northeast Wisconsin.

The projects include more than $4.3 million for the Fox River, including remediation of Dry Dock 3, surveys and maintenance and $3.67 million for the Green Bay Harbor. More than $3.8 million is budgeted for repairs to the north breakwater in Sheboygan Harbor, and almost $2.2 million is budgeted for the Sturgeon Bay and Lake Michigan Ship Canal.

Projects to receive operation and maintenance investments through the FY 25 Work Plan include:

• Algoma Harbor $5,000
• Fox River $4.34 million
• Green Bay Harbor $3.67 million
• Kenosha Harbor $5,000
• Kewaunee Harbor $13,000
• Manitowoc Harbor $5,000
• Milwaukee Harbor $3.67 million
• Oconto Harbor $305,000
• Pensaukee Harbor $4,000
• Port Washington Harbor $5,000
• Sheboygan Harbor $3.8 million
• Sturgeon Bay Harbor and Lake Michigan Ship Canal $2.19 million
• Two Rivers Harbor $12,000

• West Central

Green Lake, Marquette, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara Counties

Shawano School District breaks ground on $51M project

Community members, school district representatives and students attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the Shawano School District to kick off improvements to Hillcrest Primary School, Olga Brener Intermediate School and Shawano Community Middle School.

Voters approved a $51.2 million referendum for renovations and upgrades, including improvements to academic buildings, a roof, heating and cooling systems, lighting and electrical panels. Indoor and outdoor athletic spaces will also receive attention, and concrete will be repaired. Once complete, these projects will:

• Improve usability and accessibility of indoor spaces and a playground at Hillcrest Primary School
• Address high-priority renovation projects, reconfigure/remodel space, and provide soundproofing for classrooms in high-traffic areas at Olga Brener Intermediate School
• Complete critical roof repairs at Shawano Community Middle School

The district is partnering with Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, Inc. for the referendum projects at all four of the district’s campuses, including Shawano Community High School, which will have its own groundbreaking ceremony later this summer.

• The Northwoods

Florence, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto Counties

Marinette County agrees to sell former UWGB field house

The Marinette County board approved selling the field house at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Marinette Campus for $1 to the Greater Marinette-Menominee YMCA.

The deal includes the Max E. Peterson Field House and 18.6 acres of land surrounding it. As part of the agreement, the county will seek $500,000 to make improvements to the facility. The money will come from a $2 million grant available to the county for the sole purpose of redeveloping the buildings after UWGB announced it would no longer hold in-person classes at the campus.

The campus is owned by the county and includes the field house, the main academic building, a theater/arts building and a library.

The field house has been managed by the River City Community Pool Association. In a letter posted to its website, RCCPA says, “If the YMCA takes over, RCCPA would step aside, knowing its mission has been fulfilled.”

The YMCA has indicated it would relocate its operations from a current facility in Menominee to the field house and expand the facility. It plans to conduct a $4 million campaign to fund the expansion and improvements to HVAC, roof and an elevator.

No timeline for the project or fundraising has been announced.

County forest road funds released

Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced that $320,600 in state funds is anticipated to support improving more than 930 miles of county forest roads in 24 counties across the state.

Supporting the safety, security and reliability of Wisconsin’s county forest roads is vital, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Each year, county forests generate approximately $40 million to $50 million in timber revenues, resulting in approximately 16,000 jobs and $4.6 billion in forest products production.

Marinette County received $82,783 for 241 miles of roads. Marinette County has about 25% of the eligible county forest road mileage in the state. Oconto County received $12,621 for 36.8 miles of roads, and Florence County received $11,339 for 321 miles of roads.