Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels says the city is currently undergoing a “renaissance,” as a new generation of businesses take the reins after some legacy companies have exited.
“We kinda stalled for a little bit after Mirro Aluminum Company and Manitowoc Company left because they were our largest employers for over 100 years, but so many businesses stepped up,” says Nickels, who points to the recent expansions of Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, Lakeside Foods and Briess Malt as examples.
“It’s these collective businesses and the collective idea of investing in quality of life and housing in downtown that is making Manitowoc an attractive place,” he says.
Now, progress on two major developments in the city is igniting renewed belief in Manitowoc’s ongoing renaissance. After more than 15 years, residents are seeing movement at the former Mid-Cities Mall and Edgewater Plaza properties on the city’s northeast side.
Nickels says the city purchased the 36-acre site in May 2024 and is working with Green Bay-based firm Tycore Built to develop the property. A minimum of 40 single-family homes and 168 apartment units, as well as three commercial sites, are planned as part of the $70 million project.
“This blighted, ugly vacant lot for 15‑plus years in the city is finally getting new life,” Nickels says.
Demolition was completed in March, and cleanup will continue through the spring. Construction is planned to start before the end of the year.
Nickels says the project’s commercial sites will support the additional residents from this development as well as other nearby housing developments such as The Preserve at Lincoln Park, a new 33-lot subdivision.
“There’s going to be 500 to 600 new people living on the northeast side of the city, so it’ll be justified to have some pretty good commercial space up there,” Nickels says.
Another long-awaited project now gaining renewed momentum is the redevelopment of the former Mirro plant, which was once the world’s largest manufacturer of aluminum cooking utensils. The company left Manitowoc in 2003.
The city took ownership of the 1 million-square-foot site on Washington Street in 2016 and demolished the building the following year, but it has sat empty since.
Thanks to a nearly $2 million federal grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, cleanup of the site will begin this spring and include removal of contaminated soil, demolition of the concrete slab and importing new topsoil.
“It’s a difficult site,” Nickels says. “We’ve done a lot of cleanup, as much as the city really can afford, so now we’re working with a developer who is applying for federal tax credits to help fund upwards of 60 apartments there.”
Nickels says the apartments, which would take up more than half the site, would be considered workforce housing with rates based on income.
Milwaukee-based developer Wire Capital Group should find out this month if it is awarded the tax credits and can move forward with development, Nickels says.
“The saving grace if they aren’t awarded is we’ll have a clean site,” he says. “It’ll look like a park. It’ll be green; it’ll look appealing and be much more salable and marketable than it looks like right now.”
The River Point District, a major mixed-use project in downtown Manitowoc, will be wrapping up infrastructure work this year. The 20-acre development along the Manitowoc River is anchored by an 87-unit apartment complex and Petskull Brewing; it also includes a kayak launch, boat docking, river walk and community fire pit.
“That was all completed last year, so this year will be the first full summer we have with all those public amenities,” Nickels says. “The council approved the final phase of all the roads and infrastructure. We do have a few pretty large lots that are open that we’re going to start marketing. We would love housing and commercial down in that area.”
I-43 opportunities
Jamie Zastrow, executive director of Progress Lakeshore, says the I-43 corridor continues to be a hub for development activity in Manitowoc County.
For example, the village of Cleveland created a new 53-acre, mixed-use TIF district along I-43. One of the catalytic projects for this district is Clear Sky Rehabilitation Hospital Lakeshore, which is currently under construction. The $30 million project includes a 36-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital.
“That really is changing the landscape for the village of Cleveland, which is great,” Zastrow says. “And development spurs development, so there is opportunity in that same TIF district along the highway. We’re having some conversations around housing development and some additional commercial uses, so that’s kind of a hot topic right now.”
Manitowoc’s industrial capacity will soon be expanding with a new 90-acre industrial park near I-43. The decision comes as Manitowoc’s existing industrial park, just north of the newly-acquired land, is nearing capacity.
“Our current industrial park right off of I-43 on the west side of the city is almost completely full,” Nickels says. “We’re trying to be proactive and think long-term before that completely fills up.”
The new park, previously a county-owned farm field, offers a prime location adjacent to the interstate, making it an attractive prospect for up to three sizable businesses seeking high visibility and accessibility. Nickels says the city council has allocated more than $1 million for essential infrastructure development, including sewer and water systems, which is expected to commence this year.
