Insight’s InDevelopment event brought more than 200 people developers, investors and community representatives together Tuesday and they heard first hand how the Wilden Portfolio Park Development came together in Appleton.
Kristie Schwahn, manager of facilities and workplace solutions at Thrivent Financial, told the group that the business had spent 10 years evaluating its real estate and office needs. The evaluation picked up speed after the COVID-19 pandemic led to a shift in how and where staff works.
Schwan says the company realized it would not need all the space it currently has.
“We have made the decision that we are going to be building a new building on this campus,” Schwahn says.
Thrivent wanted to be responsive to the needs of the community as it planned for the future of the 600 acre site it owns in Appleton, she says they want to see a walkable, vibrant connected community.
“Building a healthy community is a key driver for Thrivent and all of our partners,” says John Breitinger, executive director of commercial real estate Cushman & Wakefield, which is a partner in the Wilden project.
Thrivent came to the project with a set of guiding principles which has helped in the process and meets the needs of the current workforce.
“Jobs follow people, not the other way around,” Breitinger says. “The new reality is it’s about attracting talent.”
Young workers are choosing where they want to live and then seeking employment. He says place making is the key to drawing talent and workers are seeking diverse housing options, walkability, green spaces, cultural amenities and authentic character.
Brietinger says there also is a mismatch between housing stock and what people are seeking. While larger single family homes are available and being built, household size has been shrinking.
The plan for Wilden is to bridge that gap with small homes, stacked flats, townhomes and cottage rows. Wilden also will have retail amenities, office space and green space in a walkable development.
“This is a pretty special opportunity that we’ve got a landowner that’s got a very long view and that will hold this land so that it can be developed over the course of the next generation,” Brietinger says.
Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford echoed those comments saying, “This is a once in a generation development project for our community.”
He described the process Appleton has been refining for working with developers and says it is a process they are applying to the Wilden Portfolio Park project.
Additional speakers at the InDevelopment Conference included Manny Vasquez from NAI Pffeferle, Eric Gumm of Wangard Partners, Jason Tadych of Tadych Investment Partners and Tom Fisk of Pfefferle.
Representatives from various communities and developers offered information at booths during a networking session to end the day.
